Week 10 - The Story Factor

The Story Factor

1. I would most probably run with the story, as if another media outlet publishes the story the day after, it can negatively effect them. Although I would know that the story would most probably be written at a better standard if it was a day after, wouldn't a lot of stories have that same problem? I would simply have to just write it to the best of my ability. If the source would rather the information be left until the next day, I would have to explain to them my situation. And, why would they have brought up this information unless they wanted it to be printed or revealed?

2. This is a tough situation, with your personal ethical standpoints coming into serious play. I would find this decision to be very daunting. Although it is very much in the public interest to know about this situation, as several guests and staff have become ill, there is the fact that 120 jobs may be risked. I am leaning towards publishing the story, as it is the responsibility of the kitchen to be health-orientated and to not be in these conditions. With already so many incidents, the kitchen would surely not survive in today's standards of cleanliness.

3. I would find this source to be very untrustworthy and would be very hesitant to follow off his comments. As I have no experience in the journalism industry, this question is difficult to answer as there is probably a code or steps to follow when an incident such as this occurs, or relating to sources.

4. I would be unsure of what to do in the situation. As a junior journalist, it would be a very difficult decision to make. An editor's opinion would be highly regarded as they know the newspaper well and know how to angle a story. The policeman, although probably experienced when dealing with journalists, is still a policeman who does not work at your newspaper. Although, maintaining contacts in important. Perhaps further research of the story would make for a meet somewhere in the middle.

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UN envoy arrives in Burma amid further protests

Posted Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:12pm AEST 
Updated Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:40pm AEST

Just before the arrival of the UN envoy, protesters again took to the streets (AFP)
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• Related Story: Satellites show Karen villages burnt in Burma

The United Nations special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, has arrived in Burma to try to persuade the military authorities to end the suppression of the pro-democracy movement.

Just before his arrival, protesters again took to the streets of Rangoon.

After landing in Burma's largest city, Mr Gambari left immediately for the country's isolated administrative capital, Naypidaw, where he is expected to meet top junta leaders.

There were small groups of protesters on the streets today, with security forces charging a crowd of about 100 in the centre of Burma's main city Rangoon, beating many of them and arresting five, witnesses said.

The group had gathered on the Pansoedan bridge in downtown Rangoon and as soon as they started to clap their hands, the security forces swooped and began attacking them, they said.

"They beat people so badly, I wonder how these people can bear it," said one Rangoon resident who witnessed the scene.
"I saw the security forces arrest about five people on the streets."

The small protest was the first to be held in Rangoon today, as an overwhelming security operation successfully choked off daily rallies that yesterday attracted 10,000 and tens of thousands earlier in the week.

UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon has called on the Burmese Government to commit to a path of peaceful national reconciliation.

Global pressure on the military regime to halt the crackdown on demonstrations has intensified.

Members of the protest movement vowed to come out on the streets again Saturday, despite a three-day offensive by security forces that has left at least 13 dead and hundreds more jailed.

"We are ready to go to town again. We will start it all over again and we are very hopeful that things will become much more intense as the hours go by," one pro-democracy campaigner involved in the protests said.

Dr Gambari's itinerary has not been released, but on previous visits he has met with regime leader Senior General Than Shwe, and once with opposition activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for most of the past 18 years.

The United States has urged the country's leaders to let Mr Gambari meet with anyone he wishes, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

Back online

Internet access has been restored to Burma, a day after the main internet link was cut off to stop reports and pictures of a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations reaching the outside world.

Internet users inside Burma are now able to see domestic Web pages as well as send e-mails outside the country.

Pictures and video footage sent to the international media by Burmese protesters have fuelled global condemnation of the government's actions.

Earlier, witnesses said soldiers were beating and arresting people found with mobile phones or cameras.

Food aid stalled

Meanwhile the World Food Program is having trouble delivering food to the hundreds of thousands of people it supports in Burma because of the latest unrest.

Program spokesman Greg Barrow says it is now getting very difficult to move food around.

"At the moment, we're trying to feed around half a million [people] and all of them are potentially affected if this goes on for a long time," he said.

"I think you have to realise that when you have a big food assistance operation, there's a long chain of movement going on there, and if one link in that chain is disrupted it has a knock-on effect down the line."

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This is such a terrible situation. Reading articles such as these evoked a lot of strong, emotional feelings. The situation in Burma is terrible, with people coming to such measures to try and combat their government.

"They beat people so badly, I wonder how these people can bear it," said one Rangoon resident who witnessed the scene. - This line is probably the saddest. The way people are being treated in Burma is appauling. It makes me realise how lucky we are to be living in a democracy, and in such a fortunate country as Australia.

One incident of a photographer being shot at point-blank distance was high on the media's agenda. They had direct footage of the incident, which effectively communicated the true magnitude of not only the armed forces, but of the completely biased Burmese media, who inappropriately said that forces were dealing with protesters accordingly.

The second of this article relating to food aid is very disturbing and worrying. The people of Burma are affected on so many levels.

I really hope that peace is restored in Burma, and that negotiations with the UN are definitely underway.

Some interesting links are:

Photos of Burmese Protests

The Telegraph (UK)