| The Journalist as an Instrument for Universal Harmony by Jacqueline Berg The founder of the international organization "Journalists for Tomorrow" talks about the possible role of the journalist as an individual, as well as a representative of the media and their power, in the creation of world peace and universal harmony. An insightful look at a much criticized but nevertheless very important profession, which will inspire both professionals and people who just wish to see the world depicted in a much better and constructive way in the media. It's my pleasure to be here to speak to you on a subject which is dear to all our hearts: harmony in our world. I am in fact here in three different roles: as a western journalist, as the initiator of an international journalist organization called Journalists For Tomorrow and as a spiritual person. It is the combination of these three roles that has made journalism so interesting as an instrument for universal harmony. Perception Creates Reality Over the years, it became clear to me what an enormous influence our way of thinking has on our life. In Holland we have an expression: "The world is as we see it, as we perceive it to be". I saw journalists, each with their own personal experiences, attitudes and values writing completely different articles about the same topic: a film, a novel, politics, religion... It dawned on me that the concept of "reality" is a rather subjective one. Each of us has a different perception of reality. Every one of us has their own "reality". The way in which we experience our world to be, has everything to do with the way we think about our world. Another reason for pushing aside the assumption of a journalist being an 'objective carrier of news', is my own spiritual experience. I began to see the connection between things. I sensed that no event stands on its own, everything is somehow interlinked. This made me realize how senseless the constant flow of news facts is when there is no framework offered to put things in a larger perspective. I even believe that this seemingly endless flow of loose events can be damaging to its consumer. People begin to feel helpless and hopeless and become depressed or simply shrug at yet another terrible event. My conclusion was that journalistic responsibility is more than just reporting events and much more than so called "objective reporting". When we journalists are not able to put daily news facts into a context, it becomes very difficult for the consumer to see things in perspective. He will feel lost in the jungle of facts and figures that make no sense. Having worked on different editorial boards for quite a few years, I know that news facts pass through many hands before reaching the consumer. Each 'hand' colours the news-item a bit. Decisions have to be taken fast and are mostly intuitive. What do we cover and what do we leave out? Which headline, what photo, what caption? The photographer himself probably only had a split second to decide when to push the button and what to aim his camera at: Intuition. When doing interviews myself I have noticed time and time again that the conversation depends largely on my attitude towards the person I'm interviewing. And so: does objectivity exist at all? An Observer with a Vision When we look at it this way, it becomes clear how much influence the personal vision of a journalist has on the way his viewers, listeners and readers see and experience their world. People see the world through the eyes of the journalist. And what does he see? What is his perception, his notion, his vision of "reality"? To re-enforce the dialogue on this topic, I started an international journalistic network some three years ago called Journalists For Tomorrow. One of the main conclusions we have come to over the years is that the ideal journalist is an "observer with a vision". He is an observer in the sense that he is detached and independent. He has a vision in the sense that he is able to put every item into a larger perspective. He understands the possible implications of a simple news fact and sees its past, present and future. Within the JFT-network we tend to underline the importance of a positive vision towards the world and its future, without of course distorting the facts. We wish to help in restoring hope into peoples lives: for themselves and for the world. More so than any other profession, journalists are capable of seeing the relationships between people, cultures, religions and societies. Looking for similarities creates understanding and consequently harmony. Seeing media doing exactly the opposite these days makes one wonder: Is the world really that bad or is our vision such that we only see the negative and sensational sides of reality? Both assumptions probably hold truth, but we are here today to discuss the role of the media in creating Universal Harmony. So, what can we, the ones working in the media, do? It seems logical to assume that if we media people change our way of looking at the world and its inhabitants, we make it easier for others to do the same. The necessity for change Often we see that a person, system or society has to sink very low before things start changing for the better. As far as I'm concerned this all time low has been reached in the field of the media: viewership figures are often more important than quality; negativity and sensationalism are omnipresent in every modern medium and if not then it is entertainment; those who have enough money simply buy air-time; advertising and illicit advertising are simply inseparable from the media; news facts are being presented in a spectacular or entertaining way, resulting in apathy, aggression and not being able to tell reality and fiction apart: life is a movie. The media have a problem. In their ruthless quest for the attention of their listeners, viewers and readers, the media are becoming more and more extreme. If there isn't a scandal or some crisis going on: make one. It's not surprising that the press has to cope with a lot of hostility nowadays. When a plane crashed very near to the centre of Amsterdam, press people were literally beaten back from the scene by police. Their attitude was one of arrogance ('we are the press') and in many cases obtrusive. People are becoming scared of these unscrupulous (unsparing) vultures who will do anything for a 'good' story. Now that cameras the size of pens are used, nothing and no one seems to be safe anymore. Big Brother is watching you! As we can see in history, every system based on fear and abuse of power will collapse sooner or later. Lack of respect and integrity can only be answered with the same ingredients. I must say that I am also rather cautious myself when it comes to giving interviews. Over the last years I have been interviewed quite a lot myself and in many cases I felt misunderstood: inaccurate quotes, completely out of the context; making things look very suspicious; and even bold lies. During a recent television interview I was suddenly confronted with questions from the interviewer which we had beforehand discussed as not being relevant and even damaging for those involved. Lack of respect, lack of morality. I don't find it strange that many don't trust the press anymore. If journalists forget their ethical codes, it's hardly surprising that others will remind -- even reinforce -- this on them. In this case the government. In the U.K. plans are being made to remind journalists of these ethical codes, meaning freedom of press, our most fundamental right, is being challenged. In this case I feel we only have ourselves to blame. And so it seems high time to once again look at the roles and responsibilities of the media in these rapidly changing times. It's time to re-evaluate our fundamental principles and tasks. What is it that we want to achieve with our articles and broadcasts? What is our aim? What is our motivation behind a certain article? What are our underlying morals and ethical codes? Apart from being journalists, we are also human beings, inhabitants of a world which has reached a crucial point in its existance. We, who play a major role in the way people look at the world of today -and consequently at the world of tomorrow- can be instrumental to restore hope in the hearts of many. Every major change in the world started out as a tiny thought in the mind of an individual. I am however seeing that these thoughts are not just the thoughts of a few enlightened individuals. More and more colleagues are once again appreciating the beauty, the greatness and the responsibility of their profession. More and more journalists are realizing that their task is too important to be careless about. A more harmonious world has everything to do with inner peace and harmony. When we are able to change our ideas and attitudes towards ourselves, others and the world, 'the world' will definitely change. This demands vision: a clear, positive outlook and attitude. This is the journalist for tomorrow. Copyright © 2000 Jacqueline Berg | 
