Journalism in shadow of war discussed at TRT World Forum

ISTANBUL

Journalists discussed various aspects of working in conflict zones at TRT World Forum 2022 on Saturday.

In a session titled reporting from the front lines: journalism in the shadow of war, Ubeyde Hitto, a producer at TRT World, shared his experiences in the war zones he went such as Syria.

"People are definitely not comfortable with your presence, but at the same time, know that you're there doing the job," Hitto pointed out.

"The hardest thing is to not become the story, just tell the story that is happening there," Hitto said, explaining that people are so desperate just to find somebody to listen to them because they think that you might be able to fix their problem.

"But you're not there to fix their problem. You're in there to share their problem with the rest of the world," he added.

Regarding safety in war zones, Melinda Nucifora, a correspondent at TRT World, stressed the importance of reliable local contacts and trust in your team, saying, "If you cannot trust your team, you don't have anything."

"If you're putting yourself in danger, you can't tell the stories successfully and accurately and with an open and balanced objective mind," Nucifora stressed.

For his part, Journalist Lotfullah Najafizada said that what killed journalists was also a lack of local knowledge, lack of preparation, and lack of awareness.

The TRT World Forum 2022, a two-day annual event, started in Istanbul on Friday.

The gathering, which is held under the theme of Mapping the Future: Uncertainties, Realities and Opportunities this year, brings together academics, journalists, intellectuals, politicians, and members of civil society from around the globe.

Nearly 100 speakers and over 1,000 participants from nearly 40 countries are attending the forum, according to Mehmet Zahid Sobaci, the director general of TRT, Türkiye's public broadcaster.

The forum featured sessions on various subjects, such as the Ukraine-Russian war, global migration, and the energy crisis, as well as disinformation.

The event was held in person this year after it was held virtually for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.