Events
Halifax: International Media and UN Peacekeeping, October 5, 2006
Panelists for Public Dialogue:
- Douglas T. Coffman, Public Information Officer, UN Dept of Public Information
- Tim Dunne, Former Military Public Affairs for DND & NATO; current NS Government
- Alex Morrison, President, MSC, CD, Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies
- Olivia Ward, Toronto Star
- Kim Kierans, Director, University of King’s College School of Journalism, Moderator
Overview of Discussion
The panelists, as well as a closed experts’ roundtable held earlier in the day, discussed the role of international media in UN peacekeeping. An identified challenge was the difficulty in presenting news stories as emerging, pressing and relevant to target audiences at home. The participants explored tools and processes for UN peacekeeping missions in the field to get their message out to the international community and to help build support for UN peacekeeping more generally.
Support for peacekeeping by the Canadian public is closely linked to the support from the media; without the media’s support, support for peacekeeping could disappear. It is thus important to find ways to spark the interest of the Canadian public by taking a Canadian angle and making stories relevant to the Canadian public. In addition, international correspondents must be equipped with an ability to relate and describe the context to their viewers.
UN peacekeeping missions are increasingly learning to use the media positively as a conflict management tool, especially through the use of radio. Press conferences and press releases on UN peacekeeping objectives and activities are also important. The international media is necessary to help build support for a mission, to advise donors that their help is needed, and to solicit more funding. At the same time, the UN also wants to inform the local population of what it is doing, and seek their participation in identifying the strengths of its activities, as well as its difficulties. In the end, it crucial that the United Nations and governments involved in peace efforts focus on making the media part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
Sample of Recommendations
- Promote the ‘education’ of journalists on peacekeeping and military affairs.
- UN and NGOs should provide backgrounders and resources on specific peacekeeping issues.
- Further explore opportunities for embedding journalists within UN missions.
- Examine “creative message making” for media, including human interest stories.