A short episode from today’s DNA conference in Brussels which was an interesting event mixing new web start-ups and established media companies.
At a panel with the ‘traditional’ media the question came up whether established media cover EU affairs in-depth enough? The question was primarily directed to the chief editor of De Standaard, one of the biggest Belgian newspapers (based in Brussels) but with quite a poor record of EU coverage and with only one (!) journalist covering the EU.
So what did Peter Vandermeersch, chief editor of De Standaard answer? Basically he avoided answering the question (“don’t think we have a poor record…hahaha”) and instead compared the EU with the ‘obscure’ topic of Latvian poems claiming that an editor has to make editorial decisions and needs to listen to the customers (not readers or citizens!) – And he continues: “Latvian poems can be beautiful but are not relevant…”
In that moment Hans Laroes, head of news and editor in chief of NOS Niewus, one of the Dutch public broadcasters, jumped in to ‘help’ his colleague by saying that “the media does not like free trips by the EU”.. obviously a comment that neither answers the question nor shows a huge deal of professionalism.
So, first of all, both journalists clearly fail to understand the significance of the EU. Furthermore it is questionable if such an arrogant and ignorant behavior towards the EU can be justified with any journalistic ethos.
At the same time I am wondering whether this attitude is widespread among editors of newpapers/broadcasters? If it is a common thing it is hardly surprising that we are faced with poor EU reporting and a lack of public debate/knowledge about the EU!
5 Comments
The following question may well be if the printed newspapers are relevant (period).
Yep, I was there too. And, note, this was some-one from the leading “serious” newspaper in Flanders, (still) part of Belgium, a country where the most important EU institutions are based and which reliably shows up in polls as among the solidest believers in European integration going. If the EU is equated with the most obscure, arcane intellectual interests HERE, then what of the deepest, er, Latvian provinces? We sure as hell have our work cut out…
To be honest, i thought his comparison was with Latin poems, but that’s by the by.
Somehow it all makes me feel that the comparisons with the Obama campaign are, shall we say, excessively future-oriented.
My own post on this event at http://www.ep-webeditors.eu/2009/03/downtown-on-the-digital-frontline-with-obama/
@Ralf maybe not relevant for us but still relevant for a lot of other people. As one of the big newspapers De Staandard reaches quite a substantial amount of people every day.
@Steve yes, there is still quite some work to do… In my notes I put down Latvian and some others also mentioned it in the coffee break afterwards. But it could have been Latin as well, however, it would not change the statement too much.
adaugat la blogroll
Nice. Keep up the good work! Selah
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