Has anyone heard about Darfur?
Tuesday, the 30th of October 2005, 9.00 a.m. The scene happens in the Editorial room of “You now”, a 200 thousand copies daily tabloid during an editoroal meeting with 5 journalists and their Editor in chief.
Editor in chief: “Sheryl has just left to go see our prime minister at the conference of this morning. He will announce the retire of the law on immigration quotes after the manifestations of last week. She’ll do an half page paper, 1500 characters. I just received a phone call this morning, his wife is going to have a baby, it’s not official yet but I want someone to write about it. Who is interested?”
A journalist: “I heard about that last week, but nothing official, it’s a big risk, no one has the courage to write about that!”
Editor in chief: “Taking risks? That’s what you are paid for! Two of you are going to know exactly what’s happening. I want the prime minister’s child to be on tomorrow’s frontpage!”
Another journalist, new one in the editorial team, is in charge of the international page: “Has anyone heard about Darfur?”
Editor in chief: “About what?”
Journalist: “Darfur! There is a serious crisis going on there. Rebels are fighting the government of Khartoum. More than 20 000 persons are already dead, and it’s not going to stop.”
Editor in chief: “And that’s your topic for today? A civil war in Africa? You should make a book about civil wars in Africa, you’ve got your whole life in front of you. Pleae find something more appreciated by our readers.”
Journalist: “Why? Nobody’s talking about that, nobody knows, people need to be informed. I’m taking risks, that’s what we’re paid for! Look, it’s going to be a second Rwanda.”
Editor in chief: “What are you talking about?! Nobody cared about Rwanda and nobody will care about Dar... how do you say it?”
Journalist: “Darfur! Two years that the crisis started, this is the third civil war between south’s rebels and the Khartoum government, and the humanitary missions there already counted tens of thousands of refugees displaced in Chad.”
Editor in chief: “I repeat, who cares?”
Journalist: “China is the most important investor in Sudan’s expanding oil company, and Russia is probably selling weapons there! I wanted to talk about international interests is this region, which are very important, nobody knows that.”
Editor in chief: “Nobody needs to know! Let me remind you that we have an advertising partnership with the Nationl Bank Company on front of your page, so your 3500 characters have to be interesting, if not Mr. Zissou, our commercial director that you don’t know yet, will not be happy, and you don’t know him when he isn’t happy.”
Journalist: “Oh, I see.”
Editor in chief: “So tell us about Diana’s death and try to find out if there is some news on the investigation, that’s what people want to know.”
Posted in 2007-10: agendasetting| 18.10.07
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