The Media Handbook for Parties in Conflict

Working through conflict can be complicated enough without seeing your side or the other represented unfairly or inaccurately on the local news station or social media. Seeing your on-camera interview reduced to a ten second sound bite, privacy violations, or news stories that only seem to cover one side of the story are only some of the frustrations expressed by parties in conflict.

But there are ways to manage media coverage. In many ways, the media has the potential to contribute to conflict resolution and a better understanding of the issues and people involved. The following tips are meant as suggestions for consideration when the media becomes a factor in your conflict. Ultimately, choices about cooperating with the media rest on the parties themselves.

Journalists learn early in their formal education the values used to determine the newsworthiness of events, issues and conflicts.

Understanding Journalism      

First, it may help to understand some of the media’s goals, values, and professional ethics. Journalists learn early in their formal education the values used to determine the newsworthiness of events, issues and conflicts.

These include:

Timeliness – Reporters value getting news out to the public soon after it happens.

Proximity – Events, issues and conflicts close to the news organization’s readership/viewership make news.

Prominence – Prominent personalities, important people and well-known issues make news.

Novelty – Things that are out of the ordinary often make news.

Impact – Events, issues and conflicts that have a big economic, political, or social impact on a community make news.

Conflict – Conflicts of interest, clashes of ideas and differences of opinion that flare up often make news.

Usefulness – Information that is useful to readers and helps them make decisions about economic, political or social issues makes news.

Journalism Ethics

Journalists, like many other professionals, adhere to ethical standards. These include above all:

Accuracy

Journalists value accuracy. They want to get the story right—the WHOLE story. That means using accurate language and understanding the issues that reduce conflict for you.

Objectivity

Journalists try to be objective. Their job isn’t to take sides. Good journalists try not to let opinions cloud their reporting.

Fairness

And, journalists value fairness. Journalists want parties to have equal access and equal say. This is not only responsible journalism, but it helps them develop rapport with those they interview. These ethics are the bedrock of good journalism.

Though journalists also value the people’s right to know and the freedom of information, the values of accuracy, objectivity and fairness should guide them in their news coverage. It’s important to remember that is what any good journalist is trying to do when covering your conflict.

Media’s Contributions to Conflict Resolution

According to Ross Howard, an international consultant on conflict-sensitive journalism, the media has many unconscious roles in conflict situations. Consider these functions of journalism in relation to your conflict:

• Channeling communication

• Educating

• Confidence-building

• Correcting misperceptions

• Making parties human

• Identifying underlying interests

• Encouraging balance of power

• Framing conflict

• Face-saving/Consensus-building

• Solution-building

In his essay “Role Plays: Potential media roles in conflict prevention and management” media and conflict expert Robert Manoff highlights potential roles the media can play in the prevention and management of conflict. He began by examining how conflict mediators did their jobs and found that the media could be, and in some cases, already is an extension of this work.

Journalists CHANNEL COMMUNICATION between parties. In some cases communication might not be taking place because of hurt feelings or disagreements that led to a shutdown somewhere along the way. Responsible, accurate reporting on the part of the media might be a way to hear out the other side. It might also help others that are concerned, such as your community, to understand the conflict.

Journalists EDUCATE. Information is one of the most valuable services the media provides a community. Responsible, accurate reporting of your conflict could educate people on the importance of an issue or the sensitivity of your situation.

Journalists BUILD CONFIDENCE. For parties in conflict that have stopped trusting each other, the media can help reduce suspicion and increase trust by reporting stories that show how parties can help each other and how their goals might be compatible.

Journalists CORRECT MISPERCEPTIONS. Often conflict occurs when people just don’t understand each other. By reporting responsibly and accurately misperceptions can be clarified.

Journalists MAKE PARTIES HUMAN. In conflict it’s easy to feel like the villain. That may be a problem of misperception, but through responsible, accurate reporting on the complexity of issues, as opposed to perceived hostility, journalists can show the human side of all parties.

Journalists IDENTIFY UNDERLYING INTERESTS. As Robert Manoff points out, “this is standard conflict resolution practice, but it is surprising how infrequently journalists address this question in stories.” Through responsible, accurate reporting, journalists can explore the complexity of issues and help the public see what’s really going on.

Journalists can ENCOURAGE A BALANCE OF POWER. In some conflicts there are stronger parties and weaker ones. The media can give voice to the grievances of the weak as well as the strong, helping to balance power differences and leading to better, more long-term solutions.

Journalists can properly FRAME CONFLICT. This is what good journalism tries to do. As Robert Manoff points out, “the media can be particularly attentive to the concessions made by the parties, the common ground that exists between them, the solutions they have considered and so on.”

Journalists can help parties SAVE FACE and BUILD CONSENSUS. Parties in conflict often worry about how the conflict affects their reputation within a community. Through the media, parties can explain their positions and help build support, create understanding, and reach consensus.

And lastly, journalists can help in SOLUTION BUILDING. Conflicts are more likely to get resolved as more options and solutions are considered. The media can help flush out possibilities for agreement, cooperation and acceptable solutions to conflict.

Clearly there are many potentially positive roles for the media to play. But how can you ensure they play these roles in your conflict?

Well, not every journalist in this world performs their job as ethically and responsibly as I've outlined here, but most of them are working hard to make sure they do follow the guidelines of accuracy, objectivity, and fairness. The following suggestions might help you help them stay accurate, objective and fair. These suggestions may also help you determine how best to work with journalists during conflict.

Working with the Media During Your Conflict

Those pesky journalists just won’t stop calling. Well, that might be the case in your conflict. Perhaps it’s attracted media attention. Now what?

Journalists covering conflict are often frustrated by phrases like, “We’ll call you when we have something to report,” “No comment,” and “We ask you contact our Public Relations representative… in Seattle.”

For parties in conflict AND for journalists the situation can frustrating. But here are some tips to consider that may help in dealing with the media when they come knocking that could contribute to the resolution of your conflict.

Keep communication open

Talk with reporters about your concerns about coverage, sensitivity, and privacy. Don’t be afraid to ask questions either. It’s perfectly understandable to want to know exactly why reporters are interested in your conflict. Talking to them doesn’t constitute an interview. If you feel uneasy, it’s also okay to ask to speak off the record until you are ready to go on it.

Realize the impact of your conflict

Your conflict could have serious implications for others in your community and that means they’ll want news about it. Maybe you can’t say much or don’t feel it’s anyone’s business, but realizing the implications might help you understand why reporters are interested. And perhaps you CAN, at the very least, address such concerns as privacy, sensitivity and high emotions. Journalists will understand this and work with you. Accommodate them so they can accommodate you.

Communicate with other parties about talking to the media.

Make efforts to approach the media with a plan. If it has attracted media attention, you can be sure that coverage WILL affect your conflict. If possible, talk with the conflicting party about how you’ll deal with the media, who will do interviews, what will be divulged, etc. If you’re not talking with the other party, consider talking with journalists about the lack of communication and how reporting at a time when there isn’t dialogue could help or hurt your conflict.

Take concerns and problems up the chain of command

Journalists covering your conflict might not reflect all the values discussed so far. But they do have bosses, just like you, and if they’re not being accurate, objective and fair, their bosses will do something about it. Here’s who you should know in the newsroom:

The Editor – At your local newspaper it may be a “city editor,” “managing editor,” or “editor-in-chief”

The News Director – In television or radio newsrooms the news director or assignment editor is someone who oversees the field reporters.

The Publisher – Kind of like the owner of the newspaper. Definitely has an influence on newsroom operation.

The General Manager – Like a newspaper publisher, this person has the final say on TV or radio newsroom operation.

Media coverage of your conflict may not be welcomed, but it can be handled effectively. Consider these tips about communicating with journalists and you might just find interaction with the media goes smoothly, even if your conflict doesn’t.