The obligations of embedded reporters

Olivia Bower

ob023312@ohio.edu

When it comes to reporting on the military, journalists always have to be aware of two sets of responsibilities: their own obligation to provide information to the public and the military’s obligation to keep the public safe.

While keeping those obligations in mind, journalists also need to be aware that their reporting affects not only the public’s perception of the war but also the safety of the soldiers being reported on and potentially even national security.

In domestic news at home, journalists are tasked with the job of reporting unbiased, accurate and fair news. Embedded reporters, those who travel with military units overseas, must adhere to the same standards.

It’s up to the “embeds,” as they are also known, to report all of the relevant news, whether good or bad. The significance of embeds is seen most explicitly in the goal of reporting everything fit to publish, as military and war news were often censored and off-limits to reporters until they were allowed to join soldiers.

Before World War I, journalists weren’t always able to give an accurate view of war, and now that we can, we need to honor that ability.

An embedded journalist, right front, with soldiers. By John Moore/AP via NBC News.

After taking care of the most pressing issues, like the safety of soldiers and embedded reporters, embeds face the same ethical dilemmas as the reporters at home.

How can you minimize harm when reporting on risky topics, like troop locations or deaths? In a lengthy war like the Iraq War, do pieces ever lose timeliness? How can you build and maintain a relationship with your sources (in this case, soldiers) without becoming biased?

Every normal ethical issue that embeds must consider comes with a heightened aspect of sensitivity. For example, reporting on a simple issue like an ambush could give away the location of troops, creating the possibility for another attack. Similarly, reporting a death before the family is notified would likely cause additional unneeded emotional distress.

Though all of these issues are very important, our obligation is mostly to the public at home. We work to keep them informed, both on what the government is doing in the war and what their sons and daughters are experiencing.

For that reason, we should take special care when reporting deaths, attacks or ambushes. No one wants to find out from the news that their family member has been killed. It is our job to make these instances known, but we’re reporting about humans to other humans – we need to show compassion.

We need to make sure that families have been notified before we publish about deaths. Even after they have been notified, we should use care when describing what happened. Gory details and pictures or video aren’t necessary. Incessantly talking and publishing articles about the deaths isn’t necessary.

As journalists embedded in the military in war zones, it’s important for us to take care of ourselves and the people we work with, but it’s particularly important to make sure we aren’t unnecessarily hurting the families who are left behind at home.