"Swedish journalists don't cover wars very good. Half of them haven't done military service and the rest are women"
This is what our journalism teacher said when we were discussion the possibility of a war against Iraq.
I found it interesting since:
a) I have done military service
b) I am a woman
But I didn't get myself involved in any discussion with him, I am probably just an exception that proves the rule. Watching the news today (Aktuellt in SVT at 21.00) I learned that 500 journalists are participating in a military training program in the US which is preparing them for covering the war on Iraq.
These journalists will be given the opportunity to follow the American troops all the way to the front line. But of course there will be restrictions, they cannot write anything they like. They must keep to certain rules, for example not writing about on-going missions or revealing too much details.
This might be something for the Swedish Army to copy?! Military training camps for journalists. I could be the drill sergent ;)
BTW, I saw the movie "No Man's Land" yesterday and decided never to get involved in tv-journalism. Especially not from war zones.
The German Association of Journalist is offering a Field Training Course for journalists in coorperation with the German Armed Forces Infanterie School in Hammelburg