ABSTRACT
The involvement of UGC creators and their content in humanitarian reporting has, it is claimed, led to a potential disruption in the historically close and symbiotic relationship between journalists and aid agencies. This chapter uses a range of interviews from UK print and broadcast journalists and UK-based aid agencies to look at how both groups understand their current relationship, and their attempts to keep control of the ‘story’. It looks at the new role of aid agency as ‘journalistic entity’ and whether journalists and aid agencies are coming together to ‘co-produce’ the news.
In a series of identical questions to both groups, this chapter scrutinises what different journalists say they are prepared to accept from aid agencies—flights, transport in country, accommodation, fixers/translators, and compares it to what aid agencies say they provide journalists with. Journalists were reluctant to speak about any assistance, but in an age of budget cuts and security considerations were most likely to say they accept transport and accommodation in country. They resisted suggestions they relied on aid agencies for fixers and translators. Aid agencies in comparison reported providing more help in every category but flights, and described a clearly understood quid pro quo situation when it comes to providing help, especially around fixers who can help shape the story.
The chapter also looks at the increasing employment of former journalists in aid agency press offices, and the subsequent use of NGO content by media organisations which is not always clearly labelled, and reflects on the consequence for the audience if they are not aware who were the creators of the content.
This chapter looks at how both of these entities understand and articulate this relationship, in a world characterised by increased budget cuts and increasing challenges from the fragmenting media landscape. It examines how both sides, for different reasons, are often unwilling to acknowledge the close relationship they have traditionally shared, and how the increasing professionalisation of NGO operations because of the employment of former journalists and the ability to produce their own content may be affecting the power dynamics.
