Kate Adie and Rageh Omaar.
I have chosen these two journalists, as their careers have featured in news bulletins from my childhood through to my adult years. Even though they were born in different parts of the world, educated differently, and started out in the media in different ways, their work has followed a similar path during conflicts and wars.
Kate Adie was born in Northumberland, England, and started her media career in local radio after completing her degree in Scandinavian Studies at Newcastle University. Her first media roles came at BBC Radio Durham and BBC Radio Bristol, which led to a move into reporting for television on South Today in Southampton [Rock, 2013]. She then moved to cover network BBC News in 1979. Her career with the BBC continued until 2003, and she covered various conflicts and battles around the world, as well as some closer to home. [Swan Helennic, CV]
She was the journalist outside the Iranian Embassy Hijacking when the Special Air Service (SAS) stormed the building after 6 days of stalemate in April and May 1980. This was a stepping stone for her, climbing the ranks within BBC News, eventually becoming Chief News Correspondent. She covered significant stories at home including the downing of the Pan Am Flight 103, and around the world including the American Bombing of Libya, the First Gulf War, Bosnia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and the student uprising in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square before becoming a freelance journalist.[Rock, 2013] During her time as a journalist, she was arrested in Belgrade trying to research and gather material about General Tito. [BBC, 2010]
Whereas Kate Adie was a prominent member of the BBC’s news team for the First Gulf War [IWMF, 2011], Rageh Omaar was a high profile journalist in the second Iraqi invasion.
Rageh Omaar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1967, and moved to the UK, aged 2. He was educated at New College Oxford, where he read Modern History. His journalism journey started with print based The Voice as a trainee in 1991, and he moved to Ethiopia a year later, where he was a freelance journalist, mainly working for BBC World Service. His role for the BBC continued as Chief Correspondent for Africa, before the start of the Iraq Invasion. [BBC, 2002]
During that conflict, his coverage was seen in the UK on BBC News, and also around the world on BBC World News, further enhancing his reputation as Senior Foreign Correspondent. After leaving the BBC in 2006, he worked for Al-Jazeera, [Independent, 2006] before returning to the UK in 2013, becoming special correspondent for Independent Television News (ITN), and is currently their International Affairs Editor. [ITN, 2015]
These two journalists have continued to help form and shape the way in which the journalists of today, cover conflicts, wars and uprisings from around the world.
Kate Adie blazed a trail for female journalists in general, but more especially within the confines of a war zone. Prior to her career, women journalists were rarely seen in places such as The Gulf, Sardinia and Beijing, but thanks to her tough, no-nonsense approach, she was at the forefront of news reporting during her time at the BBC.
Adie uses her camera on the ground, and isn’t afraid to get in the crowds, as is demonstrated in her coverage from the student uprising in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. [Kate Adie, BBC, 1989] . By using very striking visuals shot on location, and her pieces to camera, she brought news events from around the world to an audience who were shocked by the events going on, whereas now, in 2015, audiences are more likely to be desensitized to the events that take place from across the world. This is also true for Omaar, in his coverage of the toppling of Saddam Hussain’s statue in Baghdad. Striking visuals, working with the crowd, whilst delivering a piece to camera. [Rageh Omaar, Baghdad 2003]
Her voiceover pieces use elaborate, some would say, flowery language, but this is to add depth and gravitas to the images recorded and are delivered in a very calm voice. Whereas her pieces recorded in front of the camera, have her voice much stronger in its delivery, to get across to the audience the severity of the situation that is being covered.
Earlier in her career, Adie covered the US bombing of Tripoli in Libya, and she is seen reporting from the scene of a bombing, wearing very little protection in terms of flak jackets and armour. She tries to get across to the audience the human element of, what is a very grave situation, where people have been injured and have died, bringing it to the sitting rooms of the audience. This is in stark contrast to Omaar, who wore full protection, but Health and Safety has become a part of video journalism.
As Kate Adie was coming to the end of her BBC career, and moving into freelance work and becoming an author, Rageh Omaar was being seen covering his own stories, firstly as the BBC’s Africa correspondent, but it was with the start of the second Gulf War in 2003, that Omaar started to become a regular face on news coverage for the BBC, which was then subsequently syndicated around the world. [Fox, K, 2006]
Omaar was keen to deny reports that he was the new Kate Adie, he recognised the similarity in their roles, but simply replied “I don’t know about that. But I’m not the old Rageh Omaar.” [BBC, 2003]
Rageh Omaar’s brand of journalism was refreshing for the time, in the same way that Adie brought her own perspective to reporting.
Being of African parentage, his understanding of issues from other parts of the world was a great asset to understanding other cultures and their customs, and allowed him to access areas that may have been more difficult to other journalists. As he is fluent in Arabic, this undoubtedly helped to communicate with the Iraqis during the conflict.[BBC, 2002]
His journalism style is very similar to that of Kate Adie, in that he is willing to get in amongst the battles, attempting to tell the story in a way that is very accessible to the audience, and does not speak down to the viewer.
In a piece for the BBC, the way in which Omaar covers a story, the toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussain in Fardus Square, Baghdad, in a very calm and measured way, even though the crowd around him are visibly excited by the events that are about to occur.
Omaar and Adie reflect on their time covering the Gulf Wars with a sense of frustration. Adie is quoted as saying “I’ve seen a complete erosion of any kind of acknowledgement that reporters should be able to report as they witness” [Anderson, 2003], and Omaar talked in 2008 of Iraq as a “a contradiction – it is still the most important international news story, but the continuing violence and insecurity have also made it an information abyss.” [Omaar, 2008]
Frustration at attempting to tell a story, when you’re not being given all the information you require. The socio-political impact of this is that the audience are being fed only half the story, and by showing positive propaganda, it makes the war on the ground seem better than the actual truth may be. A situation similar to the Vietnam War, and the footage being shown to the US audience.
These two journalists have come from very different backgrounds, but there does seem to be a hard-nosed attitude to provide the viewer with hard-hitting journalism, even if they may seem frustrated by the control held over them by the Armed Forces, and maybe even a little bit of editorial control by their then employer. [Controversial Images, 2012]
Their backgrounds are worth reflecting on, to see where these tough, investigative journalists started out from, to see if this has had any effect on where they are today.
Adie was given up for adoption by her mother, after falling pregnant whilst her husband was away doing his National Service. Her adoptive parents, were a pharmacist and his wife from the northern city of Sunderland, England. During her childhood, she was described as a shy child, but this may have in part, been due to her deafness. [Grice, E, 2005]
Omaar was born into a wealthy family from Somaliland, which is in the north-west of Somalia. He moved to the UK aged 2, and was educated in independent schools in Oxford and Gloucester, England. [Prime Performers, 2015]
Their formative years don’t seem to have much correlation, but what stands out in their careers, is their ability to find stories, bring them to the audience, and, to a certain degree, being in the right place at the right time.
These two correspondents worked just a few years apart, but the way in which news is reported has changed. The news outlets for Kate Adie were the lunchtime and evening bulletins, where as with Rageh Omaar, the horizon had changed, with news coverage being accessible 24 hours a day via BBC News 24, and also around the world, as his work was syndicated in America. Their paths to video news journalism started from very different media, Adie taking the radio route to television, and Omaar starting in print journalism, but they both ended up in the same places reporting the facts. [BBC, 2010 Adie] [BBC, 2002 Omaar]
What stands out is that their ideals still hold true, no matter what their starting point. They just wanted to relate the story to the audience, even though it was from many corners of the world that the audience may not have in-depth knowledge about. The willingness to put their lives and safety at risk to cover a story, is what drives and connects these two journalists.
They are also linked by the outlet of story telling away from traditional journalism. Both have become authors in their own right, Adie writing about the role of women in World War 1,[Hodder & Stoughton 2015] and Omaar describing his life growing up as a Muslim and writing about his experiences in Iraq. [Jardine, 2006]
Their names are held in reverence in journalism circles, and the current crop of journalists covering these stories today have a lot to live up to in terms of content, guts and determination to show the true nature of war and war zones.
When viewing their work, you can see that they work to get across how grave a situation is, with careful use of crowd scenes, showing the troops on the ground if possible, and speak directly to the camera, but ensuring that they relate the situation to the audience, rather than just lecturing.
By relating that situation, they work with the local people, attempting to get their side of the story, if that is possible, given that they are embedded with the soldiers fighting the battle.
Like so many journalists before them, and, no doubt other journalists to come, their passion for telling a story in a way that is accessible by the general public. The British troops on the ground in the war zones were quoted as saying that if Kate Adie was being sent to cover the story, then things were being perceived as a very serious situation.
Rageh Omaar is a journalist who, is held in the same esteem. He is a journalist that has gone from a Black African newspaper, to covering stories from around the world, and his work with the BBC, ITN, and Al-Jazeera is one that the great John Pilger covered in his documentary “The War You Don’t See”. [Communications B, 2015]
Their work still holds gravitas throughout the journalism world, and drives many journalists on today. to ensure that the truth is reported, in a fair, accurate and contemporaneous way to the widest possible audience.
They both treat the subject with humanity and respect, and also extend that courtesy to the audience. Their ability to look objectively at some of the most horrific situations from around the world, come across when viewing news broadcast footage from their careers.
However, they both felt compelled to leave the BBC, where their work came to prominence, to forge their own paths
Their work is so well-respected within the industry, that they were able to carve out their reputation as names of great war journalists and correspondents, and that their names were known for being great journalists, rather than just being BBC journalists who happened to be sent to cover the wars and conflicts. [Press Gazette, 2013 Omaar] [CredoReference, 2014 Adie]
A true journalist always wants to convey the truth to the audience, and these two journalists have inspired me over the years with their work around the world. By facing difficult situations, and bringing their humanity across via the camera and their written words, many have followed their work intently.
Their work, continues to inspire and help to shape the journalists and reporters as the media moves forward with established 24 hour news, the constant updating of online news and the increased use of social media. For example, when viewing the work of Caroline Wyatt at the BBC, you see the influence that Omaar and Adie have had on the style and presentation of the news pieces. [BBC, 2015].
Without their influence, reporting, comment and help to shape the journalists of the future, the sociopolitical impact of wars and conflicts wouldn’t be as striking. In news reporting today, you see skills and techniques these two journalists pioneered many years ago. The audience, reporters and correspondents are able to learn from their work for many years to come.
Word Count – 1998
Harvard Referencing.
[Anderson, 2003] Communication, Conflict and Risk in the 21st Century: Critical Issues for Sociology, (2015). Communication, Conflict and Risk in the 21st Century: Critical Issues for Sociology. [online] Available at: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/8/4/anderson.html [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Controversial Images, 2012] Attwood, F., Campbell, V., Hunter, I. and Lockyer, S. (n.d.). Controversial images. Palgrave Schol, Print UK (1 Dec. 2012), p.280.
[BBC, 2002] Bbc.co.uk, (2002). BBC – Leicester Voices – Rageh Omaar revealed. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/voices/2002/06/rageh_omaar_revealed.shtml [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[BBC, 2003] News.bbc.co.uk, (2003). BBC NEWS | UK | Our man in Baghdad. [online] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3028179.stm [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[BBC, 2010] Birrell, D. (2010). BBC – Learning from Evil: Kate Adie’s story. [online] News.bbc.co.uk. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8700000/8700130.stm [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[BBC, 2015] Bbc.co.uk, (2015). Caroline Wyatt – BBC News. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/correspondents/carolinewyatt [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Communications, B. (2015)]. The War You Don’t See. [online] Johnpilger.com. Available at: http://johnpilger.com/videos/the-war-you-dont-see [Accessed 9 May 2015].
[CredoReference, 2014] Adie, Kate (1945- ) (2014). [Online]. In The Hutchinson unabridged encyclopedia with atlas and weather guide. Abington, United Kingdom: Helicon. Available from: http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/heliconhe/adie_kate_1945/0 [Accessed 8 May 2015]
[Fox K, 2006] Fox, K. (2006). Rageh Omaar: ‘Idealism has become a dirty word among many journalists’. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/nov/06/rageh-omaar-interview-slavery-evil [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Grice E, 2005] Grice, E. (2005). ‘I’m dead nosy. I love digging’. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3646361/Im-dead-nosy.-I-love-digging.html [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Hodder & Stoughton, (2015)]. Kate Adie – Hodder & Stoughton. [online] Available at: https://www.hodder.co.uk/authors/detail.page?id=oHeL40rOpJjlfSAMDgS0higk19fQX3gdJNm32DocN5HXP1HUeX2DbQ__ [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Independent, 2006] The Independent, (2006). Rageh Omaar: The Scud Stud aims for truth. [online] Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/rageh-omaar-the-scud-stud-aims-for-truth-478237.html [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[ITN, 2015] ITV News, (2015). Rageh Omaar – ITV News. [online] Available at: http://www.itv.com/news/meet-the-team/rageh-omaar/ [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[IWMF, 2011] Iwmf.org, (2011). IWMF Lifetime Achievement Award: Kate Adie, United Kingdom | IWMF. [online] Available at: http://www.iwmf.org/kate-adie-2011-lifetime-achievement-award/ [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Jardine, C. (2006)]. Why the pretty boy’s under fire again. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3652798/Why-the-pretty-boys-under-fire-again.html [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Kate Adie, BBC, 1989] Kate Adie, Tiananmen Square. (1989). [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrVZZQCiEXU [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Omaar, 2008] Omaar, R. (2008). The story that isn’t being told. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/mar/17/iraqandthemedia.iraq [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Press Gazette, 2013] Pressgazette.co.uk, (2013). Rageh Omaar joins ITV News from Al Jazeera. [online] Available at: http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/rageh-omaar-joins-itv-news-al-jazeera [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Prime Performers, 2015]. Rageh Omaar. [online] Available at: http://www.primeperformersagency.co.uk/rageh-omaar/ [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Rageh Omaar, Baghdad 2003. (2003)]. [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57QXt1GsRfY [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Rock, 2013] Rock, W. (2013). Kate Adie: the BBC journalist on life, war and her new book. [online] Hampshire Chronicle. Available at: http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/winchester/10852628.Kate_Adie__the_BBC_journalist_on_life__war_and_her_new_book/ [Accessed 8 May 2015].
[Swan Hellenic, 2015] Swanhellenic.com, (2015). Speaker CV – Kate Adie. [online] Available at: http://www.swanhellenic.com/speaker-cv.html?speakerid=387 [Accessed 8 May 2015].
