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Today there are 65 reporters, anchors, producers, photographers and editors covering Topeka, Kansas.
Since January of 2006, only 181 have covered Iraq.
(For point of reference, the Topeka market area only has 171,000 households.)
A survey of U.S. reporters covering Iraq for major news organizations by Pew Research provides an interesting view of how reporters think of themselves, Iraq and the news of Iraq.
Most revealing is how few reporters there are covering Iraq.
"The survey included responses from 111 journalists who have worked or are currently working in Iraq. The vast majority, 90 of them, were in Iraq when they took the survey or have worked there in 2007, and most have spent at least seven months in the country cumulatively since the war began."
(I have a sinking feeling that today, there are more people covering Topeka than all of Iraq.)
The survey also validates the work of bloggers like myself, Michael Yon, Jeff Emanuel, Matt Sanchez, Michael Totten and many others who at times may account for a significant percentage of all the reporters in Iraq.
"More than eight-in ten journalists (85%) surveyed have embedded with U.S. troops. And most of them see the program as the best available way to report on the actions, both large and small, of U.S. troops. It also is often the only safe way to gain access to Iraqi civilians in cities and towns beyond Baghdad.
"A majority of those surveyed (60%) tend to think embedding gives them access to places and people they could not otherwise reach. Only 5% say they see embedding as mostly helping the Pentagon control what is being reported."
Many in the lefty blogosphere have criticized those of us who cover Iraq as embedded reporters.
But even the big MSM reporters say that without embedding with the military, they could not cover Iraq.
The most personally interesting tidbits of information in the survey were how few reporters spoke Arabic.
"One skill that most of the journalists lack, however, is fluency in Arabic. Fully 82% have minimal to no knowledge of the language, while 10% have moderate skill. Only 7% describe themselves as fluent."
Thanks to spending a lot of time around Iraqi units, Rosetta Stone and well thumbed phrase book, I would put myself in the 10% who have moderate skill.
What this survey confirmed for me is that I have in common with MSM reporters than I thought.
I have worked in journalism for more than 5 years--28% of respondents have worked in journalism for 5-10 years.
I am at the upper end of total time spent in Iraq.
I find embedding as the best way to actually get out on the ground and speak Arabic better than most reporters.
So exactly what then is the difference between JD Johannes and the demographics of the MSM?
I don't rely on stringers or fixers.
But, like the MSM I am worried about the quality of the product produced by stringers and fixers.
You can continue to support JD on his next trip by contributing via Paypal, Blog Patron, Buying a DVD or making a tax deductible contribution.
We all know that freedom is not free--and neither is reporting from Iraq.
Each digital tape capturing the heroic efforts of Soldiers and Marines costs $7. JD uses almost 100 tapes on each trip. One DVD buys one tape that will permanently capture what the media refuses to cover.
As you know JD spends his time in Iraq with the Soldiers and Marines doing the work Outside The Wire. That means hundreds and thousands of dollars of equipment and gear gets damaged. Three dollars buys a new protective lens cover. Fifty dollars buys a pair of ballistic glasses. Just to get there, the airfare costs $1,500.
It all helps and it is all needed to tell the story that is not being told.
If you have the desire and means and would like to make a tax deductible contribution, or contribute at the Producer level, please contact JD via email.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and any support you can give.
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