Photo/Video Journalism & Technology in BURMA

Professor David Johnson's view that "it is impossible for journalists to be objective," inspired the following investigation of photojournalism, video-journalism, and technology and their collective global impact in Burma.

An unaltered, un-indoctrinated photo or video is arguably the most objective account of an event that has transpired.  It is tangible evidence that the particular situation occurred and provides a momentary glimpse into said specific situation, from which one who views it can autonomously make her own deductions about what the photo depicts.

Adding captions to a photo is the first step toward its indoctrination.  Any preconceived notions that one may have had are influenced by the strength or debility of the photo's caption, and inevitably shape the viewer's perception about what has been depicted in the photo.  In the case of a video, the presence of dialogue, commentary or the addition of background music can also influence the viewer. Despite these caveats, photo- and video- journalism appear to be the most objective forms of journalism that exist...

Burma, also referred to as Myanmar, emerged onto the global news scene in 2007, when monks led a peaceful revolt against the violent, oppressive leadership of the Burmese military dictatorship.  The protests against the government that ensued ended in numerous shootings and other brutal acts documented by journalists.  The Burmese government has long been corrupt, but it seemed that the world did not notice, or care to act until the prolific release of photos and videos taken in secret, and openly (as seen below) by journalists during the peaceful protest.

The Japanese journalist in this photo was trampled and gunned to death by soldiers who were pursuing a crowd of anti-government protestors.  Journalism is highly frowned upon in Burma, as the government censors much of what transpires within the country. The media in Burma merely ignored the uprising against the government not issuing any reports or updates on it.  

Although fatally wounded, the journalist continued to take photos until he succumbed to death. His camera was then taken and both the camera and the film inside of it was destroyed by Burmese soldiers.

These images are evidence of the danger of practicing journalism in countries where governments are corrupt and are control of the media within their country.  The Burmese government wanted to restore order to the country through extreme, violent means without drawing international attention, or being internationally sanctioned by other global actors.

Although in this case the Japanese journalists' large, conspicuous camera was destroyed along with his film, the photos above are photos and still images from videos taken stealthily by Burmese journalists.  The 2008 award winning documentary "Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country" shows the footage, and tells the story of these brave journalists who put themselves in grave physical danger to document and disseminate information about the abuses being perpetrated by the Burmese government. 

These journalists, referring to themselves as "The Democratic Voice of Burma," relied on technological innovation: small video cameras that were portable and easily concealed, as well as the Internet.  If caught with recording devices the journalists would be arrested and most likely killed, but they deemed the reporting of the horrific events transpiring in Burma to be worth the danger to their physical security.  The men videotaping the peaceful protests and government reactions often put their portable video cameras in bags under their arms, and would march with protesters in the streets of Rangoon.  The journalists would then smuggle their videos to colleagues in Thailand, who would upload the videos and photos taken on the Internet, and would also disseminate them to news sources across the world.

Joshua, one of the protagonists of the film, who worked in Thailand uploading the videos taken onto the Internet, relied heavily on his mobile phone for access to important contacts abroad, as well as sending instant messages on g-chat to important contacts and collaborators with the Democratic Voice of Burma who were abroad.  These conversations were crucial to the release and dissemination of the footage, and Joshua was able to maintain these contacts due essentially to technological innovation.  Messages that he would write to his contacts were expeditiously returned by Blackberry or Smartphone users in Europe.  

The footage, after being uploaded and disseminated to various news sources would end up all over the Internet, as a topic on radio talk shows, as well as on cable television across the world. This use of technology was certainly new to Burma and some other parts of Southeast Asia.  The photo- and video- journalism combination was successful, as Burma became a hot topic for debate during G20 meetings and the U.S., among other countries decided to not only to maintain their existing sanctions on Burma, but to expand them.  

After the release of the documentary about the Burma VJ, the Democratic Voice of Burma gained a much wider, global following.  It is possible to stay updated on the work that these men and women are doing in Burma by subscribing to their Twitter newsfeed (http://twitter.com/#!/burmavj), as well as following their progress through their Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/dvb.fanpage) or going to their website (http://www.dvb.no/). 

Through their basically objective photo and video reporting, and skillful use of technology, the Democratic Voice of Burma helped to bring the issues of their country to the global stage.  With new advances in social media, the group continues to gain better financing, allowing them to purchase new technologies and to continue to report from the ground in Burma.  Although I sincerely hope that similar events do not occur again in Burma, in the case that they do, the group is ready to continue with its mission to provide updates and seek help for the Burmese people.

Photo and video journalism in Burma should inspire those with more advanced forms of technology: such as smart phones, personal computers, small and nearly undetectable video and voice recorders to reach out to journalists in developing nations who are struggling and putting their security at risk to tell the story of their nation.  A way to reach out to these nations, such as Burma would be to supply them with these new technologies.  Yet another, less expensive way to provide support to grassroots journalists is to help them to spread the news that they report- whether on a blog, news article, tweet, or Facebook status, promoting awareness is of paramount importance.

Photo and video journalism tend to be particularly influential in society, as a photo or video can often express what is much more difficult to describe with the written word.  Also, on a more practical note, these forms of journalism tend to be more captivating, as one is not forced to read an entire essay, but instead can gleam the news by merely viewing a video clip or picture.  

National Geographic magazine is a great example of a work that uses picture media to captivate its audience.  We should follow in the steps of this renowned magazine and the Burmese journalists by making cheaper digital and video cameras, and creating programs to disseminate them in places like Burma.  With access to technologies like the Flip-video, a small, relatively cheap video recorder, we will probably learn an unprecedented amount about other countries, cultures, and global issues.