From China to Bosnia to DC and back to the Web (again)

Reflection on the power of journalism reigned as speakers John Pomfret and Chuck Lewis related their experiences as war-time correspondent and investigative giant, respectively. Pomfret, now a The Washington Post “Outlook” editor, once dodged bullets in Tiananmen Square and Bosnia’s “sniper alley” in his quest to globally relay injustices. Lewis, founder of The Center for Public Integrity, broke the secret Patriot II Act and the Halliburton contracts.

These two inspiring individuals had the full attention of 36 young journalists. Each gave a brief overview of his career and then asked for questions.

According to Pomfret, war-time correspondents should “look at [preparation] as a backpacking experience.”

“Bring a flashlight,” he said. Also recommended were power converters, water containers and filters, and, of course, Purell.

He related the most frightening moment of his time abroad: when he awoke in the middle of the Sarajevo night to an explosion at his window and shrapnel in his headboard. Pomfret wrapped himself in a flak jacket and slept on the basement floor.

As for the “rule” that journalists cannot be touched in wartime, “That’s done. It’s gone.”

He explained that in Tiananmen Square, it was true students “knew [the foreign correspondents there] were their bridge to the outside world,” and the students tried to protect Pomfret. But, “When things got really bad, everyone was trying to protect themselves.”

On June 4, 1989, Pomfret moved with protesters and then rode parallel to the military on his bicycle until he finally gained entry to the square. When he got there, he thought, “I’ve made it.” But then, “You idiot, how are you going to leave?”

World Impact, DC Source

A student captures Lewis as he explains his vision for investigative journalism.

A professor at AU, Lewis’ accomplishments resonated worldwide, though they originated far from the battlezones Pomfret covered. His Investigative Reporting Workshop is the only such institution in the nation’s capital. Also in DC, The Center for Public Integrity, a well-known, non-profit investigative body, rose from Lewis’ vision.

“I think the heyday of investigative reporting is yet to come, ” he said. Lewis cited the abilities of computer assisted reporting, the rise of citizen journalism, and new investigative bodies as evidence. He believes we “are at the beginning of a new ecosystem” for journalism.

In typical Bootcamp fashion, the class circled back to the internet. We watched tutorials about WordPress applications and navigation. For the second day, Professor Hatch answered our blogging questions and helped us make more organized, functional sites. Though important, this information was an aside for me on a day where two individuals who achieved my personal goals spoke about how they came to accomplish them. To me, journalism is about relaying unspoken truth, and it was refreshing to meet two people who share my vision.

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