Menschenwürde und mediale Zwänge. Anmerkungen zur Berichterstattung aus der "Dritten Welt"

Abstract

Am 13. Oktober 2002 wurde der nigerianische Schriftsteller Chinua Achebe in der Frankfurter Paulskirche mit dem Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels ausgezeichnet. In seiner Dankesrede kritisierte der als "die Stimme Afrikas" und "Vater der modernen afrikanischen Literatur" gefeierte Autor in scharfen Worten, dass selbst in der Weltliteratur vielfach ein "Zerrbild von Afrika" gezeichnet wurde und werde. Nur als Wilde, als Schatten gleiche Wesen, als kaum der Sprache mächtige Randfiguren würden die Afrikaner etwa in den Werken von Joseph Conrad und Ernest Hemingway auftreten. (...)
Die Menschen und die Umstände, unter denen sie leben, weder besser noch schlechter darzustellen, als sie sind, das sollte ein wesentliches Anliegen jeder medialen Berichterstattung sein. 

English

Markus Behmer: Human Dignity and Media Constraints. Notes on the Reporting on the "Third World"

Accusations against foreign reporting on the so-called "third world" have been similar for decades. It is focused nearly exclusively on negative reports: illnesses, catastrophes, conflicts, crises, wars. The development of civil societies, especially culture and everyday life in countries and regions of the "south" are hardly in the focus of "first world" media, – and if they are, then only from a viewpoint of exoticism. Cliches are dominating and there is not enough differentiation.
Starting with statements of publicists from "north" and "south" in this article, these reservations are first summed up in essayistic form. Then explanations for the unbalanced reporting are presented. These are mainly found in the field of news value research, negativity and personalisation being the dominating news factors. Moreover, news is often sharpened to gain more attention. In German media, examples of balanced and differentiated reporting on development issues can be found, but they hardly reach a broad audience. The journalists find themselves in an ethical dilemma. On the one hand they can create vividness, closeness and concern, for example by highlighting individual sorts. On the other hand this might hurt one individual's dignity.
In general Germany offers relatively good opportunities to report on the "third world", but these are not used enough. Approaches to improve this situation can mostly be found in the concept of "dialogical journalism": the reporting should incorporate more diverse sources and also authors from other cultural regions.