Stryker Brigade News

A first for both the province and the journalists that live in the area, the training was coordinated through the assistance of the Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team’s Public Diplomacy Officer, Jon Cebra and the 1st SBCT’s Public Affairs Officer, Maj. Chris Hyde.

The event was attended by approximately 30 print and broadcast journalists as well as several government officials.

Mr. Tomkins began his instruction by speaking in very general terms about what makes good journalism, referencing his experiences serving as a foreign correspondent at locations such as Central Africa, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

One of his key points throughout the class was accuracy and its overarching importance in modern journalism, particularly when regarding the issue of reporting casualties.

“You must verify your facts…it’s a responsibility you have to take,” Tomkins said. “Talk to hospitals, talk to police…before you put a story out. You have a responsibility for accuracy.”

“What you write will affect people,” said Tomkins to the assembled group of journalists, many of whom had traveled some distance from throughout the province of approximately 1.2 million residents to hear Tomkins speak about the art, craft and practice of journalism, as well as its future in the diverse and developing province. “Your writing will affect people’s impressions of Diyala for (those) who don’t live here.”

He continued by emphasizing the importance of professional ethics in the field of journalism. “A press pass is not a free pass. It doesn’t excuse you from your moral obligations.”

One key issue Mr. Tomkins addressed, both in his opening comments, and in a question and answer period immediately following, was the development of a free press in the province.

When talking about this issue, Tomkins referenced the history of the U.S. and journalism’s development through time within U.S. society.

“The independence of the American press did not happen overnight. It took more than 250 years to get to this point,” said Tomkins. “In our constitution, the government can’t interfere with free expression. But this doesn’t mean that you can be irresponsible (as a journalist). You have to be ethical and responsible, and for a journalist, that means fair.”

Following his opening comments, Tomkins opened up the floor for questions. He was met with several enthusiastic queries, many of which specifically addressed the future of media in Diyala. During much of the subsequent discussion and open forum, Tomkins emphasized both his optimism and criticism regarding journalism’s future in the province and Iraq as a whole, stating that he believes that solidarity and collective persistence will be vitally critical to the establishment, nurturing, and proliferation of a free, independent media structure in the area.

“What I want more than anything is for you all to talk to each other,” said Tomkins. “No one is going to solve it for you, you will have to solve (this issue) for yourselves.”

Given the high amount of positive comments regarding this event from many of those in attendance, Cebra and Hyde are already planning to set up another media class for local journalists in the future.