conflict & communication online, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2007
www.cco.regener-online.de
ISSN 1618-0747

Dov Shinar
Epilogue: Peace Journalism – The State of the Art

This epilogue aims at integrating the series of articles offered by the Toda Peace Journalism group in cco (4/2 2005; 5/2 2006; 6/1, 2007) into a framework designed to orient the reader, without repeating the arguments presented in the articles; to encourage instructors and students to use these materials; and to stimulate thinking on "where do we go next". Coherence is sought through looking at critical analyses of the conventional coverage of war and peace and at the promise and performance of Peace Journalism, analyzing epistemological and professional constraints, presenting ways to improve Peace Journalism concepts and practices, and offering an agenda and some development strategies.
The initial premise that Peace Journalism (PJ) is a mode of responsible and conscientious media representation of conflict, alternative to conventional coverage, develops into a summary of critical evaluations of such coverage, and of the efforts to conceptualize PJ. A discussion of the promises offered by PJ follows suit, including professional improvement, the enhancement of journalistic values, the provision of better public service, and the widening of scholarly and professional horizons. Also PJ performance is analyzed, suggesting some explanations for its lack of popularity and some of its built-in problems, such as in the debate over the tradition of objectivity and other normative alternatives. Epistemological and professional considerations converge in the discussion of needs for clearer formulation and application of concepts, expectations, and procedures, and for an agenda that includes the production of persuasive evidence of PJ value; for overcoming rejection by journalists, for avoiding self-manipulation in field staff-editor relations, and for encouraging the development of a media peace discourse.