Comments on: 'Alive in Baghdad' uses Web to report the everyday dangers in Iraq

By: Holly Rathke

Holly Rathke — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 17:04:12 +0000

I think it is great to see that professionals are establishing a niche for journalism online, and one that has potential for future growth. It is reassuring to some extent to know that others are interested in preserving journalism in its truest form as reader/viewer/user popularity carries over from print to the Web. There are tremendous advantages to using the Web for telling specific stories. Producers have an opportunity to captivate viewers’ attention and help them to better understand the bigger picture at work, by providing specific scenarios in real events. The techniques (like those used for “Alive in Baghdad”)used for Web reporting enable the producer to create a more powerful project by having access to unlimited space, audio, and photos. The tools used to create “Alive in Baghdad,” via the Web, helped to submerge the viewer into a depth of realness found from the story. This led to a story with a great capacity to influence its viewers.

By: Rachael Brugger

Rachael Brugger — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:40:55 +0000

The way that “Alive in Baghdad” works particularly as news is interesting in that it’s not only a political watchdog, but a journailistic watchdog as well. It is reporting what mainstream media doesn’t. However, this makes me wonder where it draws the line between journalism and activism. While they are trying to give a voice to those who haven’t had it to this point, are they in the back of their minds actually fighting some sort of battle for these people?

By: Emily Tudor

Emily Tudor — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:14:56 +0000

I think it is a really good idea to break up a would-be documentary like this. I agree that it can reach more people in this form. I don’t want to give the idea too much credit though, because it follows the trend of reality tv in that it takes a much larger story and shows certain segments each week. Hopefully this Web report stays closer to documentary form than turning into another reality show.

By: Elyse Ball

Elyse Ball — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:51:53 +0000

I find it reassuring that the internet is providing a place where journalists are free to work without the constraints of news organizations and bottom lines. Conley’s decision to create a series is a very effective approach. A documentary might seem outdated by the time it was produced, but the Web site allows the story to continue as things change in Iraq. Now, I’m interested to see if mainstream news organizations will pick up some of the stories “Alive in Baghdad” has already covered.

By: Samantha Verdile

Samantha Verdile — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:42:44 +0000

The idea of breaking up a would-be documentary into smaller segments seems like it has much more potential to appeal to a larger audience, considering the attention span of the general public. The short videos are easier to digest and viewers will be more likely to retain the information shown.

By: Andrea Dessoffy

Andrea Dessoffy — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:37:50 +0000

Conley is producing the type of stories Americans should be hungry to see. I don’t think it will be long before other news organizations, like the BBC and Sky News, will be looking to collaborate with “Alive in Baghdad.” So often in covering this war the ordinary people have been lost in favor of officials and radicals. If we are to truly understand what is going on in Iraq we need to hear from the people we went in to “liberate.” While the danger of roaming the streets of Baghdad to interview Iraqis is clear, Conley is showing us that talking wit a diverse group of people is possible. Viewers need the standard coverage of Iraq that we’ve been getting from news organizations, but in order to get a complete picture of the Iraq situation, we also need an element of what Conley provides.

By: Kirsten Brown

Kirsten Brown — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:02:31 +0000

First off, I think such an innovative means of international coverage is just what the doctor ordered. As a broadcast journalist, my greatest concern for my field these days is how quickly networks will feebly throw in the towel when challenged to provide relevant, meaningful footage on foreign affairs. I’m absolutely thrilled that Conley challenges the popularly-nicknamed “mainstream media” by finding a unique solution to this long-standing dilemma. He made the right decision to pass up the documentary in favor of a more enduring medium.

His term

By: Patrick Mayock

Patrick Mayock — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:50:34 +0000

I found the discussion of an independent Web-based organization incredibly interesting. On the one hand, Conley has the ability to work without the restraints of a parent company on the ever-present bottom line. On the other, he must constantly police himself to make sure he and his news series works within the realm of objective, accountable and accurate journalism. From what I

By: Molly O'Hare

Molly O'Hare — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:03:10 +0000

Brian Conley made a good decision to create a continuing series of short videos instead of a traditional documentary. The type of events and stories that he and his crew are trying to capture go on every day, and the format he chose helps get more angles and more information out over time as opposed to all at once. The collaboration with BBC, Sky News and Next News Network hopefully will bring more publicity and viewers to this worthy endeavor.

By: Brittany Yurick

Brittany Yurick — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:46:33 +0000

I think the more intimate and personal approach taken by “Alive in Baghdad” and its coverage of the Iraqi war is exactly what consumers are craving. And although I like the independent niche of the Web-based organization, I support its alignment with larger media corporations, such as BBC and Sky News, in its effort to achieve greater reach and financially support future projects.