Off topic--Page/Faas and NPR

[Kari Eloranta <eloranta@lammio.hut.fi>]

Paul,

I agree that this off-topic and I try to brief. This is also my  
last post on this topic in the list. But you are welcome to write  
privately more.

>"Fresh Air" is the name of a daily NPR interview program, and Page  
>and  Faas were interviewed during one segment of the show. The  
name >of Page  and Faas' book is _Requiem_.

I know that. I'm also familiar with NPR as I've indicated. My  
initial post came about since I though the combination of the name  
of the program and the topic pointed directly to an acute problem in  
photojournalism.

>>The shooters did a great service in V. and almost certainly
>>shortened the war by a significant amount and thereby saved lives.  
>>The fallen ones in particular should be remembered.

>Isn't this exactly what Page and Faas are doing?

Yes, formally yes.

>>I just think that this is a rather stale way of proceeding.  
>Especially since there have been many conflicts afterwards and  
>serious media problems related to them. Study them and dedicate the  
>findings to the courageous ones.

>What do "media problems at other points in time" have to do with  
>Page and  Faas doing an interview on an afternoon radio program, or  
>doing a book?

In my mind these wars are not separate issues. Many of the fellows  
that recorded the horrors in V. did it firmly believing that that  
reporting could steer things to a more peaceful direction. There is  
that legacy still left. How does one serve it best? Not on coffee  
tables IMHO. Addressing current problems in their spirit? Yes.

>>I think these guys were there to report the workings of the
>>machinery (state/war) and not to become entries in coffee table
>>books.

>You say we should remember them, but then say that their collegues  
>should  not honor them by doing a book about them? I don't see  
this >as the sort of project that they are doing only for money.  
Faas >talked about how he  had the burden of reporting many of the  
deaths >of these photojournalists  to their families, and both Page  
and Faas >did the same job under the same  conditions as the  
photographers who >were killed. They knew and worked  with these  
photographers, and >many were friends. Page went back after the  war  
to try to track >down missing journalists; these guys knew and  
cared  about the >subjects of the book. Who better to do a book  
about them? This  is a >tribute to the fallen photographers, done  
with love and respect as a  >monument to them.

You put it well and I'm not going to dispute their sincerity or  
effort or anything. In my mind it boils down to the old dilemma: do  
you honor the hero with a statue in the park or with a school for  
the future generations.

- - - Paul

Regards,

Kari