The modern human society is undoubtedly influenced by the mass media, by the ideas they promote and the values they stand for. However, mass media can be divided into several types, according to which the reliability of the information they present can be considered. There are factual mass media that base their data on the checked and specific facts from the primary sources. There are also yellow journalism media that appeal to people’s emotion and interest by reporting rumors and gossip.
Campaigning journalism is the type of media that combines the features of the above media types as it presents factual information but appeals to emotion and covers the actual reasons for an organization or a person to commit an action. This paper focuses on the research of the campaigning journalism piece dealing with the protection of Dubai against terrorism.
To obtain the clear focus of the topic, it is necessary to consider the basic notions that include campaigning journalism and critical writing (Kettle, 2006). The former is the type of media that tries to reflect the views of the bulk of the readers but at the same time pursue the goals of certain people or organizations: “Campaigning journalism was one way in which the aims of the New Journalism and its successors were able to phrase their solidarity with the worldview of their readers.
This was a combination of rhetoric and strategy” (Conboy , 2002). Thus, campaigning journalism appeared in the late 19th century as an attempt of the media owners to show their readers that they stand for the same ideas and represent readers’ interests in the society (Kettle, 2006). However, the actual essence of campaigning journalism is much deeper, and finding it out is the task of critical writing.
Accordingly, critical writing is the material embodiment of the ability of a person to think critically. In other words, a critically thinking person is able to find out the underlying reasons for this or that phenomenon, to find the causes of certain events and to see what motivations, behind the officially claimed ones, make people or organizations do something. In journalism, the ability to critically think and write is especially important (Conboy , 2002).
On the one hand, any writer is supposed to have this ability to provide the readers not with mere facts but with reasonable considerations that might provoke the readers to think on the issue further. On the other hand, considering the pieces of campaigning journalism every person should think critically to extract the facts and avoid paying attention to the propagandist or promotional appeals to the reader.
Having considered the definitions campaigning journalism and critical writing and importance of the latter for understanding of the former, it is possible to consider the article by Schaps (2008) singling out the elements of campaigning journalism and reliable information in it.
The very article deals with the fact that Hyder Consulting, the worldwide famous British company, have started discussions with the Government of the UAE in respect of protecting the Dubai strategic buildings from the potential terrorist attacks, especially in the light of the recent signing by the UAE of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (Schaps, 2008). Thus, the article under consideration praises Hyder Consulting as a company coming to help in Dubai protection as if the company itself has no financial interest in this.
The major argument of the article by Schaps (2008) is focused on the integral need of Dubai to be consulted by the Hyder Consulting Company. The author uses the technique of fact-presentation describing the past achievements of the company and the potential usefulness of Hyder’s activity in Dubai: “Hyder Consulting’s security department is led by Peter Ryan…security adviser to the International Olympic Committee.
He provided security advice to the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, and other national security projects in the region” (Schaps, 2008). Moreover, the author enumerates the areas of activity that Hyder Consulting deals with and connects this argument to the increased public concern about the defense of Dubai buildings from terrorist attacks. Thus, the argument by Schaps (2008) states the evident threat of terror in Dubai and calls for the readers’ support of Hyder Consulting as the company to provide the protection from this threat.
However, if a closer look is taken at the Hyder Consulting Company, it becomes obvious that the company is the most interesting party to the situation (Stewart, 2007). In other words, Hyder Consulting is the company that makes its business by advising the international organizations and countries’ governments on construction works, business decisions and protection solutions for strategic urban buildings (Hyder Consulting, 2009). Therefore, it becomes obvious that Hyder Consulting has direct financial and business interests in the promotion of its activities in mass media and in promotion of the idea of the need of Dubai protection from terrorism. Campaigning journalism is thus the best way for Hyder Consulting to attract public attention to its activities and possible help in the struggle with terrorism (Hyder Consulting, 2009).
Drawing from this, the actual purpose and the focus of the article by Schaps (2008) can be viewed from the absolutely different angle. Positioned as the report on the current strategic needs of Dubai as the capital of the UAE, the article under consideration turns out to be a piece of campaigning journalism aimed at promoting the ideas of Hyder Consulting in respect of the alleged terrorist threats (Stewart, 2007).
It is among the strong points of the article that it takes the account of the achievements of Hyder Consulting in the area of protection and safety for public events and whole cities. The detailed account of the examples of successful cooperation of the UAE Government with the company is also a strong argument on the topic (Schaps, 2008). But the statement of terrorist threat cannot be referred to as a strength of the article because it has neither officially confirmed grounds nor positive influence upon Dubai citizens. Therefore, the article is a piece of campaigning journalism that pursues specific business promotion goals covered by the concern about social wellbeing.
Concluding this analysis, it is necessary to state that campaigning journalism is the type of media that combines facts and underlying motivations in its approach to presenting information to the readers. The article by Schaps (2008) is an example of campaigning journalism as it presents the need of Hyder Consulting work to protect Dubai from terrorism as a fact, but actually pursues the goal of promoting Hyder Consulting interests on the UAE market.
References
Conboy , M. (2002). The press and popular culture. SAGE Publications.
Hyder Consulting. (2009). Delivering Commercial Advantage. Web.
Kettle, M. (2006). Lies, damn lies – and campaigning journalism. The Guardian, A3.
Schaps, K. (2008). Hyder lines up contract to protect Dubai from terrorism. The Building.
Stewart, R. (2007). Hyder Consulting Advises Balance Is Key For Sustainable Development At MEED Project Risk Management 2007. Web.