T100 - the Alan Turing centenary in Edinburgh

Image a world without computers – no mobile phones, no swipe cards, no ATMs.

The heartbeat of a premature baby cannot be accurately monitored; air travel is for the privileged few since all planes must be directed manually from the ground; reporting of wars in far off countries could be prevented by simply cutting a telephone wire.

Are bloggers a useful resource or a dangerous distraction for journalists?

Journalists rely on people who are “on the ground” and familiar with the locale to add detail and at times break stories.  Bloggers could be regarded as a new addition to the notion of stringers with their ability to communicate quickly around the world. 

However as can be seen with the case of Tom McMaster, also known as Amina Abdullah, also known as the “Syrian lesbian blogger” (Ardley) it is not always apparent that bloggers are who they purport to be and this can adversely affect all journalists where this type of deception could, “undermine the credibility of the real Syrian bloggers and activists” who are “doing everything possible to keep informing their fellow citizens and the rest of the world.” (Reporters Without Borders, A)

Should photojournalists intervene, or observe in life threatening situations?

In 1991 South African freelance photographer Gregory Marinovich was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for spot news photography. (O’Brien p 69)  The set of photographs submitted covered an attack on Lindsaye Tshabala, a man believed to be a Zulu Inkatha supporter (McDougall) at a workers hostel in the Thokoza township near Johannesburg.(Catsam)  Marinovich observed the fatal attack as part of the coverage of the under-reported “Hostel Wars” which concerned mainly black on black violence in power vacuum which developed in South Africa on the run up to the country’s first democratic elections.(Catsam)   He was faced with the ethical dilemma, “should he intervene or observe?”.