Each week Missouri School of Journalism students working at internships in international cities submit a report highlighting their work. For, Scott Kanowsky, a radio & television journalism student interning at Reuters Television in Brussels, this week was more exciting than most. Read his first hand account of protests that broke out prior to a European Union Leadership Conference below.
A Day at Reuters TV in Brussels
By: Scott Kanowsky
Last week was insanity for Reuters TV in Brussels. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday all saw stories breaking while we tried to assemble together every able bodied man, woman, and child for Summit coverage. Journalists went missing in Libya--reaction from Amnesty international was needed. Three European Parliament representatives were caught on tape by a British paper of taking money to influence legislation. We interviewed the Romanian MEP being investigated. During it all, cameraman filed in from Amsterdam and Brussels to prepare for the Summit. At first, I thought the amount of people we had working on the story was overkill.
I was never so wrong.
A Day at Reuters TV in Brussels
By: Scott Kanowsky
Last week was insanity for Reuters TV in Brussels. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday all saw stories breaking while we tried to assemble together every able bodied man, woman, and child for Summit coverage. Journalists went missing in Libya--reaction from Amnesty international was needed. Three European Parliament representatives were caught on tape by a British paper of taking money to influence legislation. We interviewed the Romanian MEP being investigated. During it all, cameraman filed in from Amsterdam and Brussels to prepare for the Summit. At first, I thought the amount of people we had working on the story was overkill.
I was never so wrong.
On Thursday, I awoke early to meet a cameraman outside the Council at sunrise. From there we walked through the Cinquantenaire and followed the demonstrators congregating around the city. It was a surreal experience; something I've only ever seen in movies. Firecrackers going off. Cement blocks being broken and thrown at police. Cops dressed in full riot gear. Anger, resentment, insanity. All over austerity measures. Although the demo was calmed, it left a lasting impression about the unifying effect of political decisions. And, to be fair, the effects of one to many morning Jupilers. With so much going on around the city, every single person was needed to shoot, write, edit, or—in my case—run video cards from the demo site to the edit bay in the Council building.
The rest of Thursday and Friday was a more subdued, dare I say "normal" Summit experience. Leaders came and went, policy moves were debated, decisions were avoided, and someone was left unhappy. In my opinion, the biggest story occurred not even at the Summit but at Nato, where the organization was starting to assume the control of the Libyan no-fly zone and--come Sunday--the entire coalition effort.
As Friday wound up and a very tired press corps returned home, I realized that for those few days, Brussels had become a warm center of the political universe. Decisions, huge decisions, were streaming through the EU and Nato and the world was reacting. To be in the middle of it all was intoxicating.
The rest of Thursday and Friday was a more subdued, dare I say "normal" Summit experience. Leaders came and went, policy moves were debated, decisions were avoided, and someone was left unhappy. In my opinion, the biggest story occurred not even at the Summit but at Nato, where the organization was starting to assume the control of the Libyan no-fly zone and--come Sunday--the entire coalition effort.
As Friday wound up and a very tired press corps returned home, I realized that for those few days, Brussels had become a warm center of the political universe. Decisions, huge decisions, were streaming through the EU and Nato and the world was reacting. To be in the middle of it all was intoxicating.
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