By: Augustin Palokaj/ In Brussels, we face challenges in preserving this identity every day. In the city where there is still the largest number of foreign journalists in the world, groups of colleagues come to visit every day. But they are not called journalists. They are “Content creators”, “Influencers”, “Tick-tockers”, “communication experts” or other modern names that often sound impressive: While some of us, after 10, 20, 30 years, have remained journalists, only journalists and nothing else but journalists
It was sometime in the fall of 1990, a season in which Zagreb always has a special charm, something I have not seen in any other city in Europe this season. The city regains its vitality as people who spend the summer on the coast return, the city's numerous parks take on an extraordinary combination of colors, the smell of chestnuts can be felt in the center, while the weather is still warm enough to sit on the terraces of cafes. For me and my friends at that time, "cafes" were limited to those in the student center or dormitory complexes where prices were subsidized. The prices in the city's cafes were unaffordable, except for the occasional case when those who did not live the student life were hired. It was a time when the number of students from Kosovo and Albanians from Macedonia had reached its peak. Croatia had not yet gained independence and, being in one state, those from Kosovo who passed the entrance exam could enroll on equal terms. After the closure of faculties in Kosovo began following the extraordinary measures announced by the Milosevic regime, many students, especially medical students, managed to transfer to the University of Zagreb to continue their studies. In addition, there were traditionally many Albanians in some faculties, as such studies did not exist in Kosovo. A considerable number studied veterinary medicine, others geodesy and some even communications. But in journalism I was the only one from Kosovo, alongside several colleagues who studied political science at the same faculty.
One autumn day, a group of students from Kosovo gathered. We got to know each other, learned how to find the cheapest housing, where to eat the cheapest, and how to get textbooks and books, preferably free of charge, that is.
When a student asked me, “What do you study?”, another student responded with the answer: “Augustine studies what I know without studying at all!” We all started laughing. Me too. Without anger. Because on the first day of college they had been debating whether you should study journalism to become a journalist. Or “is journalism born or created?”
Ky debat me vite ka ekzistuar sidomos në vendet ish-komuniste. Sepse nuk ka pasur nevojë të studiohet shumë për një profesion, i cili definohej si “punëtor shoqëroro-politik“, e në disa raste kësaj i shtohej edhe “i edukuar në frymën marksiste“. Se si të shkruajë e mësonte gazetarin partia. Pikërisht fakulteti ku nisa studimet në Zagreb ishte edhe një prej selive të ndryshimeve në Kroaci. Profesorët nga ai fakultet nisën të formonin apo të jenë pjesë të partive të para jokomuniste që krijoheshin në Kroaci, që akoma ishte në Jugosllavi, por dihej se nuk do të jetë shumë gjatë. Kosova dominonte si temë pasi mënyra se si Beogradi u soll me Kosovën dhe ndaj saj përshpejtoi shumë edhe përpjekjet e intelektualëve në Kroaci dhe Slloveni për demokraci, e me demokraci vinte edhe dëshira për pavarësi.
Pas 34 vjetësh më kujtohen fjalët e atij shokut se unë kam studiuar diçka që ai e di pa studiuar. Sot gjithkush mund të bëhet gazetar apo të quhet i tillë, jo vetëm pa studiuar gazetarinë, por pa studiuar asgjë. Madje sot për të qenë gazetar nuk ka nevojë dikush të dijë as të shkruajë. Gazetaria ka qenë dikur pjesë e identitetit. Për disa ka mbetur akoma. Gazetaria, gazeta, na e jep edhe emrin gazetar. Gazeta-Gazetar, Journal-Journalist, Novina-Novinar, Periodico-Periodista dhe kështu me radhë në gjuhë të ndryshme. Dikush mund të thotë se më në Kosovë nuk ka gazetarë. Sepse më në Kosovë nuk ka gazeta. Dhe mund të ketë të drejtë. Sot “gazetari“ në kuptimin tradicional të emërtimit lufton për ruajtjen e identitetit të tij.
Sot në Bruksel përditë përballemi me sfida të ruajtjes së këtij identiteti. Në qytetin ku akoma ka numër më të madh të gazetarëve të huaj në botë përditë vijnë në vizita grupe të kolegëve. Por nuk quhen gazetarë. Ata janë “Krijues të përmbajtjes“ (Content createres), “Influencerë“, “Tick – tockerë“, “ekspertë të komunikimit“ apo me emërtime të tjera moderne që tingëllojnë shpesh impresive: Ndërsa disa prej nesh pas 10, 20, 30 vjetësh kemi mbetur gazetarë, vetëm gazetarë dhe asgjë tjetër pos gazetarë.
And yes, one does not need to have studied journalism to become a journalist. There are many extraordinary journalists who did not study journalism. I know many who graduated in journalism and never became journalists. But studying journalism, not necessarily at the faculty, is necessary. Because this at least creates in journalists a sense of responsibility, a respect for the profession, a curiosity and teaches them the techniques of collecting, processing and distributing information. It also teaches them the necessary separation of facts from opinions. Moreover, the connection of facts with opinions and later with analysis. Today, journalists are called those who have no respect for the profession at all. Those who are satisfied with a post on one of the many social networks. Today, the media also publish the news about the first snow in Vermosh, Albania, quoting a post by the prime minister that the first snow has fallen in that northern point of Albania. Today, what seems interesting is published more than what is true. And the truth can often be stale, not as attractive as improvisation or lies. And in the age of fake news, truth is the biggest victim. People's tendency to believe that "The truth is somewhere in between" makes the lie a winner if both the lie and the truth are believed equally.
At a time when journalists need help, understanding and protection, when they are threatened and often lynched, we must also think about the other side. We must also think about the responsibility that journalists have. For the written word or the spoken word. We journalists have much more freedom of expression than, for example, politicians have. When they criticize the media, and even threaten, they put unacceptable pressure on the media. And when journalists and the media criticize politicians, then they are doing their duty. There is and should not be equality here. Because we are not equal in this. Politicians must also be educated in the media. They can deny a news story, but not attack journalists. But it is a freedom that journalists do not have and should not have. There is no freedom to intentionally write or broadcast the untruth. When a journalist intentionally tells the untruth, he is no longer a journalist. To know this, it is not necessary to study journalism. It is enough to study anything, to follow the laws, rules, ethical standards or simply common sense. And as with other identities, that of a journalist can best be preserved by ourselves.
P.S.
That friend from Zagreb is a successful veterinarian. I don't think he's greedy. Veterinarians are more likely to heal, while we journalists should at least try not to infect.
