The news that did not make the news

Peter Ludes, Professor of Mass Communication at Jacobs University, founded the "Initiative Nachrichtenaufklärung" in 1997

On Saturday, January 30, the “Initiative Nachrichtenaufklärung” (INA), an initiative for media transparency, selected the top 10 underreported stories for 2009. The event was held at Jacobs University.  The initiative, first founded in 1997 by Peter Ludes, Professor of Mass Communication at Jacobs University, follows the example of the US-focused “Project Censored” and aims to draw public attention to significant but unreported issues. Each year a jury of renowned scholars and journalists decides on the top 10 most vital stories that scarcely made the news.

Ludes’ commitment stems from his own research results: Certain regions, topics and persons are hardly ever covered by the media despite of their significance. According to Prof. Ludes stories get neglected mostly because of “structural reasons” such as the journalists’ of lack of time for elaborate research, their lack of detailed knowledge or their fear of legal disputes. Not having the guts to report about certain topics, however, is a rather small factor in Ludes’ opinion.

The top 10 “victims” of contemporary constraints in journalism as selected by INA’s jury for 2009 are:
(1) Hospital emergency: Patients in need are left alone
(2) Psychiatric hospitals: German laws violate UN Convention
(3) War reporting diverts attention from civilian measures for conflict resolution
(4) Illegal police violence
(5) Church finances not controlled
(6) Iodine additives not always declared
(7) Patents for human genes and gene sequences
(8) Rejection of sign language in schools for the deaf
(9) Germany is a leading power in exporting arms
(10) Building and renovation of houses without waste disposal problems

Professor Ludes’ conclusion in view of this outcome: “Quality journalism is facing a hard time in Germany.” He makes out an escalating conflict between the low-cost production of news that is, for example, being pushed by free online services and a high quality of media content. However, Ludes is not entirely pessimist: “I do think that there is a future market for high-quality journalism in Germany. This quality will be high in price, though.”

More information about the INA

The “Initiative Nachrichtenaufklärung” was founded in 1997 by Jacobs University Professor Peter Ludes. Inspired by the American “Project Censored”, the initiative aims to draw public attention to significant but unreported issues. Each year, between 90 and 120 stories are submitted to the INA from journalists, scholars, librarians, and concerned citizens of German-speaking countries. With the help of a research seminar based at the Institute for Journalism at the TU Dortmund, the INA reviews the story submissions for coverage, content, reliability of sources and significance. The seminar members select 20 stories to submit to the INA jury who then decide on the top 10 stories and rank them in order of importance.