Reporters in Egypt

The events in Egypt have certainly taken a frightening turn. That in itself is bad enough, for the sake of the Egyptian people. No matter how justified, revolutions tends to make things worse before they get better. If they get better at all.

Add into this scramble the threats against foreign reporters in the country. Anderson Cooper was attacked. An ABC News crew thought they were going to be beheaded. A Greek correspondent was stabbed, and many other journalists have found themselves in dire straits. The alleged cause is that Egypt is trying to create a news blackout, so that the government can make whatever moves it deems fit.

Perhaps. And if true, and it surely wouldn't be surprising if this were the case, then we have a further condemnation of the Mubarak administration. But the unasked and yet arguably most pertinent question is: what are they there for anyway?

To make the story public to the world, one supposes. Yet while that is a seemingly noble inspiration, are journalists obliged to put themselves at risk to get a story? Ought we, as a news craved nation, consider that maybe it isn't worth these folks putting themselves at such odds just to keep us glued to CNN?

Or is the truth even deeper and more questionable? Is it the drive for ratings and recognition by the various news sources and the desire for glory and affirmation among the individual reporters what truly guides their actions?

Jeffrey Schneider, a vice president at ABC News, assures us that all precautions are being taken for the safety of their employees. We can, of course, or at least should, take that for granted. But it still begs the question of whether they should be there at all.

It also does not address the issue of whether they hurt more than they help. As reporters become targets, it is at least arguable that they become more part of the problem than the solution, especially in areas where they cannot necessarily rely on the aid of their own people in the form of their home governments if they need it.

Is it the simple arrogance of the press which leads to these decisions? They do seem to feel that they are the demigods of human events with the right to go wherever whenever when they smell a story. It is not a mantle which they wear well.