Cami’s Story: Corey Flintoff

NPR’s Cory Flintoff Reports on Iraq at USU
By Cami Moore

Utah State University’s performance hall hosted a speech today by Cory Flintoff, who works for National Public Radio.

Flintoff, who just got back from Iraq again a few months ago talked about the difficulties of reporting in a war zone. With a constant changing everyday it is not easy for reporters to keep up with the changing in Iraq.

“The justifications, goals, and strategies of fighting the war change so frequently,” Flintoff said.

According to Flintoff the United States military has been very cooperative in helping reporters get out into the action. He says that Officers will even talk down on other units to convince reporters that they should come with their specific unit, and guarantee them to see some action.

“The military is not actively censoring where we can go right now,” said Flintoff.

However, even with the military actively helping reporters get the coverage they need it still doesn’t seem enough with the daily changes occurring.

“One of the most important things is tell my listeners how limited my chances to get out really are,” said Flintoff.

One difficult position that journalists are put into in Iraq is to protect their sources, even if it means not releasing pertinent information to troops which would keep them out harm. Flintoff did say that his actions in a situation like this would all depend on the consequences that would follow on all sides. Also, journalists have to decide whether or not to cover something, even if it will put a negative effect on their country in this situation.

Flintoff said, “There is no point in reporting an American war if we don’t tell the good and bad things that we do there.”

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