Reporting On Colombia

A firsthand account of Colombia's turmoil by a journalist who was held captive by rebel guerrillasIndependent journalist Garry Leech has spent the last eight years working in the most remote and dangerous regions of Colombia, uncovering the unofficial stories of people living in conflict zones. Unlike other Western journalists, most of whom rarely leave Bogotá, Leech learns the truth about conflicts and the U.S. war on drugs directly from the source: farmers, male and female guerrillas, union organizers, indigenous communities, and many others.Beyond Bogotá is built around the eleven hours that Leech was held captive by the FARC, Colombia's largest leftist guerrilla group, in August of 2006. Drawing on unprecedented access to soldiers, guerrillas, paramilitaries and peasants in conflict zones and cocaine-producing areas, Leech's documentary memoir is an epic tale of a journalist's search for meaning in the midst of violence and poverty. This compelling account provides fresh insights into U.S. foreign policy, the role of the media, and the plight of everyday Colombians caught in the middle of a brutal war."In this remarkable saga, Garry Leech conveys brilliantly and with vivid insight the magical qualities of this rich and tortured land, and the struggles and torment of its people." -Noam Chomsky"An extraordinary portrait of grace under pressure-not only of the author himself, but of ordinary Colombians fighting for social justice." -Forrest Hylton, author of Evil Hour in Colombia

This journalism master's project includes a professional work component and an analysis component. The professional work component details the author's experiences covering the arts and Latino community beat in Milwaukee for "At Ten," an arts and international program on WUWM Public Radio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Field notes and samples of work are included. In the research (or analysis) component the author presents oral histories from journalists in Colombia who have been victims of violence due to their coverage of Columbian conflict. This section includes a literature review, oral histories, discussion and conclusion, and three transcripts of interviews, two of which also are presented in Spanish.

Reporting on violence is one of the most problematic features of journalistic practice-the area most frequently criticized by the public and those on the receiving end of that coverage. Now in its second edition, Covering Violence remains a crucial guide for becoming a sensitive and responsible reporter. Discussing such topics as rape and the ethics of interviewing children, the book gives students and journalists a detailed understanding of what is happening "on the scene" of a violent event, including where a reporter can go safely and legally, how to obtain the most useful information, and how best to interview and photograph victims and witnesses. This second edition takes our turbulent postmillennium history into account and emphasizes the consequences of frequent exposure to traumatic events. It offers new chapters on 9/11 and terrorism, the Columbine school shootings, and the photographing of violent events, as well as additional profiles of Vietnamese American, Native American, and African American journalists. More essential than ever, Covering Violence connects journalistic practices to the rapidly expanding body of literature on trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and secondary traumatic stress, and pays close attention to current medical and political debates concerning victims' rights.

With oil accounting for roughly half of Colombia’s total exports, Latin America’s fourth-largest economy is feeling the effects of lower international oil prices. The negative impact of lower prices was nonetheless offset by positive performances by the retail, agriculture and financial services sectors, ensuring continued growth in 2015. Higher growth is expected in 2016 and beyond, driven in part by a raft of transport infrastructure investments, known as the fourth generation road concession programme. On the political front, the prospect of the signing of a peace accord between the government of Juan Manuel Santos Calderón and the leaders of the FARC promises to make 2016 a memorable year for Colombia. According to the National Planning Department, the peace settlement could bolster economic growth by up to 1.9 percentage points, lower security costs and signal the opening up of previously closed areas of the country to development.

The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor presents the "2000 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" for Colombia, which was released in February 2001. The report provides an overview of the country and discusses the respect for and abuses of human rights in Colombia.

Since 2012, The Business Year has been producing annual publications on the Colombian economy, gathering the thoughts of hundreds of top business leaders in the process. Now, we seek to take the spotlight to Colombia's Caribbean region to see what is behind the economic transformation witnessed there in recent years. This special report comes in a series of online publications focusing on a certain aspect or industry in one of our 35 global markets. Our reports are consumed by investors, analysts, and decision makers around the world.

Based upon two decades of in-depth investigative reporting in Colombia's conflict zones, this explosive volume integrates text, photography, and design to communicate the horrors that paramilitary groups, such as the "United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia" (as well as the other sides of the conflict in response to the violence), inflicted and continue to inflict on Colombia. An instant classic of journalism and South American political history.