In recent years, tensions in northern Kosovo have escalated, making the role of journalistic reporting highly significant in shaping the narrative around events.

Since nationalism is the opium of the masses, journalism must be its opposite – professional and emancipatory in its informative reporting.

This is challenging, as was evident on September 24, 2023, during the attack in Banjska. In addition to on-ground tensions, nationalist rhetoric erupted on social media in both the Albanian and Serbian ethnic communities.

In such a situation, Albanian and Serbian journalists had to verify every piece of news, as social media platforms like TikTok pose a direct challenge to traditional journalism. These platforms often spread unchecked information – a kind of “journalistic anarchy” where fake news overshadows the truth.

Unverified reports about the number of casualties circulated on social media that day without any confirmation from the Kosovo Police or KFOR, the peacekeeping mechanism in Kosovo under the UN resolution.

Unconfirmed news only increased public tension, while journalists lacked credible information about the unfolding events. Social media criticism arose, questioning why journalists did not refer to the attackers as terrorists.

It is not a journalist’s role to deliver verdicts, especially during an information blackout, when neither local institutions nor the international community have made definitive statements – at least until events on the ground have been resolved.

That day, I, too, as a journalist, faced dual pressures: on one side, the need to confirm all reports from the field, which was extremely difficult due to the dire situation, and on the other, the pressure from an increasingly vocal public demanding media outlets adopt a nationalist narrative.

A journalist who adheres to the rules of the profession chooses professionalism over emotions. While people may belong to sociological identities, including ethnicities, journalism bears the responsibility to be inclusive and provide accurate information to all.

Excluding the fake news circulating on certain websites and social media, the mainstream media remained accurate in their reporting that day.

The March Riots and the Role of Public Media

In March 2004, Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) reported claims by several Albanian children from northern Mitrovica, who alleged they were “chased by Serbs while their peers were drowned in the river.” Protests erupted across Kosovo, escalating into riots. The tragic outcome: 19 people killed, 11 Albanians and 8 Serbs.

This example is still cited today as a lesson in how journalists should not report, even though it has yet to be fully verified whether this report was the sole cause of the riots. Had RTK followed standard journalistic procedures, they would have at least sought statements from the police, KFOR, and other relevant authorities.

Publishing minors’ claims without additional sources – barely four years after a bloody ethnic conflict – was unprofessional. This is a model that must be rejected, with the opposite approach embraced.

Unprofessional Journalism Has Caused Genocide

Rwanda, a country in East Africa with a population of over 14 million, tells a grim story about the consequences of unprofessional journalism. Thirty years ago, in 1994, a genocide was incited by biased, nationalist-driven media.

In Rwanda, there are two main ethnic groups: the majority Hutu and the minority Tutsi. Ethnic hatred was deep-rooted, fueled by the regime of Juvénal Habyarimana, a Hutu nationalist.

After Habyarimana was assassinated, tensions exploded. The Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), a government propaganda outlet, referred to the Tutsi minority as “insects.” This was not merely metaphorical rhetoric but a plan – the regime systematically crushed the Tutsi minority and moderate Hutus as if they were “insects.”

At least 800,000 people were killed in this genocide, which occurred over just 100 days in 1994.

How Should Reporting Be Conducted in Tense Situations?

First and foremost, responsibility toward society. As a journalist, you represent the public interest, and within this framework, you must report for everyone, without distinction.

This makes the professional journalist’s reporting informative for the public, rather than analytical, judgmental, or accusatory toward other ethnic groups. Nationalism is exclusive, while journalism must be inclusive.

Inclusivity demands professionalism – no publication should occur without credible verification of information, especially in complex, high-tension situations.

Once information is verified, editorial discussions should determine its relevance. There is a substantial difference between what the public wants to know and what it needs to know.

If the information is relevant, its language must be neutral and standard, avoiding any nationalist bias.

News must be written clearly to be understood by all and misinterpreted by none. This reflects the journalist’s effort to serve peace through their work.

Being a peace journalist is not easy, but it is necessary. Peace and democracy enable journalism, and journalism must, in turn, sustain them.