Fanning the flames of democracy

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Friday, April 15th. Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Myrna Brown.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher. Coming next on The World and Everything in It: local journalism.

Two recent documentaries highlight the work of small, grassroots newsrooms. One is in rural Iowa.

The other? Literally the other side of the world, in India. Reviewer Emily Whitten says both films show the need for good reporting in a nation governed with democratic principles.

But only one of these documentaries inspires with a powerful story of courage, innovation, and hope.

TRAILER: In a small, Northwest Iowa town, The Storm Lake Times weaves the fabric of community in large ways and small.

EMILY WHITTEN, REPORTER: That’s the voice of Art Cullen, editor of the Pulitzer Prize winning Iowa newspaper, The Storm Lake Times. Cullen and his newsroom are the focus of the 2021 documentary, Storm Lake.

Cullen is something of a dying breed. He soon joined the paper after his brother founded it back in 1990, when newspapers more easily earned money and respect. But over the last 15 years, Cullen watched as one in four newspapers across America closed their doors for good.

TRAILER: But how long does a community support journalism? Because now people want to get their news for free. And people are saying, ‘Oh, well, that’s not worth a dollar.’ And that’s not how you sustain a democracy.

So, how do you sustain a democracy? For one thing, Cullen says newspapers like his help hold those in power accountable. Reporters follow the money trail, and ask tough questions at local political and school board meetings. Because Iowa holds the first American presidential primary or caucus, Cullen has interviewed some big names. Here he is with presidential candidate, Elizabeth Warren, prior to the 2020 election.

CLIP: What can we do to provide immediate farm income relief in what is quickly becoming an emergency? A generation ago, .37 cents...

Newspapers also build connections within the community. Here’s Cullen’s wife stopping by to interview a local Hispanic singer.

CLIP: Hello! My name’s Delores, and I’m here to see Emmanuel… Yeah, he’s coming. Ok, he’s coming….

Sadly, Cullen’s bias in favor of Democratic candidates and liberal values make it hard to trust his reporting. That bias becomes critical when COVID hits toward the end of the film.

CLIP: Now Storm Lake is the hottest spot in Iowa and one of the top 10 in the country. They decided to shut down the pork complex late last week for a few days at least for some cleaning…

Cullen and his son, Tom, do ask good questions about worker safety. But those questions are hard to hear because of a bias in favor of illegal immigration and baseless charges of racism at factories. Sadly, Cullen can’t see how this might drive readers away from his paper.

Apart from some profanity, Storm Lake offers a clean but gut-wrenching primer on why American journalism remains on life support.

In stark contrast, the 2021 documentary Writing with Fire presents a team of vibrant, forward-looking reporters. Here’s a clip from the trailer featuring Meera, chief reporter for the Indian newspaper Khabar Lahariya.

CLIP: [MEERA SPEAKING HINDI]

Meera explains that Khabar Lahariya is run by a team of Dalit women. They come from India’s untouchable caste, excluded from much of Indian life. But Meera and her crew continue to defy expectations with compelling, on-the-ground reporting.

CLIP: [MEERA SPEAKING HINDI]

On a long bus ride, Meera tells the camera, “I believe journalism is the essence of democracy…. When citizens demand their rights, it is us journalists who can take their demands to government. This is how one fights for justice in a democracy.”

For Meera, fighting for justice often means reporting on illegal and deadly mining practices, even in the face of threats from the mafia. It means criticizing political leaders and religious gurus who scam people. And too often, it means pressuring police to enforce laws that should protect women. In this scene, a Khabar Lahariya journalist interviews a young girl who’d been raped.

CLIP: [WOMAN SPEAKING HINDI]

Initially, police did nothing. But within a week of the journalist’s report, police arrested the girl’s attacker.

These women aren’t perfect. They sometimes lie about their caste when others discriminate against them. But their virtues appear in bold and all caps: qualities like courage and perseverance. And a commitment to innovation.

Here’s one of the directors, Rintu Thomas.

INTERVIEW: When we met them, they were at this interesting cusp of transitioning to digital. And one of the first things we shot was that meeting where Meera’s leading, where she’s telling the entire team why we need to move to digital.

CLIP: [MEERA SPEAKING HINDI]

The newspaper’s leaders even have to show some of the reporters how to turn on a cell phone. A few groan and complain, but Meera and others remain committed. The team will master this new technology in order to compete in the online marketplace of ideas. Several months and millions of Youtube views later, we see their success.

CLIP: [Khabar Lahariya’s YouTube channel]

You can watch the Academy Award-nominated Writing with Fire for free on PBS.com until April 27th. Some viewers won’t want to wade through subtitles and topics like sexual assault. But in this YouTube interview, filmmaker Sushmit Ghosh sums up why it’s worth it.

INTERVIEW: This is a pro-justice film. This is a pro-democracy film, and if you truly believe in those values, then you will align yourself with the message of this story. These women are showing you what true journalism and true courage really means.

I’m Emily Whitten.

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