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Held by the Taliban: A Media Black Out…

The story of New York Times journalist, and Pulitzer Prize winner, David Rohde is a very interesting one. Rohde travels to Afghanistan to interview a Taliban leader but he ends up being taken hostage. Soon after, the NY Times requested all media outlets around the world, including Wikipedia, to respect a media blackout in order to increase any chances Rohde had of being released.

I have always admired journalists (writers, cameramen, drivers, translators…) because they take risks and follow their passion to get a story for us. Certainly biases do exist, but if that could be overlooked for a minute, the fact that individuals even risk their lives to get one interview with infamous people such as a Taliban leader is amazing.

What is also interesting is the role that Wikipedia played during this time. Wikipedia placed restrictions and controlled the coverage of information about Rohde in order to prevent any public attention from being drawn to his captivity, so as to not endanger his life. As Professor Joseph M. Reagle from NYU said in a NY Times interview, “Wikipedia has, over time, instituted gradually more control because of some embarrassing incidents, particularly involving potentially libelous material, and some people get histrionic about it, proclaiming the death of Wikipedia,” he said. “But the idea of a pure openness, a pure democracy, is a naïve one.”

Beyond anything else, however, the story of Rohde will be one that will be discussed inside and outside of the classroom for years to come- a story of journalism, captivity, bravery, and control of media.

This was the story of David Rohde who would share his experience of being captive by the Taliban for 7 months and 10 days from November 2008- June 2009.

Held by the Taliban:
Part 1: 7 Months, 10 Days in Captivity
Part 2: Inside the Islamic Emirate
Part 3: ‘You Have Atomic Bombs, but We Have Suicide Bombers.’
Part 4: A Drone Strike and Dwindling Hope
Part 5: A Rope and a Prayer
Epilogue

Video of David Rohde Here

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |