Antonia Rados: Why the war reporter quits her job

“important today”
Antonia Rados: “You can’t leave war coverage to Facebook”

RTL crisis reporter Antonia Rados is making room for the younger generation of journalists

© NDR / Action Press

War reporter Antonia Rados has been in the business for 40 years – and now she thinks it’s right to make room for the younger generation. A conversation about interviews with dictators and how crises and reporting about them have changed.

Less than a year ago, the Taliban took over Afghanistan. US and NATO troops were in the process of withdrawing from the country. Then the Taliban almost overran the Afghan army. In particular, the images of people fleeing, who clung to rescue planes, are burned into many people’s memories. Antonia Rados has accompanied crises like this for over 40 years. The RTL foreign correspondent and longtime war reporter has always been to countries like Afghanistan, Somalia or Iran and says in the 324th episode of “Today Important”: “It’s the same for the victims whether you’re in Afghanistan or Ukraine.”

Antonia Rados: “Don’t leave war coverage to Facebook”

Reporting on wars today is different than it was back then. On social media in particular, you are almost inundated with information, says Antonia Rados: “We learn a lot, very quickly, without context, of course that wasn’t the case 40 years ago.” The advantage: you get first-hand information. But the problem is the uncertainty: is this information reliable? Rados has provided this reliable information for decades and believes that war reporting in particular should not be left to the algorithms of monopolies like Facebook: “If Facebook, Twitter and Co had to stick to the fact that what is posted on the platform has to be true, […] then we would all feel a little better.”

What if al-Gaddafi had Twitter back then?

Whether it’s a war party, a dictator or a large tech company – unlike in the past, many no longer adhere to the existing rules, the journalist believes. She has also experienced this irregularity in personal conversations. In 2011 she interviewed the then Libyan ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi: “I think with Gaddafi, but also with other interviewees I always had the feeling that those around him were very intimidated.” She noticed that not only in Libya, but also in Iran and Turkey: “There was always a circle of yes-men around him.”

Michael Abdollahi

© TVNOW / Andreas Friese

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Sure, opinionated, on the 12: “today important” is not just a news podcast. We set topics and initiate debates – with attitude and sometimes uncomfortable. Host Michel Abdollahi and his team speak out for this star– and RTL reporters with the most exciting people from politics, society and entertainment. They let all voices have their say, both the quiet and the loud. Anyone who hears “important today” starts the day well informed and can have a well-founded say.

But despite all the criticism of these people, Rados always asked herself in her reports whether she had presented all perspectives. A question that an algorithm like Facebook will hardly ask itself. But news isn’t a hobby and facts have to be worked out, says Antonia Rados: “There’s this saying: ‘Everyone is entitled to their opinion but not to their own facts’. That’s very true.

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