How does The Economist avoid groupthink?

The question to you from Omar K of Aman. and Omar asks, "How do you guard against. western blind spots when covering. regions like the Middle East, especially. when much of the reporting ecosystem is. shaped by governments and militaries?". >> Well, it's a good question and it's a. constant danger, I think. But the way I. think of this is two two points really. The first is that stories have to bubble. up from from below from from the. correspondence. it the danger I think in in journalism.

is when the center imposes its agenda on. the reporters that's when you get kind. of group think and you get imposition of. a of a western agenda so we put enormous. effort into having reporters out in the. countries and I think we are unusual. about 40% of our journalists we have. aboutund late 170 late 170s maybe 180. journalists 40% of them including. stringers are based out in the field and. that's to my mind the best protection. against this it is a real danger, but. it's the best protection. >> And I think the other part is actually.

us going, people from London going out. there. And and Adam, you were just in. Iran earlier this year. And I I know you. hadn't been there before, but you must. have had a a kind of different view of. Iran having been there. >> It totally changes your understanding of. a place. When you get into the country, you get to walk on the streets, you get. to meet people in the bizaars, talk to. the officials. Uh the view I had before. I went was of a rather intimidating, religiously dominated place. And when I. came out of it, I had a much more nuance. and subtle understanding of Iran. >> The great thing about journalism is that.

the the truth is much more interesting. than your preconceptions of the truth. And so when you go out and you find. things that surprise you and astonish. you, that's kind of why we do it really. >> It is. And I actually I don't know. I. probably spend I calculated the other. day something like 40% of my time on the. road. And I think part of my job is to. go and not only talk to our. correspondents, but when I rock up and. actually when you rock up too, we get to. see, you know, more senior people. I'm I. sometimes consider myself to have the. sort of most overpaid calling card in. history. Uh but actually I learn a huge.

amount too. And you then go from one. place to another and you can you have a. perspective. You've just been in the. Middle East and then you go to. Washington, you have a very different. perspective. So I for me that's an. incredibly important part of what we do. in London.