Journalist Tim Pool here. I've covered conflict and protest in several countries and am currently in Ferguson, MO AMA!

I think it's disgusting how self- indulgent the media have been during the Ferguson debacle. I'm sick of seeing journalists talk and talk and talk about their experiences and opinions on the matter, rather than objectively reporting the news. The 24 hour news cycle obviously fuels this. What is your opinion on the role of journalists in situations such as this?

I'll be the first to admit that I'm doing a lot of that right now.

However when I livestream I ALWAYS include filming the press. They are part of the story whether they realize it or not.

Journalists are important, but I think TV news crews are obsolete and getting in the way. Instead of getting in with the people to learn and experience they talk to each other via satellite (while in the same parking lot... ha)

CNN misreported that it was smoke in August because they were in a "press zone" talking to each other via satellite while I was getting tear gassed 2 blocks away.

It seems strange to me that the media makes a circus out of cases like Michael Brown or Trayvon Martin, who end up being very flawed people who most rational people would find it hard to get behind their actions. Meanwhile you have examples of truly innocent men, women and children (of all colors) being gunned down by police under shady circumstances and almost being swept under the rug.

Why do you think this is?

I ask that same question.

I think people hold on to the anger for so long that the next time something similar happens they can't hold it in any longer. Maybe we don't get to choose who the heroes and villains are, it just matters who is the right symbol at the right moment.

Are you aware of the theory that there wouldn't be violent protests and looting if the Media wasn't so focused on the violent protests and looting?

Of course, they are creating a self fulfilling prophecy.

I was told a story once in Chicago. There was this new drug they were calling "super heroin." Several people overdosed on it and the local news reported their location and where they thought it was being sold. The next day way more people overdosed... they found out where to get it from the local news report.

How do you decide when to report on something and when to refrain for fear of that sort of thing happening? I'm a reporter myself, and I sometimes have to make similar decisions.

On contrast, in school we studied an instance where the local paper didn't give full details about a rapist as police had an operation set up to catch him, and they were afraid too many details in the paper would scare him away. The operation failed, and a lady was assaulted in the neighborhood. Later in his career, the editor said that he regretted not giving full details.

We have to make those hard decisions. He made the right choice, he made the choice he thought was best based on the information he had at the time. Had the operation succeeded he would have been glad he did what he did.

Someone asked the other day

"If protester breaks a window and there is no media around to film it, did it really happen?"

We have to go and cover the story we are passionate about, sometimes it gets out of hand. I think many of the journalists here are vultures.

What is the most shocking / dangerous place you've ever reported from?

Probably Ferguson.

When you're in a conflict with clear factions you can make predictions on where you can and can't be.

I really don't know what makes the difference but everywhere else I've been to has been more predictable. There was no way to predict how the police or protesters were going to react.

This is also the only place I have ever actually been shot at. In other countries factions have fought with each other, but here it seems some people just fired in any direction.

Important to point out though that some of the gunshots are fired into the air.

but here it seems some people just fired in any direction.

Important to point out though that some of the gunshots are fired into the air.

Ugh that's awful. Any violence is awful, but "just for the sake of it" is pretty much the worst, ESPECIALLY when you have no idea what unlucky person is going to catch those stray bullets. Someone miles away and safe could happen to take one of the "shot in the air" bullets.

In August when someone fired into the air another man responded

"Stop wasting bullets, shoot at the cops"

did you roll for any rare loot?

Nah, I just avoided the pve and got the pvp gear.

Our local media (in St Louis) has been reporting mostly about property damage, and saying no one was hurt. I have heard gunshots in all of your live streams. Are we getting the full picture? Are these just errant shots or are people getting hurt?

I want to say they are errant shots. I've seen people fire into the air but I also know people have been reported getting hit.

Ref: https://twitter.com/TreyYingst/status/537118661165977600

Weren't the cops firing off all sorts of 'flash-bangs'? Although I suppose you can probably tell the difference easily enough if you've heard both before.

Yea, flashbangs are single loud 'booms' gunshots tend to be fast higher pitched pops.

After a while you learn the different sounds. Pepper balls, rubber pullets, bean bags, tear gas, and live ammo all have a distinct sound to the trained ear.

Do you think agent provocateurs are in play there?

People are here to protest the police, all they have to do is send out the police and people will be angry.

[deleted]

Ha, man that was weiirrrddd.

That cop knew I was a journalist and just wanted to give me a hard time

For reference: https://twitter.com/timcast/status/501613406248771584

I don't know what will happen later but we are prepping now. We are looking at Clayton.

Is the looting as widespread as the media portrays? Have you seen more peaceful or violent demonstrations?

I dont think the looters are part of the protests. Protesters have been smashing windows and some have started fires, but when I was leaving the w Florrissant area last night (the area on fire) I saw cars pulling up to Walgreens and young guys running out with bags. I actually saw some guy go into a burning building to loot it...

That being said, I did not see a lot of looting. It seems like protesters broke the windows and gave opportunists a chance to get in.

I'd say the protest here last night was fairly violent, but for the past 100 or so days have been mostly peaceful.

That is what I figured...the looters are just taking advantage of a bad situation.

The protests last night were, I think, understanably upset and turned to violence, glad to hear that it's been mostly peaceful up to this point.

Thanks for the AMA and stay safe!

EDIT: clarified my position and changed my wording

It was mention on the other thread that a journalist (possibly Charlie LeDuff) reported seeing protesters lined up with face masks and crowbars and eyeing up stores, before the verdict even came in, suggesting that they were only there to loot all along. I have a hard time believing that if the verdict had have gone the other way they'd have said 'ok boys, nothing to see here lets pack it up and go home'

I wouldn't call those people protesters. Actions speak louder than words, looters and protesters are different people. I think the looters were coming to take advantage of the chaos.

Why does "evidence" never put a stop to violent protests?

In this case, the police have lied already and no one here has any reason to believe they aren't lying again.

But I think sometimes people just choose to ignore evidence.

Are you fucking with the world here or just completely biased?

First up....how the fuck would you know what anyone "here" is thinking? You're not from Ferguson or the surrounding area.

And I'd love to know what the police lied about. What the grand jury found to be the facts lines up almost perfectly with what the initial story released by the Ferguson PD was.

One example is when they arrested a journalist for being in the street when you could watch him get arrested on the sidewalk. Or the police denying they used tear gas when I got tear gassed in August.

What was the most dangerous position you were in?

Ferguson in August, pinned down behind a traffic control box getting shot at. Either that or riding in a car with 'thugs' in Egypt who had two pistols and two AK47s.

what's your favorite brand of beanie?

in the winter Volcom, in the summer Vans.

Compared to other conflicts and issues around the world, how does Ferguson compare in terms of the degree of violence, government reaction (police/military force) and amount of protesters?

In the other countries I've been to protests are more focused on single targets. The police reaction is certainly not the most violent and the protester reaction is certainly not the most violent.

However it feels so much more dangerous in Ferguson. The media is a part of the problem to the police and a lot protesters here and that makes you a part of the conflict much more than an impartial observer.

In the other countries I've been to protests are more focused on single targets.

When you were in Brazil, the protests were all over the place. It was as vague as 'end corruption' and 'more education', and at some point some people were asking for a military intervention (coup). Targeting government, the police, the party in power, mayors... Are you sure your translators and fixers translate and explain things well enough?

What I mean is, The other protests tend to be targeted it directly at the government where here it's more about protesting a system. "The system" is different for everyone it means society, the government, racism, etc.

How does the Ferguson protests compare to protests in other countries?

Every instance is different. Most protests I've covered have been protester vs. government.

Ferguson is more protester vs. the system. They tend to feel that the government isn't the only problem but also racism, or society as a whole.

What information, if any, do you think the MSM is missing when reporting on Ferguson?

I didn't see anyone reporting that protesters were defending the building on w Florrissant. They were unsuccessful but a large group tried to stop the vandalism.

Its the small stories within the larger story that MSM misses. They offer this blanket coverage and you miss the most important moments.

I heard that many of the rioters are from outside of Ferguson, and that the actual residents are more likely to be engaging in non-violent protests. Do you think that's true?

Technically, I think they are from St Louis county though. Ferguson is small so obviously they all can't be from here. Just speculating though, no one can know for sure.

You've covered a lot of conflicts - have there been any times when you were on the ground and actually feared for your life?

Not really.

My dad is a firefighter, he told me a long time ago "We never go in thinking death is a possibility."

I have feared getting kidnapped, detained, and beaten though.

When I was Rio the police brought me and my producer into a back building where no one could see us, no windows, and the door said "restricted access." We had to go under police tape and then duck under a platform to get into it. I thought they were going to beat the shit out of us.

What do you think your role is in the current media landscape? How do you fit in to traditional media models?

I think the future is for the individual. News rooms will have to adapt to having their channels be a collective and not a single channel.

My social channels feed into the larger platform I work for.

Why is nobody talking about perjury for the eye witness that lied? Aren't grand jury witnesses under oath? Thanks for doing AMA this Tim!

Accountability starts in our own backyards. How can we expect accountability if we don't hold our own accountable?

Have you ever been assaulted while reporting?

Yea, but not for a while. I was attacked in NYC during an OWS march a couple of times.

If you could cover one story right now what would it be?

Ukraine if I spoke Russian.

I've been following you for several months now. I was watching your stream when shots flew over your head in the days after the tragedy at Ferguson. What goes through your head in moments where your life is on the line?

Thanks for all your coverage and stay safe!

EDIT: Also, did you ever find out where that guy got the bag full of iphone 5 cables?

When shit gets dangerous my mind goes into survival mode. It feels like time slows down and all unnecessary thoughts fade away. Its really hard to describe, its like I'm playing chess. I'm thinking of every exit path and every threat.

Yesterday when the first gunshots rang out my producer and I hit the deck in less than a second.

I get angry when I see journalists confused because they've never heard a gun fired before.

TIM!

I'm a huge fan. I love the work you've done for citizen journalism and your talks at BBC whats trending last year were a major inspiration for my degree project NewsGather.

I really dig the work you've been doing with tagg.ly. I spoke to Issac Philips last year with the intention of skyping about my project and hearing more but nothing really came of it in the end.

Any updates on tagg.ly? I think thats a really important realm of journalism that deserves more attention.

Fundraising!

It takes a lot of work to put this stuff together but we have some great new technologies on the horizon. Hardest part is getting the loot to build it!

Any advice you can offer to a student that is about to major in Journalism?

I'm a high school dropout.

real world experience > degrees.

Last night it seemed like those fires were planned ahead of time. If they weren't, I can't understand why they were so hard to prevent. Did it feel like there was any "behind the scenes" plans being carried out last night? Or was the chaos on display last night something that normally occurs during protests?

Not really, the firefighters refused to go in because of the gunfire.

One person can start a fire easily but it takes many more police to secure the area and many more firefights to put it out.

Tim! Huge vice follower for the past few years, and I gotta say you're one brave dude. The Instanbul live streams were insane! What do you think was the most shocking thing you saw there? And if you have time, the most shocking thing you've seen in Ferguson?

In Istanbul, the bulldozer blowing up! The most frustrating thing though was when the protesters blew up the mobile cell trucks, I needed that cell signal.

In Ferguson the most shocking thing was when the police fired on a group that was trying to help an injured woman. Ref: https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/537159957519810560

You do realize that Justice was served, and that in no way did the rioters want justice from the beginning?

I don't think it really is about this particular case. The anger we're seeing has to do with the fact that police are rarely held accountable.

Whether or not the grand jury decision was correct people are tired of a lack of accountability across the country.

Do you feel as though the amount of seemingly indiscriminate force shown last night and in August by the police was justified?

Do you feel the police were targeting the media in either instance (the August protests, or last night), or were they just caught in the crossfire?

Do you plan to stream tonight?

I'm a huge fan, Tim! Thanks for doing this AMA.

I can't say it was justified, the police just fired tear gas and rubber bullets at anyone.

Even a crowd carrying an injured woman begging for help. Ref:https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/537159957519810560

Its hard though, there are people who want the fires out and the vandalism stopped and the police have to do something about it. That being said, it was the police that escalated and botched the whole thing. I think everyone should be upset with them right now for one reason or another.

The police weren't targeting media, they just treated them the same as the protesters.

Do you keep an eye on events after you leave? Also, how do you research what happened that lead to protest/conflicts?

Edit: spelling

I definitely keep an eye on events after I leave. Research is fairly simple and straightforward. Social media, encyclopedia, and making personal contacts online.

I've watched several of your live streams and absolutely love your interactions with the folks around you.

Do you generally feel well received by the people around you or do they treat you differently because you are a part of the media?

I try to be someone who just wants to talk and understand whats happening. People right now are way more trusting of raw livestreams than edited news, they are scared that they will get taken out of context.

Cops treat me like a protester and protesters treat me like press!

Tim, few people have been as big of an inspiration these past few months as you have when it comes to being a great journalist. Do you have any advice for new/incoming journalists? Alternatively, what kind of advice do you have for those covering relatively dangerous environments like you have?

Go out and report, use your smatphone and sleep outside if you have to.

For dangerous places, don't make eye contact with people you don't want to engage with. When people are looking for a fight eye contact puts you on their radar.

How has social media in your opinion changed the way we view international conflict like Syria and Isreal? Great reporting, of course, as well. Journalism needs more figures like you on the ground across the globe.

There was this moment when we saw footage from both sides of a fight. A camera on a tank was uploaded, and the people who were fighting it uploaded their footage as well. It is crazy to think how that will change perspectives.

A couple of years ago the Al Qassam brigades got into a small flame war with the IDF on twitter though, that was historic in my opinion.

Thanks for doing this AMA, Tim.

What is the hardest part about covering protests and conflicts?

What equipment do you use?

Getting enough sleep, eating the right food, etc. I wouldn't call any of it hard, but I would say you need a clear head and can not panic in dangerous situations if you want to do this.

My equipment varies.

Most of the time I report via mobile with an external battery. As for HD video and live we use 7D mkII and C100. We use the Livestream broadcaster with LTE wifi.

Hey Tim, huge fan of your work with VICE and Fusion. Thanks so much for going out there and getting news of these conflicts out into the world.

I'm a journalist in college and was hoping for some advice.

How did you get started doing what you do, and what advice would you have for somebody who wants to start covering conflict like you but hasn't really had direct experience in it?

Thanks so much, and stay safe in Ferguson!

I got started because I wanted to witness what I feel are the most important moments of our time.

I started with nothing.

I was a high school drop out working at non profits, but I saved 90% of my money, sleeping on couches and in closets if it meant saving. For two years all I reported with was a a smartphone.

Best advice, go experience. Go hangout with interesting people, save money, and travel.

Do you feel protest can be an effective way to bring about social change, or is it more soft gains: a way for like-minded activists to feel supported by each other and share their anger/zeal?

Peaceful protest takes large numbers to make a change, and even then its hard. I feel like often it is more emotionally satisfying, people preaching to the choir.

Star trek addresses the question of violence pretty well. Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX_0763FOjA

Hi Tim, I've heard conflicting reports that the police did/did not use tear gas to disperse crowds last night.
I watched a couple hours of the coverage and I saw lots of smoke being fired into crowds, but I didn't see anyone showing significant signs of CS (tear gas) exposure - tears streaming from the eyes, excessive mucus discharge from the nose and mouth, profuse coughing or vomiting.
Were the police actually using CS (Tear Gas) or was it HC (White Smoke)? HC is still an irritant but it's a lot different from CS! Do you or anyone else have images of a used canister? Thanks!

People were vomiting all over the place... My colleague was gassed pretty bad in her eyes.

It was definitely CS.

Hi Tim, do you think these protests are strictly about race or police brutality as a whole as well?

I think its both to varying degrees. Many people feel its one or the other though but in the end they all are mad at the police.

I've been wanting to get into frontline journalism for awhile now. My question is how did you get started?

I just went out and did it. I saved money and slept on floors so that I could use money for travel instead of rent.

Hey Tim, In your opinion how do you think this situation will play out, and given both the police and the state governments willingness to take thing to the levels that they have, how do you feel about the steps they (government forces) have taken in order to quell violence on the side of protesters?

Its hard to know when this stops. The more destruction we hear about the more we have opportunists looking for their chance to strike.

I feel the government has botched this from day one, the more they prepare and beg for peace the more people will expect violence and the more people will take the opportunity.

A question not particularly about the violence you're experiencing now.

What is it like to work for Vice and Fusion in these situations. How does higher management push your buttons or your agenda when your in the situations you are in. How do you think the producers and People who receive and deliver your footage/report perceive the danger you're in and the dangers of your work environment?

Also, how I you feel about the recent court decision?

Cops never get indicted. It is a problem. They weren't determining guilt, but whether or not a crime was committed. Ref: http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/ferguson-michael-brown-indictment-darren-wilson/

In any circumstance my team and I are fairly independent and have great support from management. I do new and weird things to most traditional journalists what with using mobile and drones, etc. I get afforded a lot of freedom to do my work!

As for danger I think we have good people with experience who get what it's like for us on the ground. Typically they tend to be more scared for me than I am.

From the video released from the media it appears the violence is coming from the police and not the demonstrators. I have a feeling the scene on the ground is not so black and white?

Protesters are attacking property, police are attacking protesters to stop the property destruction.

When we watch videos we think of attacks on people as worse than property, but to the protesters the attack on the property is in response to the attack on Mike Brown.

Maybe that was too confusing.

Having been to Venezuela during the protests earlier this year, do you think Nicolas Maduro is on to something when he talks about right-wing groups, such as the Colombians and Americans, trying to sabotage his administration and get him out of power?

I think based on history that seems more probable than chance, but I can't say with any really certainty or expertise. EDIT: better terminology.

What's the role of the new-style journalism that you do in finding solutions to conflicts like those happening in Ferguson?

It distributes the load of information across many different voices. Having more variety will allow us to better understand why and how these things happen. #Datalove

Is it embarrassing how people are acting in our home country compared to what you have seen in the past with other Countries controversies?

I think the apathy and ignorance is more embarrassing.

You do know the difference between rubber bullets and ear plugs, right?

Most assuredly.

A woman yelled that she found the rubber bullet a few nights ago, but it looked like she was holding some ripped piece of a rubber stopper.

Most journalists here seem to have never heard a gun go off.

As a Canadian I really hope you weren't here for the 'G20'. I don't want you to think that's 'how we roll'. It turned out most/all of the most 'unco-operative' protesters were imports (at least that's what we tell ourselves). I wouldn't want you to think of us as being represented by that madness..

Someone on Reddit, as a joke, posted a story about how our (N.American) troubles would be reported by the American press if they were taking place elsewhere in the world. It was spot on and a great read.

My question.

Do you have to report in different ways depending where you are? Are there times when you just gather as much information as possible and then 'get the hell outta dodge' to edit and polish somewhere else.

I'm really glad people like you exist, but the romance seems to be gone from your trade. Keep your head down..

Yea sometimes social media compromises our safety. Rarely though do I gather info and report later.

How scary has it actually been down there in Ferguson? And thank you for the AMA. This topic intrigues me.

I think its scarier on TV.

It just goes up and down in terms of how scary it is, but the media just replays the same scary footage.

Is there anything specific you look for when determining what to cover?

I ask "will this change the world?"

Hey Timbo! Are there any private security forces in play? What have they been up to?

The media has hired tons of security! There have also been reports of Private military in the area but I haven't seen anything too overt.

Roughly how many buildings did you think/see get burned down? It seemed like all of Ferguson was burning down last night.

Last I heard it was 12. We saw a guy leaving the car dealership yell

"where da gas at?!"

What do you think would be the best course of action for the police to take, and for the governing officials (mayor, governor, etc), to help ease the tension while still protecting the public?

In Ferguson, Indict Wilson. ref: http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/ferguson-michael-brown-indictment-darren-wilson/

When people protest police brutality or lack of accountability, sending out more police to arrest people only makes things worse.

Hey Tim,

In terms of personal safety, how does this rank with other conflicts you've covered?

more dangerous.

It is much harder to predict where the danger is here, gunshots ring out from unknown locations.

Do you see the technology you've been employing for reporting from conflict zones -- camera-equipped drones, Google Glass, etc.-- as transferable to other areas of journalism? What can, say, the city beat reporter (or this arts journalist) learn from a guy like you?

The influencer has never been more important. More and more people are just following individuals they trust. Be that influencer, cover arts on your personal channels and have that feed into your larger work with the greater outlet.

How safe do you feel down there? With all the random gun fire I'd be terrified of stray bullets.

wearing Level IIIa armor!

As a former print journalist, I appreciate how you try be unbiased and cited your sources (at least when I have viewed). Do you have help gathering your facts or are they just what you have witnessed and/or gathered from social media?

I do have help gathering facts. Most of what I report is what I witness but I have a great team helping verify info that I can't see myself.

How is it today? Do you think there will be more violence tonight?

Its impossible to predict. But I will be here covering whatever happens!

How did you get into journalism, and working for Vice?

The news is saying that the violence this time round has been much worse, than in August. Do you think that's accurate, from what you've seen?

Where in the world do you most want to go to next?

I want to go to Antarctica!

I hasn't necessarily been more violent but its been more destructive for sure. So many buildings burned.

I got started by just going out and doing it. Saving money and reporting via my android.

What gear do you use for your live streams, especially the batteries? Keep fighting the good fight Tim!

Any mid tier or better mobile will do. I use iPhone 6 with the Energizer XPAL 18000 external battery. I have a Pacsafe slingbag and otterbox defender case/clip to keep things in place.

Do you believe the police are handling the situation well? What do you think they could have done differently?

The police have botched this from day one.

When you have angry people in the streets, beating and arresting them will only result in more angry people in the streets.

Complete over reaction which caused a massive escalation. It feels like a chinese finger trap, the harder they pull the worse it gets. I really don't know what they could do to stop the violence but they could start by not participating in it.

Do you think these people actually want justice or just want to see someone go to jail?

I think they want justice. Having someone go to jail is just the closest thing they can see to getting it.

How cool do you think you are?? Do you have a problem with all your haters?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alh6iIvVN9o