A Journalism Reunion

By CHARLES McKENZIE and DOUG WHITE
Special to Poynter.org

As younger journalists they pursued scoops, shelter and safety while covering wars across the globe.

But this weekend, Palm Beach County was a world away from Nicaragua, Kosovo and Iraq. Instead of dodging bullets, the veterans found themselves sidestepping miniature donkeys and stroller-pushing protesters. As the lunacy unfolded outside the Palm Beach County Courthouse some old friends were reunited.

For journalists like Jorge Bouza and Tony Long, major international news stories are like traveling high school reunions. "I see a lot of familiar faces," says Bouza, a veteran sound technician. "I saw guys from the New York Post I haven't seen since Elian. I saw a guy from L.A. that I haven't seen since the O.J. trial."

Past reunions have been held in Miami and Los Angeles. While the locations change, the camaraderie of these former war correspondents remains the same.

"Those guys are like brothers to me," Long says. While members of the press usually work well together, he says he feels closest to those with whom he documented battle. Because they were gone for months at a time and went weeks without phone service, the combat journalists have high divorce rates, Long said. "Sometimes, the other guys were the only ones who understood."

When news events dictate another reunion, the usually solitary journalists look forward to reminiscing and drinking a pint or two. "The press works hard, but we play hard," Bouza says.

When the day's work is done, they swap old war stories and remember great tales, close calls and fallen friends.