Iraq 2005 – Chiron Adding Value
In January 2005 Chiron Field Consultants, Chris Cobb-Smith and Mick Fox, deployed with a CBC crew (Heather Abbott, Don Murray and Richard Devey. ) to cover the first free elections in Iraq which took place on Sunday 30th January 2005.
After a successful day filming the team had returned to the Palestine Hotel, but later meeting at dinner that night the crew looked glum. The Producer explained that they had been told not to leave the hotel the next day to cover the election. As all vehicles had been banned from the roads of Baghdad for the election period the international news organisations had deemed it too dangerous for TV crews to leave their hotels to report. However in the very early hours the Chiron consultants left the hotel to get a feel for the situation and to locate the nearest polling station to the hotel.
At breakfast, Chris asked the CBC crew if they would like to walk to the local polling station. He fully explained the risks involved and after a very short debate the crew decided that they were all happy to cover the story. A careful inspection was conducted, to ensure everyone could move quickly, along with a thorough briefing to ensure everyone understood how to react in every potential situation. The crew then walked quickly to the polling station; immediately both Field Consultants sensed that there was little threat and the atmosphere was calm. CBC filmed for as long as they felt it continued to be safe and on the return journey they conducted short interviews with voters and security forces.
CBC was probably the only international news organisation to gain any footage of the first Free Iraqi Election as it happened.