Michael Buerk, the veteran journalist whose harrowing reports brought the Ethiopian famine to global attention in 1984, has revealed his initial fury at the Live Aid concerts that followed. The BBC broadcaster said his first reaction to the charity event "was real anger" at what he saw as superficial celebrity involvement.
The legendary concerts, organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, took place simultaneously at Wembley Stadium and John F Kennedy Stadium in the United States on 13 July 1985. The events are now celebrating their 40th anniversary, having raised millions of pounds for famine relief.
Buerk's protective instincts
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, the 79-year-old former BBC Ten O'Clock News presenter explained his protective feelings towards the Ethiopian people he had reported on. "My first reaction was real anger that I thought superficial, grandstanding pop singers were riding on the back of these people who I felt very protective of," Buerk said.
He revealed he deliberately avoided watching the concerts, instead finding himself in a black township east of Johannesburg being tear gassed on the day of Live Aid. South Africa was among the very few countries that did not broadcast the event.
Unprecedented scale of suffering
Buerk described the unprecedented nature of what he witnessed in Ethiopia, distinguishing it from other humanitarian crises he had covered. "I'd never seen anything like this, there was a lot of drought and a lot of hunger in South Africa in the 1980s but what we hadn't seen was famine, death at that kind of scale before," he said.
The veteran broadcaster recalled his concerns about conveying the full horror of the situation to television audiences. "I was very concerned when I got back to Nairobi about how to tell the story because I was there I was not just seeing it and hearing it but smelling it," he explained.
Changed perspective on Geldof
Despite his initial anger, Buerk's view of Live Aid has evolved over the decades. When asked about his current feelings towards the event, he praised Geldof's extraordinary qualities. "I think it was extraordinary really, I think Geldof, the personality, the intelligence, the focus the foul-mouthedness; just an extraordinary person. It was a moment in time, wasn't it?" he said.
The concerts have faced criticism over the years for their portrayal of Africa, with some arguing they perpetuated harmful stereotypes. Geldof has previously rejected suggestions that he acted as a "white saviour" through his charity work.
Greatest Hits Radio is recreating the entire 1985 Live Aid broadcast in a special 10-hour programme hosted by Simon Mayo, featuring all the original live performances from artists including David Bowie, The Who and Sir Paul McCartney. Listen to Live Aid Relived from midday Sunday on Greatest Hits Radio.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
