Reporters on the Job

• Who's Playing Me? While correspondent Joshua Mitnick was interviewing a spokesman about a mock terrorist attack in Israel Wednesday, in the background there were actors performing as reporters.

"It was somewhat surreal to see yourself being played by actors," Josh says.

He was covering a civil-defense response to a chemical attack on an elementary school in a Tel Aviv suburb (see story). Actors played the wounded children and civilians, as well as foreign correspondents.

"Their job was to do what journalists often do: move in a scrumlike pack up to the police line and to protest over not being able to get closer. Each actor had a sheet of paper on his chest identifying him or her as CNN, BBC, or France 24," says Josh.

He didn't see anyone wearing a Christian Science Monitor sign. "In fact, I didn't see any print organizations represented," he says.

But there was a director, giving the actors cues in Hebrew, such as, "OK, now demand that 'It's the right of the public to know what's happening.' "