War And Media

18 Pages 4520 Words

nizations such as FAIR, I intend to examine the amount of bias and lack of precise information presented to the general population of our nation.
On September 28, upwards of 400,000 demonstrators took to the streets of London to protest the approaching Iraq phase of the apparently unending War on Terror. Unfortunately, this gathering, which was one of the largest public demonstrations of the past decade, received almost no press coverage in the United States. It wasn't until the mainstream press was contacted by large numbers of outraged media activists that a reasonable amount of attention was paid to the massive anti-war rally.
American television tends to go heavy on the symbols of patriotism. American flags flutter as part of on-screen logos or backdrops, while emotional collages of war photos are used liberally at transitions between live reporting and advertising breaks. American journalism tends to reflect the pro-war sentiments of the government and many in society. You see, hear, and read it in the tone of most anchors and hosts and in pictures in newspapers and magazines; the endless showcasing of America's weapons technology; the preponderance of ex-military men and women guests; the choice to rarely show Iraqi civilian casualties, but highlight U.S. troops' humanitarian assistance to Iraqis; and reporters'‚ and hosts'‚ use of value-laden and simplistic expressions like "the good guys" to refer to American troops.
The most unfortunate and professionally disgraceful aspect of U.S. television and journalistic coverage has been the widespread double assumption that Iraqis would offer no resistance and would welcome the American army with open arms. Some Iraqis will surely do so, but most people in this region now see the Americans as an invading force that will become an occupying force. Arabic newspapers such as Al-Watan, reported that many Iraqi civilians, while generally disliking their vicious and violent Iraqi r...