The Iraq War – How it has been Reported in the Media?

[iMc]

Doing an assignment, just wondering peoples views on the above topic. Just interested in what you people think of what we have been shown/not shown of the War and its aftermath.

Any comments would be useful...

[RVF500]

The press will always sensationalise no matter what. They will overlay their own political template and filter their stories to suit their own bias. Anyone who watched and compared CNN (Corrupt News Network) reports with others would see that easily. Not only with the Iraqi conflict and the run up to it in Afghanistan. The BBC hasn't got too good a record in accurate reporting either.

There is no mileage in reporting things going well. Mainly because viewers/readers want to see/read horror stories. There are those that positively delight in them. Hence we are fed a diet of death and violence. It would be interesting to see what the real pecentage of the Iraqi population are actually actively opposed to the current situation for example. I don't believe the press will ever give a true and unbiased picture.

As we have also seen. When spin alone won't do it, just lie blatently. Step forward the Daily Mirror.

[Blub2k]

If the government tells lies it's spin and all in the cause, when the press who are free to print what their readership pays for who do not have an implied duty to the people to tell them the truth do it it is lies, hmm what is true. All that the coverage of the war proved is that the truth is the first casualty of war yet again.

[Stewart]

Well, as per, the Sun has been giving it 'Our Brave Boys' etc, and the Mirror has been giving it 'British Scum Murder Fluffy Iraqi Freedom Fighters'.

Regardless of my own right-wing bias though (I'd remove my lungs with a fish-slice and sell them on eBay before I'd read the Mirror, Guardian, or any other snide, anti-British left-wing, Liberal paper) I do think the pro-War papers have come out of it looking better than the anti-War papers.

The Mirror cock-up was not matched, cock-up wise, by anything the pro-War papers did or any story they ran. At the end of the day, both sides pushed their stance as blindly and completely as you'd expect, but the Mirror stood out for sheer stupidity and general getting-it-wrongness.

Running a story that *will* cost British lives in Iraq without being 100% sure the pictures are real, just to further the papers anti-War stance is disgusting, and Piers Morgan was rightly sacked.

I disagree with RVF500 when he says that there is 'no milage in reporting things going well', as the Sun and other pro-War paper's do this daily; its their whole approach to the situation, wrapped up into a single ideal.

So, from a tabloid point of view; all did as to be expected, the Mirror managed to disgrace itself, and is a classic example of a pig-headed, single minded stance on an issue, taken too far.

[IBM]

For the best, most evenly balanced news reporting, please turn to the Fox news channel...oh, it's sooo funny, if it weren't so scary...

[RVF500]

Just to clarify my point. I believe that the media see no mileage in it from a perspective of selling papers. Such a thread is rarely run as a front page or full length story. More normally as a footnote or reponse to an article in a rival publication. But I'm sure we can agree to disagree on that point.

The exuse given for murdering Nick Berg was the publication of the fake pictures by the mirror. So there is one 'confirmed' kill for the Mirror. I wonder if they will print a small flag on the top of the front page to denote this? Shouldn't be long before the page would look like the cockpit of a WWII fighter ace.

As for cock-ups. Well at least the BBC didn't broadcast the details of any assaults before they happened this time. Unlike they did in the Falklands.

Has the Mirror changed it's projection of news since the demise of the not very lamented Piers Morgan? Like Vaul I'd rather undergo surgery without aneasthetic than read that particular rag. Just curious to see how they have responded.

[Blub2k]

Anti-war = Anti British?
Is this what you think honestly?
How can they report honestly in the UK if you think that?

[turkster]

Anti-war = Anti British?
Is this what you think honestly?
How can they report honestly in the UK if you think that?

Ah but that is the whole problem behind any media report. It is never objective. Media will always reflect the feelings of the person or persons responsible for producing it. Wether pro war or not the British media is always going to take a British spin on things.

The fate of 'enemies' in any war is not going to be as important to the media or the public as the fate of the 'allies'. Death of American or British soldiers takes precedemce in the news over the death of Iraqis but this is hardly surprising. Saying that I think the British media have been relatively objective about reporting the other side of the war in comparison to American media. Watching some bits of Amercian news channels is an eye opening experience. In comparison to Sky news or BBC they seem positively fascist .

[scottyman]

You should take a look at Thomas C Green's opinion piece on the Reg today...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05...curity_fiasco/
very interesting roundup.

IMHO the news media has been led around by the nose by all parties concerned in the initial stages... then developed a conscience as the tide was shown to have turned against the war effort.
I could imagine the discussions in the news editor's office went something like this...
(Setting: run up to war): NEWS EDITOR: Latest news from the Pentagon - they've found mustard gas shells from Iran/Iraq war outside Basra - do they still count as WMD's?
FEATURES EDITOR: Sure they do, in fact we've still got some AP file footage - if we dirty it up, and cut it with some shots of US troop build up, we can make is seem like they're launching attacks right now! I wonder if I get a bonus for this?
LEGAL: Guys, are you sure you want to do this - puts us on shakey ground here?
NEWS ED: **** OFF! You're sacked you whingeing pom! Intern - bring me a new lawyer!
(Scene: Start of war): NEWS ED: Everyone hates us = why isn't anyone watching our multi-million dollar coverage?
NEW LAWYER: They hate us, but they hate the war more!
...
and so on...
I should really be studying!
Laters.

[phil1965]