News Focus - Is the balance right?

[DaBeeeenster]

I'm getting somewhat concerned with the memory hole that Iraq is becoming. First let me stress that I dont mean to in any way undermine what happened in London on the 7th. I ought not to; I almost got caught up in it. But I find that the balance of reporting in the press is, frankly, totally out of hand.

For example. Who knew that this happened in Iraq on Saturday?

Many killed in Iraq suicide bomb
At least 58 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the town of Musayyib, some 60 km (40 miles) south of Baghdad.

Police told the BBC the bomber blew himself up near a mosque. The blast caused a nearby fuel tanker to explode.

At least another 80 people are said to have been injured.

Again, who knew about this on the 13th of July:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/4678207.stm
At least 26 Iraqis, almost all of them children, have been killed by a suicide car bombing in south-eastern Baghdad.

A US soldier is also said to have died in the blast. Another three US soldiers are reported to have been injured.

A car drove up to a US army vehicle and blew up as troops gave sweets to the children, a witness said.

Now I agree that if you had been paying attention to the papers or the TV news you would be well aware of these stories, but surely the fact that this is a situation of our own making infers a little more than page 5 news coverage (or item 4 on the TV news at best).

Does anyone know how many innocent people died in Iraq last week? 170. . How many innocent people have died in Iraq since the invasion began? At least 22850. 22 thousand. That's more than 7 times the number of people that died on 9/11.

It seems that we are actually bored of hearing about it. That is the only conclusion I have come to. What are your thoughts?

[Stoo]

Pretty much, although it's probably a case of "well, it's not in my back yard" type mentality, or "well yes, it's still a war-zone, you expect people to die", still not good either way..

But at least Iraq is still covered on our news, if you believed the tosh the american networks were pumping out, Iraq was "won" months ago..

[Rave]

Well, I knew about those bombs in Iraq, and yes I think those deaths matter just as much as the people who died over here. I went and stood outside for the two minute silence on Thursday but my heart wasn't in it really.

[iranu]

I was aware of those bombings. Unfortunately out of sight out of mind is too true.

The sad thing is that these fundamentalists think they are killing the infidel by blowing up children. The car bomber would have seen all the children accepting sweets yet decided to continue anyway.

I supported the war in Iraq (though not for the reasons given) providing that somebody had an indepth, well thought out, step by step plan for the aftermath. Seems nobody bothered. Rumsfeld and his couple 'o tanks will do the job philosophy has ballsed up big time. The Yanks love the combat part but don't seem to understand the peace bit.

Jeez, the British used Japanese troops to keep order in the far east after WW2 much to the annoyance of locals. Occupied Germany had Wermacht soldiers under US and British command. Rummy didn't learn. As far as I'm aware there is international law that says an occupier has responsibility to protect the occupied. This isn't happening.

Lawsuit required?

[DaBeeeenster]

Lawsuit required?

I think we're way passed that stage...

[oralpain]

HAHAHA! The Semi-united Empire of America doesn't give a damn about international law! Well, not unless it's to their (our? my? wait no..) advantage.

Really, untill my country is badly defeated, on it's howm ground, by a visible enemy (fat chance of that happening in the foreseable future), it will continue to KNOW that it is the greatest thing since sex. It will continue to KNOW it is always right, even when proven wrong. If the USA declares that the sun will not rise tomarrow, but it does anyway, it will be OBVIOUS that the sun did not rise, becasue the USA said it wouldn't and the perceived event of the sun rising will be explained away as a nuclear weapons test in North Korea. Then we would go to war.

America as a whole has more faith in it's greatness and general infailability than the pope has faith in the existance of his god. The real dinger is, no individual nation, nor tightly knit group of nations has the power to credibly suggest otherwise, at least not to who really matters, in this case.

[jamadaia]

I agree, and its one of those things that a lot of people dont see in clear terms.
Its as if there is a prejudice of sorts on the value of life.
A hundred people die in a not so important country and its mentioned breifly somewhere. However a handfull of US or other major western country people die and its a major international catastrophy. Which we hear about again and again.
Imho we all need to re-address this balance in our hearts, at the very least, and strive for the real truth. Which is all life is equally valuable, with the only kind of distinguishing factor if any being the life of young/innocents/oppressed more valued.

Ever since all this fundmentalist and terrorist stuff has been swarming our media, iv come to realise just how misleading the media is for the general populace. If anything its become a tool that those in power (and indeed rich and famous) use to try and sell us there ideas and in general further themselves. Its not much more than a form of brainwashing/mind control.
And then afcourse the big wigs who in charge of the various media giants have there own political views and agendas and will thus also try and influence what we see and what we dont see, or as is often the case make us perceive things in a misleading way.
I for one have come to really dislike most of the media, as if anything I find it insulting the way the feed us selective and almost bias information. As if we are so stupid that we cant see whats going on.
The media is as bad as the politicians, and probably more dangerous as they are not under a scrutinous eye etc. Yet thee views and suggestions influence the mass and can have serious knock on effects for us all, in our daily lives.

What do you guys think about the media?

[Taz]

The majority of the Western media is controlled by right-wingers (eg. Murdoch), so you'll only hear right-wing viewpoints. The strategy is always the same: demonise those you want to destroy so that the great unthinking majority will eventually believe you. Then when you commit genocide against those you have demonised, the public will accept what you have done as something good.

The funniest thing I have ever heard is the slogan "fair and balanced" by Fox News presenters. I honestly don't know how they can keep a straight face when they utter such BS.

[oralpain]

The funniest thing I have ever heard is the slogan "fair and balanced" by Fox News presenters. I honestly don't know how they can keep a straight face when they utter such BS.

Never underestimate the human capacity for self-delusion.

[Thomas_C]

[QUOTE=PrivatePylealso the Americans are all wearing sun glasses, [/QUOTE]

They're mostly special glasses designed to protect the eyes from small pieces of shrapnel etc. Apparently they work very effectivly which is why the Americans wear them. Can't remember where I heard that but that was the justification for it. Mind you, they could have just made them with clear lenses.

[YorkieBen]

The majority of the Western media is controlled by right-wingers (eg. Murdoch), so you'll only hear right-wing viewpoints.

you obviously dont watch the BBC then?

The American way of doing things doesnt help either, there philosphy is force protection, yes its ok to protect your troops but they put that cost before civilian life, they would rather destroy a city such as Fallujah regardless of civilians, they must be ignorant to the fact doing so creates even more anti west anger.

A commanding officers should always protect his men. And if they 'destroyed Fallujah regardless of civilians' why did they order civilians out first? Remember 50-60 years ago that town would have been shelled to s**t. Which is what most armies in the world would have done.

And the reason they wear sunglasses might be because Iraq is kinda hot and sunny this time of year I believe

[Zyte]

The same could be said about the New Orleans. I mean its been barely a week since it happened and yet because of the non-stop media coverage i have become desensitised (spelling?) to it all. The people stuck on roofs, a city underwater, sick people, dead people floating in the water. This should shock you, it should urge you to want to help out. The problem is ive seen it so many times now its got to the point where seeing a picture of a corpse in the water no longer shocks me. Is this because im a sick individual? I doubt it as i am perfectly aware of others who feel the same way.

I dont believe its our way of thinking that is the problem, i believe over exposure is. We wouldnt become "bored" of these events if we didnt have it shoved down our throat almost every waking moment.

Its not only how often we see it, its also how its presented. They show a picture of a dead person and you start asking questions. Who is he? Did he have a family? Where is his family? Did he suffer a lot? What did he do? These questions are what make us who we are, but before you have a chance to think through those questions you hear over the top of the picture, X number of people are expected to have died during this hurricane / war etc. That single statement has changed that person which you originally held an interest in , into a statistic and i believe that to be wrong. The person you have just seen has now been overwritten by a number. Numbers dont affect people in the same way images do and i believe this is why people can be mistaken as uncaring and ignorant.

[RVF500]

What do you guys think about the media?

I worked in the US just proir to and also immediately after 9/11. The first thing I noticed about the TV networks is the fact that they are little more than 24 hour propaganda outlets. Basically repeating the same 'we are the greatest' mantra. As you say, outlets for political agendas. Plus thay are saying things people like to hear.

During the run up to the conflict with the Taliban in Afghanistan a US army General was being interviewed (I think on CNN, can't really remember). Was asked when contact with Taliban forces could be expected. He replied 'Actually the SAS have been in contact for about 10 days now' as the anchor didn't hear Delta, Rangers or US marines she made absolutely no comment, ignored the statement and moved on.

It's always US and coalition forces. I can't recall another nations actually being named. If so I missed it. Did the Black Watch soldiers who died going to the US sector get a mention?

The girl who went missing in the Antilles got huge coverage yet these things happen daily on the US mainland and don't merit a mention outside local news.

As soon as Katrina had blown over the networks were immediately looking for people to blame. In response to the rather tactless questions being posed to her by one journalist the govoner of Louisiana said 'I'm not going to play the blame game right now'. Which shut the reporter up but the anchor picked up again as soon as the shot went back to the studio. Not sure who saw what on TV as I get the Asian version of CNN here. Sadly I don't have another English language news channel to tune to. As my Mandarin stops shart after basic greetings and my Malay is non-existent I'm stuck with it. At least I can get Englich language newpapers.

This sounds like a swipe at America, actually it's not. As it happens I am actively trying to get a visa to work so that I can move over there full time. There are many things about the US I do like from my time working there before. It's a swipe at the media. There is very much a situation of 'it's not what you say it's what you don't say' and often parts of stories are left out to give a different spin. Happily I don't watch a lot of TV and can always turn it off if it gets too nauseous

[[GSV]Trig]

I dont really watch anything other than the local news as its all biased crap anyways....

[TheAnimus]

war coverage is always going to be murky with good reason.

You've got the people who are desperately pro, they will lie blatently to make people belive them. The are often self serving, but generally looking at bigger, grander forms of self serving. Ocasionally helping others comes into it.

You've got the anti-war lot. Who are horified by death, murder, rape, disfigerment. All the useual things you expect in war. How many of you bother to look at how many people died in iraq this time 3 years ago? Remeber how we so heroically decided that it would be to expensive to help the rebelian we helped?

I found a very intresting read in the torygraph a few years back (before the iraq conflict had started) which found higher IQ, higher chance of been pro war, except once you goto a certain level.

A lot of anti-war people dont look far enough ahead. They say 100 deaths, oh dear, how terrible, the 105 that would of happened without those 100? notions based on rational don't enter their heads. This is human nature. The media serves this, it gives us what we want to hear. Most of you in cities right now, think about this, within a 5 minuite walk, odds are theres a (maybe) photogenic 7 year old who's been buggered sensless, and physcologically abused in a way she won't ever recover from. Its not as nice to think about that, as a few people been blown up miles away who you never knew. Espesually when thinking about them relieves guilt, because you care.

A lot of people won't understand what i'm trying to say, sorry, my communication skills are somewhat lacking. but to sum it up, to think further ahead is hard. TV news goes for the lowest common denomitator, with who's paying for it / their own agenda (see peers morgan). Its just human nature.

[RVF500]

My biggest gripe about the anti brigade is that while they are very happy to denigrate any solution that includes conflict loud and long. Fair enough, it's highly destructive. They rarely if ever propose a workable (if indeed any) solution themselves. In my view if you are attempting to prevent an act to attempt to remove a violent and genocidal regime. Lets not forget such laboratory tests as gassing thousands of Kurds to check the chemical weapons worked. Without doing something to affect that removal by means more palatable. Then you are tacitly supporting that regime.