|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
BTL:"Embedded" U.S. Journalists And Their Media Outlets Provide A... |
Current rating: 0 |
by Between the Lines' Scott Harris
Email: betweenthelines (nospam) snet.net (verified)
Address: BETWEEN THE LINES c/o WPKN Radio 89.5 FM Bridgeport, Connecticut |
05 Apr 2003
|
|
...Distorted View of Iraq War. Interview with John MacArthur, publisher of Harper's magazine, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris |
"Embedded" U.S. Journalists and Their Media Outlets Provide a Distorted View of Iraq War
Interview with John MacArthur, publisher of Harper's magazine, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris
In the months leading up to the U.S. war in Iraq, America's corporate media outlets provided intensive coverage of President Bush's failed campaign to win international support for invasion, but with what many critics characterize as a lack of scrutiny of the administration's justification and motivation. While U.S. allies around the world rejected White House evidence of Iraqi covert weapons programs as exaggerated or bogus, America's press corp. dutifully reported government pronouncements, asking very few tough questions.
Since the war was launched, branded "Operation Iraqi Freedom" by the Pentagon, corporate television networks have featured unprecedented live reports from the front lines using the latest video satellite technology. Unlike the first Persian Gulf War 12 years ago, the Pentagon has allowed reporters to accompany U.S. troops in the field of battle by "embedding" them with specific combat units while subjecting their dispatches to military censorship. But as American soldiers encountered stiffer resistance than expected and U.S. bombs and troops killed and injured a growing number of Iraqi civilians, much of the press continued to cheerlead for the Pentagon and minimize critical reporting.
John MacArthur reviewed the U.S. media's conduct during the 1991 war with Iraq in his book titled, "Second Front, Censorship and Propaganda in the Gulf War." which described how the White House easily manipulated public opinion through the use of propaganda and with the eager collaboration of a compliant press corps. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with MacArthur, publisher of Harper's Magazine, who assesses the performance of U.S. corporate media in covering America's ongoing war in Iraq.
John MacArthur's book, "Second Front, Censorship and Propaganda in the Gulf War," is published by University of California Press. Visit Harper's magazine Web site at www.harpers.org
Related link:
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, www.fair.org
LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:
http://66.175.55.251/btl041103.html
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe (at) lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe (at) lists.riseup.net
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
betweenthelines (at) snet.net
*
©2003 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.
** |
|
Re: BTL: |
by Jack Ryan
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: -1
06 Apr 2003
|
Scott,
During the last Gulf War, the news media complaints were that they had to travel in pools of reporters who were strictly controlled by the military. This time, they have traveled, eaten, fought, and slept, with the our fighting men and women.
They have reported casualties, friendly fire, civil unrest and our stunning march to encircle Baghdad. You seem to think you are not getting the whole story. What you are'nt getting is the story you had hoped for. That is high US casualties mired in the desert sand. What you have seen is the mighty US military liberating the Iraqi people and you are sad. Why???
Jack |
