War, propaganda, and the media

[bossydacow]

http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Media/Military.asp

if you haven't been to this site, I suggest you go to it, regardless of which "side" you're on. It's very interesting.

[yeat182]

a BBC reported embedded with the british marines, wrote a letter of condemnation to the executives at his network, proclaiming that the BBC is provided warped/biased coverage and that the stories they are reporting are not accurate to what is really happening on the ground. he says the network is anti-coalition, and isn't conveying the facts that he is reporting from the field. its pretty bad to call our your own network and acuse them of being biased.

[bossydacow]

This is sort of freaky. We all think we know that Saddam is this psychopath (i honestly think so), but what if its all propaganda? This is from that website. Think of how it applies to our current situation. It really is true: how can we tell?:

Award-winning investigative journalist, Phillip Knightley, in an article for the British paper, The Guardian also points out four stages in preparing a nation for war, as summarized and paraphrased from the article here:

1. The crisis; (The reporting of a crisis which negotiations appear unable to resolve. Politicians, while calling for diplomacy, warn of military retaliation. The media reports this as "We're on the brink of war", or "War is inevitable", etc.)
2. The demonisation of the enemy's leader; (Comparing the leader with Hitler is a good start because of the instant images that Hitler's name provokes.)
3. The demonisation of the enemy as individuals; (For example, to suggest the enemy is insane.)
4. Atrocities. (Even making up stories to whip up and strengthen emotional reactions.)

Knightley also points to the dilemma that while some stories are known to have been fabrications and outright lies, others may be true, but the "trouble is, how can we tell? The media demands that we trust it but too often that trust has been betrayed."

[Justin_stacy]

The site its self says to watch out for half truths, but yet does it itself, so i wouldn't buy into to much of what this site says, it to is propaganda.

[evil zach]

During war time all media is propaganda