Friday, March 11, 2005

Media driven

A neat, non-partisan article in the Columbia Journalism Review provides an overview of the recent history of the media in Iraq:

The Qatar-based satellite channel had the only foreign reporters inside Iraq when U.S. forces launched a four-day assault, known as Operation Desert Fox, in 1998. In October 2001 its cameras — the only ones inside Taliban-controlled Afghanistan — captured exclusive footage of the American-led bombardment. When bombs started hitting Baghdad in March 2003, all the American networks, and many European crews, had abandoned the city. Al Jazeera stayed for a close-up view.

...

Insurgent attacks and fire from U.S. troops have made Iraq a particularly deadly conflict for Arabs to cover. Eighteen of the twenty-three journalists killed in Iraq last year — and all of the sixteen slain media-support workers — were Arabs or Kurds.

Outfits such as the Nazis understood the significance and power of propaganda. Most of us 'little-folk' have some sort of appreciation of it. Subsequently, regardless of political leaning, many folk believe most media outlets are involved in its propagation and approach the morning papers with a touch of cynicism. I like to think 'most folks'. Right or wrong, helps me sleep at night.

In principle, this appreciation is a good thing.

Though I have trouble reconciling this with the beliefs some folks have, such as, Fox is trustworthy, 'fair and balanced' and anything other than speculative opinion with an obvious bias toward pushing the conservative agenda. But, hey, that's the price of freedom, you gotta listen to fearmongering d*ckheads, freedom isn't free.

Other mediums certainly don't escape the perception that they are purveyors of propaganda and for good reason. The cinemas and the internets are flagrant. The former usually being a little more subtle in comparison to the toneless text of the latter. Give the nets as much time as the talkies, it'll 'improve'.

All up, the more media, the merrier.

But, as with Fox devotees, it depends on which way you slice your political pie as to whether you believe the cinema (or print media, tv, internets) industry to be a bunch of pinko-liberals (e.g. Vera Drake) or, conservative warmongers (e.g. Pearl Harbour).

Its all good and all bad (Gee, I'm really limning the issue aren't I?).

I see no reason to shut them down for reporting facts, presenting opinion with caveats and generally doing what they are supposed to do.

Our job is to decide, based on as much information as possible. It all becomes that much more critical during conflict and inside a war-zone. Folks are dying, having limbs ripped off and lives changed permanently.

It seems to be the powerful, power-hungry or those attempting to seize power who want to control and/or limit the various mediums.

F*ck 'em.