Media coverage of the Iraq War: Difference between revisions
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A large statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad's Freedom Square, directly in front of the hotel where the worlds journalists had been quartered, was toppled by Iraqi Citizens (eventually requesting help from a US tank puller) surrounded by dozens of other celebrating Iraqis. The destruction of the statue was shown live on cable news networks and made the front pages of newspapers and covers of magazines all over the world - symbolizing the fall of the Hussein government. The images of the statue falling came as a shock to many Arab viewers who had been led to believe that Iraq was winning the war. Iraqi citizens then decapitated the head of the statue and dragged it through the streets of the city hitting it with thier shoes. |
A large statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad's Freedom Square, directly in front of the hotel where the worlds journalists had been quartered, was toppled by Iraqi Citizens (eventually requesting help from a US tank puller) surrounded by dozens of other celebrating Iraqis. The destruction of the statue was shown live on cable news networks and made the front pages of newspapers and covers of magazines all over the world - symbolizing the fall of the Hussein government. The images of the statue falling came as a shock to many Arab viewers who had been led to believe that Iraq was winning the war. Iraqi citizens then decapitated the head of the statue and dragged it through the streets of the city hitting it with thier shoes. |
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Non-U.S. coverage differed strongly in tone and content |
Non-U.S. coverage differed strongly in tone and content. |
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[[Al-Jazeera]] |
Arab media, [[Al-Jazeera]] in particular, broadcast many scenes of civilian casualties, press conferences with Iraqi officials claiming to be winning the war, and of American and British P.O.W.s which U.S. media refused to run. Most Arab networks also downplayed the scenes of Iraqi citizens cheering coalition forces entering their towns. |
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=== External links and references === |
=== External links and references === |
Revision as of 06:26, 19 April 2003
Media coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq was different in certain ways from that of the Gulf War.
The Pentagon established the policy of "embedding" reporters with military units. This gave the news media an astounding view of the war as it happened - for example, home viewers were able to watch U.S. tanks rolling into Baghdad live on television, with a split screen image of the Iraqi Minister of Information claiming that U.S. forces were not in the city.
Journalist casualties during the invasion were high, including the April 8 death of journalists possibly by U.S. fire in Baghdad (see the entry for details),NBC's David Bloom, and the death of Michael Kelly, an influential neoconservative reporter, columnist, and editor.
In separate incidents, Peter Arnett was fired for giving an interview with Iraqi officials in which he questioned the United States's role, and Geraldo Rivera was sent from Afghanistan after drawing a crude map in the sand, possibly revealing troop movements on air.
The most popular cable network in the United States for news on the war was Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, whose coverage was marked by what some view as a strongly pro-war bias, from the commentators to the anchors.
A large statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad's Freedom Square, directly in front of the hotel where the worlds journalists had been quartered, was toppled by Iraqi Citizens (eventually requesting help from a US tank puller) surrounded by dozens of other celebrating Iraqis. The destruction of the statue was shown live on cable news networks and made the front pages of newspapers and covers of magazines all over the world - symbolizing the fall of the Hussein government. The images of the statue falling came as a shock to many Arab viewers who had been led to believe that Iraq was winning the war. Iraqi citizens then decapitated the head of the statue and dragged it through the streets of the city hitting it with thier shoes.
Non-U.S. coverage differed strongly in tone and content.
Arab media, Al-Jazeera in particular, broadcast many scenes of civilian casualties, press conferences with Iraqi officials claiming to be winning the war, and of American and British P.O.W.s which U.S. media refused to run. Most Arab networks also downplayed the scenes of Iraqi citizens cheering coalition forces entering their towns.
External links and references
- Cable's War Coverage Suggests a New 'Fox Effect' on Television, The New York Times, April 16, 2003