Media coverage of the war

[TicklingDuo]

It's a little overwhelming at times to think of the fact that we're sitting here watching all of this from the comfort of our own homes while our troops are struggling to get more than a few minutes of sleep at a time while ducking bullets. It made me think. Are we better off seeing it so we know what's going on? Or, is it overkill and keeping us from moving on with our lives? I think there are pros and cons to both sides.

I think we need to know what's taking place. For many of us, real war is new to us. We were kids during Nam and not around during prior engagements. So, our main learning about war has come from books and movies. Even those who have served a term in the military may not truly know what it "really" is to be at war unless they've seen combat. So, we need to learn form something closer to reality. The current embedding program allowing media to travel with troops throughout the theater has given us a better taste of what it's like that we're likely to get anywhere else. I would think that this would give us a better appreciation for what these guys are sacrificing, no matter what our views are of thie "rightness" of the war.

On the other hand, sitting glued to the television set and hanging on every word as most did during the events of 9-11 has some dangers. We need to remember to balance it with normal activity. If we don't keep up with our everyday lives, we give up a part of what these guys are fighting for. They're over there (at least in part) so that we CAN live our lives without fear. We also can easily become depressed or overstressed through constant immersion in this. I know our troups are under more stress. But, again, they're there so we don't have to have so much in our own lives.

As for the quality of coverage...I personally think that CNN has done the best job overall. They seem to be respecting feelings as well as rules while still telling the story. I've been amazed to sit and watch the live feed from the front lines...esp. that seen in the midst of battle. There seems to be more political comments on the other channels. I know that's important too. But, I don't want to listen to people arguing about why our guys are there while they're in danger. So, I prefer CNN.

Anyway, I wondered what others thought of the news coverage of this war. Care to comment?

Ann

 

[Deleted member 2452]

good topic.

i have found myself becomming adicted to the war coverage. i have also found myself becomming very riled up. i think i'll try to back off some... maybe a lot. i've done a lot of soul searching, and believe my own combat experiences are boiling beneith the surface from watching the coverage. one of the manifestations is the anger, and resentment i am holding toward several tmf members.
as for which news channel, i have watched both cnn, and fox, and i prefer fox. the cnn folks are too liberal for me. i think fox's coverage of the p.o.w. pics are a good example of their sensitivity.
steve

 

[Moses25]

Good for you, Steve.

No hard feelings...

Cheers.😀

 

[ShiningIce]

ROFLMAO

 

[Limeoutsider]

I'm sorry this is going to sound bad, but, war is war. They're going to launch missles and bombs and buildings are going to catch fire and fall and yes, people are going to die. I don't need to hear about the same thing on 75 different channels. ANd I most certainly don't need to see the same thing for hours on end with everyone's "professional" opinion on what happened.

 

[Shem the Penman]

I rarely bother with television news, but I've been meaning to pimp this site: www.agonist.org (mirrored at agonist.rangebroadband.com ). The author does a remarkable job of pulling together minute-by-minute information on the war from media all around the world, and presents it devoid of either mindless rah-rah flagwaving or gloomy defeatism. He's even managed to scoop the cable networks on a few occasions, pretty amazing for a one-man operation.

 

[Moses25]

ROFLMAO

Quiet, you. I was being sincere.

Cheers.😀

 

[red indian]

Some humour to be found...........

........I found the difference between U.K.and U.S. command techniques to be in marked contrast, I thought all this stuff you see in the worst kind of Hollywood U.S. armed force promotion films was just for the drive in matinee audience, but no!! they DO run around screaming at the tops of their voices all the time and talk about "mother fuckers" and "kicking ass" where as the U.K. lads just seem to make much less noise and dont seem to need a Sgt Major shouting "waste that mother fucker!!!" in their ears in order to be persuaded to pull the trigger.

 

[TicklingDuo]

I rarely bother with television news, but I've been meaning to pimp this site: www.agonist.org (mirrored at agonist.rangebroadband.com ).

Thanks for the resource, Shem. Always good to have a reliable backup. I don't watch much TV period. But, I've had it on in teh background constantly to keep track of things. Having a cousin and a few others I know over there makes it more personal, I guess. Funny how we don't think as much of it when it's other people's family and friends.

Ann

 

[t s s]

lol@red indian....you mean like that general rallying the troops with "it`s hammer time....mmkay" while rock music pumped out,at first i thought i`d found a WWF advert on the t.v....😀

 

[Iggy pop]

It is a ticklish subject

I believe the media should be covering the war, but sometimes I think that this is turning into one big a reality TV program with one important diffrence these are real people risking their lives fighting and regrettably in some cases dying. Sometimes I afraid the networks make the war just a little too sterile then again do we really want to face the horrors of war? Do we want to see the bodies of people that are our brothers, sisters, husbands, fathers, mothers, and neighbors. And while I don't believe our military is targeting the civilians, no war is perfect and Iraqi children have been wounded and killed? Do we really want to see those images?

 

[Limeoutsider]

All about the ratings...."Except bad ratings, violence never solved anything"

 

[JoBelle]

I think for those of us with young kids, we hold a different view of the war, on both the supporting and protesting sides. It didn't really come to light for me until I watched a good deal of media coverage.

As I watched some of it a couple of days ago, my son walked in the room as a tank rolled across the tv screen. I immediately had to ask myself how quickly to change the channel. More than half of my son's classmates have parents in the military who are currently deployed. I knew he'd be hearing about it from other kids so I suddenly had to evaluate my stance in a base fashion. He all too quickly asked if I was watching a "soldier movie."

What did I say?

"There is another country called Iraq where the President is very mean to the people who live there, so some soldiers are going over to help them get a new President and help them have a life that is better like yours." Not bad off the top of my head in 5 year old speak. And in his wisdom of childhood he asked, "Why is it on tv?" ARGHHHHHHHH From the mouths of babes..........SO........I told him what I believe in one of the purposes of this mass media coverage.

I believe that a prime reason for such media coverage is that so much of our news is viewed in other parts of the world. (To him I said, so the Iraqi people will see that soldiers are really coming to help them.) This live "front-line" stuff is alowing the people in Iraq to see what's happening, as well as allowing live documentation of what we do or do not find as coalition forces move through the areas. Of course I'm not talking about sensitive vital info, but I AM talking about letting the common man in other parts of the world SEE what the common American sees on the news. I think it may benefit those locals in Iraq who will see service persons who are not walking into elementary schools shooting up kids. 🙄

I do however have one sticking point that makes me think it's wrong. Hundreds of thousands of people are deployed leaving millions of family and close friends to watch the tv and wonder and worry. Like this war....you can't have the good and not the bad.

Joby, safe in her home...rather happy that at the very least, that somewhere a teenage Iraqi girl might escape a rape squad this week.

 

[Oddjob0226]

I'm sorry this is going to sound bad, but, war is war. They're going to launch missles and bombs and buildings are going to catch fire and fall and yes, people are going to die. I don't need to hear about the same thing on 75 different channels.

Amen to that! I can't win the war (for either side - hah!), I can't stop the war, I didn't create the war. I'm just some guy. I'll just pop in a tickilng video and float away......