Freedom of the Press and the Iraq War

von: Regina Schober

Contents

I. The Role of the Media in the War

II. Press and Censorship

III. Media and American Wars

IV. Media in the Iraq War

V. Embedded Journalism and Objective War Coverage
 

I. The Role of the Media in the War

The question of the media’s role in wartime has become more and more important as the press is increasingly involved in the events on the battleground. Since the Vietnam War the freedom of press and the amount of political control over the media have been subject to controversial debate. In the Iraq War, however, the issue of journalism has reached a new level. With regard to the ‘embedding’ of reporters in this war, this essay will deal with how the media’s role in the Iraq war is different from previous wars in American history. This issue will be discussed in the context of the First Amendment to the American Constitution.

II. Press and Censorship

Mass media can reach a large number of people at the same time and can thus have a great influence on their opinions and consequently on political affairs. According to Doris A. Graber there are four major functions of the mass media: “Surveillance of the world to report ongoing events, interpretation of the meaning of events, socialization of individuals into their cultural settings and deliberate manipulation of politics.”1 The latter is referred to in the context of investigative journalism and adds a new dimension to the journalist’s “traditional role as chroniclers of information provided by others.”2

Due to the great power of the press, its rights have to be carefully defined. The freedom of press, as determined in the first Amendment to the American Constitution,3 is one of the basic rights of American citizens. There are, however, restrictions on the freedom of the press. In case of libel or endangerment of national security, the government can control the press. Censorship, as usually applied by authoritarian regimes, also exists in democratic countries such as the United States. According to the ‘National Constitution Center’ the government is not allowed to apply the practice of prior restraint, that is, censor a work before it is published. Authors or editors can only be punished after publication. 4 Given the power the media can have on people’s attitudes and behaviour, it is obvious that the government is interested in having the media on their side in order to use it for political purposes. The press, on the other hand, is often in conflict between the will to reveal the facts that are kept secret and its dependency on the government in order to get access to information. Freedom of press has therefore to be seen in the context of a constant struggle between the institution holding or controlling information and those trying to get access to it.5

III. Media and American Wars

The question of how much power is given to the press has never been more discussed than during wartime. Releasing information from the battleground to the public can affect peoples’ attitudes towards the military and the government. The danger of only presenting one side of the war is always present, so the media, whether it is conscious of this or not, can manipulate peoples’ opinions. In a war, which is one of the most difficult and challenging events to report, coverage often appeals to people’s emotions. This can lead to a drop in public support for the war; thus, the media play an important role in the politics of war. Vietnam, often regarded as the first war on television,6 has exemplified the way in which an unrestricted press coverage can change people’s acceptance and support for the war. Battle scenes were broadcast in horrifying detail, showing the cruel reality of war. Many people believe that the Vietnam war was lost in the living room.7 This has to do with the fact that due to terrible pictures of human suffering on TV a huge anti-war movement emerged and finally led to a withdrawal of the American troops and the end of the war. As a result of the ir experiences in Vietnam, the US government was careful with regard to the power the press would have in following wars. When Grenada was first invaded by American troops in 1983, no reporters were allowed access. This, of course, led to harsh complaints from the press about being excluded from initial coverage.8

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1 Graber, Doris A, Mass Media and American Politics (Chicago: CQ Press, 2002) 6. She refers to Harold Lasswell’s categorization of the mass media.

2 Graber 12.

3 First Amendment to the American Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” (Ratified December 15, 1791)

4 Monk, Linda. Explanation of the first Amendment. National Constitution Center. http://www.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/details_explanation.php?link=124&const=08_amd_01&active=e x plain&searchlink= (10/12/04)

5 Monk

6 Taylor, Philip. War and the media. Propaganda and persuasion in the Gulf War. (Manchester UP, 1992) 2.

7 Cumings, Bruce. War and television. (London/New York: Verso, 1992) 83.

8 Graber 364.