The Cablegate Shock - Does WikiLeaks upset the "Special Relationship" Narrative of Transatlantic Relations?

Research Paper (postgraduate) , 2011 , 20 Pages , Grade: 1,3

English Language and Literature Studies - Culture and Applied Geography

When dealing with international relations between the United States and the United Kingdom, the Special Relationship frequently comes in handy as a paradigm, within which observable phenomena click into place. But what is the Special Relationship? Can we even say, it exists? This will be one question to deal with in this work. The other major question is: How does the Special Relationship behave in the media – how is it treated and by whom? And finally: Can the way the media deal with the Special Relationship be changed by a simple idea, that changes the preconditions for access to knowledge and the way journalists use their sources for their work?

First, I will give a brief summary of what WikiLeaks is, how it came into being, and what the core ideas and values are, that it stands for. Within the scope of that, I want to give a quick glance
towards the Propaganda Model, which extensively analyzes the way the modern (western) corporate media system works.
Second, I want to discuss different approaches towards the Special Relationship and find out, in which context it may be sensible to use the term and what it actually is, that it denotes in these contexts. I will restrict the scope of this chapter to things perceivable in the media.
Third, I want to demonstrate what the previous considerations of this paper can be used for when dealing with primary sources of two kinds: On the one hand, an actual diplomatic cable about the S.R., which was made public by WikiLeaks, and on the other hand, a selection of (print / online) media items that deal with the S.R., WikiLeaks and that aforementioned cable, respectively.

Finally, I will draw a number of conclusions to evaluate, the intricacies of the sources used and of the methods I made them undergo. If space provides that opportunity, I will dare a prognosis for what will happen to the S.R., considering the findings of this work. The time period in concern will be the latest period of American politics, as the inauguration of US President Obama seemed to mark a watershed for the S.R., as the primary texts will show.

The practice of abbreviating “Special Relationship” by “S.R.” is chiefly due to practical reasons and not intended to represent a comment on the term's validity. Nevertheless, I find the term as such valid
enough to capitalize its initials – also in order to denote the relationship between UK and USA and delimit it from just any special relationship that is not implied in the aforementioned meaning.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1 INTRODUCTION
• 2 WHAT IS WIKILEAKS?
• 2.1 Definition and Description
• 2.2 What is the Functional Niche of WikiLeaks?
• 3 WHAT IS THE S.R.?
• 4 ANALYZING PRACTICES OF REPORTING
• 4.1 The Cable to Precede the Media Responses
• 4.1.1 09LONDON348 - "THE BRITISH ASK, IS OUR SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP STILL SPECIAL IN WASHINGTON?"
• 4.2 Pre-Cablegate Media Response
• 4.2.1 "HISTORY OF BRITAIN'S SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AMERICA"
• 4.2.2 "U.S. AND U.K. SAY 'SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP' IS STILL GOING STRONG"
• 4.3 Transition
• 4.3.1 "DEALING WITH ASSANGE AND THE WIKILEAKS SECRETS"
• 4.4 Post-Cablegate Media Response
• 4.4.1 "WIKILEAKS: BRITAIN MOCKED BY US OVER 'SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP'"
• 5 CONCLUSION
• 5.1 Questions - Answers!
• 5.2 What will be next in the history of the Special Relationship Narrative?

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This work aims to analyze the Special Relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, focusing on its portrayal in the media. Specifically, it examines the role of WikiLeaks in shaping narratives about the relationship, particularly in the wake of President Obama's inauguration.

• The nature and relevance of the Special Relationship in contemporary international relations.
• The role of WikiLeaks as a source of information and its impact on journalistic practices.
• The impact of WikiLeaks' disclosure of a diplomatic cable on media narratives about the Special Relationship.
• The relationship between media coverage and the evolution of the Special Relationship narrative.
• The potential implications of WikiLeaks for democratic processes and the access to information.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: The paper sets the stage for the analysis by defining the main questions it seeks to answer: What is the Special Relationship? How is it portrayed in the media? And can WikiLeaks significantly influence the media's treatment of this relationship? The focus is on the period after President Obama's inauguration, which is seen as a watershed moment in the relationship's narrative.
• What is WikiLeaks?: This chapter provides a definition and description of WikiLeaks, exploring its origins, mission, and methods of operation. It also touches upon WikiLeaks' place in the broader context of the Propaganda Model, which examines the workings of the modern media system.
• What is the S.R.?: This chapter discusses different interpretations and approaches towards the Special Relationship, focusing on its portrayal in the media. It seeks to understand the context and meaning of the term "Special Relationship" as it is used in public discourse.
• Analyzing Practices of Reporting: This chapter analyzes primary sources, including a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, and media items that deal with the Special Relationship, WikiLeaks, and the aforementioned cable. The goal is to observe how the media responded to the information revealed by WikiLeaks and how it influenced their coverage of the Special Relationship.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on the analysis of the Special Relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, exploring the influence of WikiLeaks on the media narrative of this relationship. Key terms and concepts include: WikiLeaks, Special Relationship, international relations, diplomatic cable, media coverage, journalistic practices, transparency, democracy, and the Propaganda Model.

• College: University of Leipzig (Institut für Anglistik / Institute of British Studies)
• Course: The Anglo-American World in a Global Context; A Special Relationship?
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Raik Lorenz (Author)
• Publication Year: 2011
• Pages: 20
• Catalog Number: V191848
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656166962
• ISBN (Book): 9783656167327
• Language: English
• Tags: WikiLeaks, Cablegate, Whistleblowing, Julian Assange, USA, UK, America, Great Britain, NYT, New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, Guernica, London, Washington, Richard LeBaron, Barack Obama, Bill Keller, Tim Shipman, The Washington Post, Mary Beth Sheridan, Karla Adam, Andy Bloxham, Alan P. Dobson, History, Twentieth Century, David Bollier, WaPo, Media, Journalism, Special Relationship, Transatlantic, Relations, Diplomacy, Free Speech, Russia, Ecuador, Trump, posttruth