Media war and conflict; Role of media in reporting facts

 The movie, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported. Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied territories appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics.

Media is the most basic information about the conflicts in the world. Only because of the information systems, people have the representation and the image about what occurs in the modern world. Conflict is one of the ‘defining features of the modern world’ and from a new perspective media has some influence in resolution or increases violence in it.

The influence of the media to the audience could have an enormous effect, which even can change minds of nations. Mass media can be considered as an ‘image’ of the conflict, which often plays a key role in its exemplification by presenting the information to the people around the globe.

The media as an important actor in representing facts can take two different and opposed forms in picturing conflicts. Either the media takes an active part in the conflict and has responsibility for increased violence, or stays independent and out of the conflict, thereby contributing to the resolution of conflict and alleviation of violence.

To specify investigation of such a topic, We will consider three case studies, according to which the role of the media in international conflict will be explained, analyzed and evaluated. Vietnam War, Falklands conflict and Gulf War are three case studies, according to which the study of work would be explained. The Vietnam War, Falklands conflict and Gulf War are three case studies, which represent different examples of the media coverage of the conflict.

Analyzing such case studies will bring an opportunity to overlook the role of the media in the conflicts from different perspectives. First of all, all examples took part in different periods of time, which means that media development also has its input on the media role in international conflicts. Secondly, countries where conflicts occurred have different relationships between the media and the state, which will make comparison more comprehensive and interesting to investigate.

America and the United Kingdom are one of the most powerful states in the world, which basically have different policies and history. Comparison of such case studies would illuminate the role of the media outcomes in the international conflicts. Furthermore, the topic will be supported by theoretical frame, mostly considering the Marxist and Pluralist schools of thoughts. Both schools show the descriptive analysis of the media position in politics and most importantly their relationship with governments of different political regimes.

Thus, analyzing the role of the media in international conflicts various internal and external political facts should be carefully considered. One of the most important facts is to analyze how the media operates in different political regimes (totalitarian or liberal) and what influence it has internationally. Considering three case studies, in which different countries have taken part, would help to bring the comparison to the investigation and later evaluate the answer of the dissertation question.

One of the basic facts, which must be carefully considered, is how the media works at the local level. Considering the position of media at the local level, namely the comparison of media and government relations in different modes, will help to realize and understand the importance of the role of media in the international common level.

Pluralists and Marxists perspectives focus their studies mostly on the regimes in which mass media operate, thereby explaining the relationship between the media and the state. Theoretical framework of two schools of thoughts considers its attention on the nature of state, as both of schools show opposite views and arguing against each other. Pluralists see the state as the neutral actor, who should take all decisions in the national interests. Obviously, the political power in such a state should be divided among the wide variety of political parties and pressure groups.

In the 21st century we call it democracy. Mass media in democracy have freedom to express their own opinions on different international conflicts, but it does not mean that the government could not criticize the media if their views on the conflict are different.

Marxists are very critical of capitalist societies and believe that the media stand in the way of necessary social change. Marxists do not believe in the free media, as a good tool of democratic regimes. Mass media can be used and only, for encouraging people to accept ideas which help to maintain the dominance of a Ruling Class. From this side mass media does not have any influence on the international conflict and only presents the interests of the ruling class of the country.

This perspective may be applied to the Falklands conflict and in the example of the Vietnam War show the comparison of the relationships, which the media could have with the government in different modes. Considering methodology, all research would take the qualitative approach and base its investigation on books, reports, journal articles and various newspaper articles. Literature review: To begin with, even though Vietnam War ended more than 30 years ago many Americans continue to disagree about almost every aspect of the conflict

Americans still argue about the purpose of the Vietnam War and its outcomes; and the media as an actor who pictured the Vietnam conflict to the audience played a significant role in the origin of such disputes. ‘Vietnam War was the first war to receive sustained TV news coverage’.  It is widely believed that television played a significant role in changing audience opinions against the war. Vietnam was a war in which television news was ‘lopsidedly favorable’.

In this case, the media received freedom in its actions and freely reported every military movement on TV, which made people have a look on the war from inside. 

British Ministry of Defence (MOD) determined not to repeat what it understood to be the Pentagon’s great mistake in Vietnam: namely, allowing reporters free access to the battlefield. In this case, British government restricts the media access to the military actions and MOD kept print and broadcast journalists on an extremely tight rein. British government added that the aim of the successful warfare is secrecy and the media should not be closely connected to the military.

Falklands conflict is a great example to investigate in comparison to the Vietnam War; both case studies show different connections with media coverage, which later would help critically evaluate the influence and role of the media in international conflicts. The Gulf war was one of the first televised events of the global village in which the entire word watched a military spectacle unfold via international satellite and cable networks.

During the 90’s, the period when the Gulf war took part,technology took a great raise in its development, which influenced the spread of media around the globe. Moreover, US media (CNN) completely dominated the global coverage of the event. The Gulf war is a case study, which will bring to the research an outlook on the fact how media development affects the media reporting on the international conflict. Furthermore, the investigation of this case study would help us to understand to what extent the televised international conflicts have an effect on the politics of the governments who participate in them.

Conflict situations in India and how the media has covered them:

The basics of Journalism is based on the three pillars: A, B, C - Accuracy, Balance and Clarity. The media’s role in the northeast is not easy. There are too many compromises forced on the media worker, so much that the job often is reduced to just a tightrope walk.The same ought to be ensured in all sincerity for reporting about and reporting in northeast India. But it goes without saying that this is easier said than done.

The socio-political history of the region, which is marred by insurgency movements starting with the Nagas in 1940s and 1950s, is responsible for some of these inherent limitations. Media in states like Nagaland, Manipur or even in Assam has been thus trapped in myriads of conflicts that have been sweeping the region for about seven decades now.

Over the decades it has been found that the problem with the media in the northeast is not with the media per se or with the freedom of the fourth estate; the real problem has been all confronting parties involved in these conflicts (that is insurgency movement) have been involved in suppressing ‘news’ - the sole goal being to gain control over the crucial media space.

Nagas believe that the “first instance” of media manipulation was in 1946-47 when the Naga National Council (NNC) under Naga rebel doyen A Z Phizo’s telegram addressed to leading newspapers informing about proclamation of Naga independence was never wired. Allegedly, the Kohima Deputy Commissioner Charles Pawsey had prevented the Kohima Post Master from sending the telegram to New Delhi and to various newspapers across the country.

Around 20 different insurgent outfits operate in Manipur and thus there is no coincidence that many editors and journalists have been killed in Manipur. In short, media persons have to more often face the wrath of both the underground outfits and government agencies.

But the vital part is that similar stories are experienced and heard about journalists working in all northeastern states.

However, what has importantly changed over the last two decades is that the insurgent outfits have become extremely media savvy.

The state government officials and military authorities often give the impression that they are still 50 years back in time space and believe journalists would report only the so-called ‘official version’. This content wise the press releases of army or state governments have not changed much. The police and army officials still need to appreciate what makes news and what does not. 

On the other hand, there is a marked change on how cyber-savvy militants operate. The Internet is being largely used by militants now to use as a tool. Of late, it has also become fashionable for media persons to be invited to militant camps.

Another opinion generally is while the national mainstream media still neglects north east and only covers with a prejudiced mindset, the state-level provincial media like in Manipur and Nagaland are seriously concerned about the lack of freedom.

The Manipur media must first ensure that its basic editorial freedoms are guaranteed. But the crux of the problem is the divide between natives and outsiders in the region is very deep.

The irony is, the problem is more serious than comprehended easily. While the hatred mongers have sustained their game, on the other hand, from a primordial economy, the region is today a picture of progress and prosperity and modernity. In more ways than one, developments in the northeast are far better than the poor tribals’ conditions in states like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. This brings in a conflict by itself.

The media needs to project what are the contributing factors that can help a stagnant economy like in northeastern India to bounce back. The peace and conflict resolutions can thus come at a later stage.