The Mass Media and the Iraq War

Paper Summary:

Early in the war between the United States and Iraq, a poll taken showed that 67% of Americans believed that they decided to support the war in Iraq because of a media campaign against Saddam Hussein. This paper shows that during the Iraqi conflict, mass media played a unique role. For the first time in history, American reporters were "embedded" with U.S. troops and could present the war to the American public from the front lines. But was this merely a ploy by the Bush administration to bring its own version of the war to Americans? This paper discusses the role of mass media in the war in Iraq and shows how public support for the war was influenced by media coverage.

From the Paper:

"American television tends to stress the symbols of patriotism, reflecting the pro-war sentiment of the government, and, presumably, of American society. But is the mass media shaping this sentiment by showing such images? The American media rarely showed Iraqi civilian casualties, but highlighted U.S. troops' humanitarian assistance to Iraqis. This should make it obvious to all that the media did not present a fair and balanced picture of the war. Media can influence the public as much with what is left out of its coverage as by what is reported."

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