Media and the Gulf War

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses whether the image presented in the media was a misrepresentation of reality and claims that much of that coverage was superficial and misdirected. The paper examines how the American administration wanted to shape the story of the war in a certain way and utilized the power of the media to achieve this goal. It also looks at the gullibility of reporters and the way they were easily led.

From the Paper:

"As America prepares for another war in the Middle East, the news media as well as American troops are preparing for the effort to come. It is a good time to reconsider the lessons that should have been learned from the last Gulf conflict, when the government tried to control the news media as much as possible, and when the news media failed to see certain aspects of the story and reported much false information. The news media has a role in a democratic society, and that role is not mere boosterism for the position of the administration but the need to provide all the information possible so the public can make informed decisions regarding its leaders, their policies, and all actions being taken in the public's name. This does not mean providing information that would be damaging to security, and the line between what is damaging and what is essential is not always easy to draw. The issue may be whether the news media draws that line on the basis of a business decision, either to gain audience by reporting scandal or to cater to an audience by avoiding bad news, or on the basis of fulfilling its obligation in a democratic society."

More papers on Media and the Gulf War:

• Comparison Essay # 39539 : "The Gulf War in the Media"
• Analytical Essay # 32779 : "The Gulf War as a Turning Point in International Relations."
• Research Paper # 21296 : "Media in the Gulf War"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: