technology exposing lies!

As I had previously discussed the media management had prevented many transparent journalists to carry out their role effectively.

But this was about to change as technology had become so advanced that journalist could report from any remote location and this time you did not need anyone’s permission to publish your story. The use of blogs and personal websites had become the answer to many obstacles that had prevented individuals to follow the ethical principle of journalism.

However in the introduction of this paper I have commented that government strategies in controlling the media will become more advance and sophisticated with the emergence of these new technologies. 

 

 

“At the end of 20^th century and in the age of contemporary culture, the citizens of western democracies are more knowledgeable about politics than at any other period of human civilization. The thirst for gaining more information about politics and its ethical codes in informing citizens about the administration of government has been a continuous process that has become more accessible through television, radio, newspaper, and now, with the advancing of networking platforms, the Internet. Politicians or policy makers are acutely aware of this, and work hard to develop ethical codes and practices to manage media’s influence on public sphere.”

 

Never less, it is important to highlight that these technologies have helped many hidden stories to come above the surface. The whole issue with the torture of Abu Gharib prisoners are just some of the examples that demonstrate the influence of new technologies.

 

However there are other interesting case studies that became exposed but it was too late so they did not capture maximum attention.  

For example, the girl who claimed she saw Iraqi soldiers taking Kuwaiti babies out of incubators.  Later it became apparent she was the daughter of Kuwaiti ambassador to the U.S , who had been coached to act by the PR firm Hill & Knowlton.  Victoria Clarke the woman who was in charge of this PR firm also became spoke woman for pentagon during the first few years of current Gulf War. Also, she introduces the effective management system of embedded journalism. Danny Schechter’s documentary (2004), ‘Weapons of Mass Deceptions’ offers comprehensive details of the role of media in current wars. 

 

some info about the books that i read for this paper!

Ok first of all I am providing a list of books and journals that I read during this period. This is just to help other individuals who are writing similar papers or books.

 

Bernays, Edward L., 2004,propaganda, new ed, IG Publishing;

 

Debord.G, ,La Société du spectacle, translated from French to English  by Knab, K,2002, treason press. (Originally published in 1967)

 

 

McNair B., 1998. Journalism Politics and public relations. In: Kieran M., ed. Media Ethics, London: Routledge, 51-65

 

Belsey A.,1998 Journalism and ethics: can they co-exist?. In: Kieran M., ed. Media Ethics, London: Routledge, 1-15

 

 

Habermas J., 2003, the structure transformation of public sphere, 6^th ed, Cambridge: Blackwell.

 

Pilger J., 1987, Heroes, New ed, London: pan books

 

Knightley P., 2003, The First Casualty, 3^rd ed, London: Carlton publishing group.

 

Knightley P., 1989, The First Casualty, 2^nd ed, London: Pan Books ltd.

 

Seib P., 2006, Beyond front lines,2^nd ed, England: Palgrave Mcmillan.

 

Herman Edward.s and Chomsky N, 1988, Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, 1^st ed, Pantheon Book.

 

Hallin D.C, 1986, the uncensored: media and Vietnam, 1^st ed, oxford university press.

 

Harris R. 1983, Gotcha!: the media, the government and the Falkland crisis, London: Faber and Faber.

 

Sifry M.L and Cerf C (eds), 1991, The Gulf War reader, New York: Random house.

 

Allen T. and Seaton J, 1999, The media of conflict, 1^st ed, UK: Zed books.

 

Baudrillard j. 1991, The Gulf War did not take place, translated from French to English by Patton P. Indiana university press.

 

Kellner D. 1992, The Persian gulf TV war, Boulder: Westview Press Inc.

 

McLaughlin G. 2002, the war correspondent, 1^st ed, UK: Pluto press.

 

Kamalipour .Y and Snow N, 2004,War, media and propaganda global perspective, 1^st ed, U.S: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

 

Chomsky, N., 1928:2002. Media control: the spectacular achievements of propaganda. New York: seven stories.

 

Katovsky .B and Carlson.T, 2004, Embedded , 1^st ed, U.S: The Lyons press.

 

Miladi N. 2006, satellite TV News and the Arab Diaspora in Britain: comparing AL-jazeera, The BBC and CNN, Vol, 32(page 947-960) , Routledge.

 

Bell M. , 1998.The Journalism of attachment,. In: Kieran M., ed. Media Ethics, London: Routledge, 15-22

 

 

 

 

 

Info about the books:

 

 

The above list are the books that I used during this dissertation, obviously I didn’t read every single page of each books but I tried to read chapters that were related to my subject.

Beyond front lines by Philip Sieb was probably one book that I used mostly during this period. Even this book is not as a thick as some of the books that I have read but it offers so much information and background context. It offers brief information about all previous war and how media captured information during those wars. Even though I don’t agree with some of the statement or comments the author has made in this book, I did genuinely enjoyed reading this book as it offered so much interesting facts and figures. The main aim of this research paper was to construct an argument by comparing the timeline of different wars. This book follows the same approach, for example in one point the author provides price information on satellites equipments, suggesting how technology has enabled ordinary citizens to become broadcasters rather than JUST spectator.

Other books such Gulf War did not happen explore war and communication technologies, in this book the author argues that there was no human involvement in the first Gulf War, it was all about the use of smart bombs, however my research has shown that these bombs were not as smart as they has been initially described.

Also the limitation of media access had made American citizens to believe that this war had been carried out so précised. But individuals like Peter Turnley tried to show the reality but at that moment the news and media editors didn’t really want to question or expose the government, it was a happy time for both parties!  One could suggest they were worried that they would be blamed again for causing disturbance in the political sphere, so they just sat back and broadcasted what the officials were providing them. The Gulf War was one of the very first wars that government were applying management strategies that they had been planning very constructively and effectively.

 

However as Internet became more advanced and accessible more information have found there on web pages, questioning government’s actions in previous wars.

People who had information and evidence were now able to demonstrate the reality.  He writes;

 

 

“When I arrived at the scene of this incredible carnage, strewn all over on this mile stretch were cars and trucks with wheels still turning, radios still playing, and there were bodies scattered along the road…. I don’t recall seeing many television images of the human consequences of this scene, or for that matter many photographs published.”

(Turnley 2002)

 

The collection of photographs that he took the day after the ceasefire of 1^st

Gulf War represents the side that media did not managed to capture or if it id there were people who stopped the reality to be revealed to the public.  

 

updating!

As I posted before I have been really busy doing other projects so I haven’t really had the time to update this blog regularly, however as I was writing this research paper I managed to apply a weekly report to my work, recording what I had achieve and some of the findings and facts that I gathered during this period. I try and upload most of these reports in a followed order! 

Its all done!

Ok the dissertation has been handed in… due to a busy schedule and work overload i have been unable to post the rest of my findings and conclusions!!! its all been written and ready to be uploaded… when i get some time this weekend i will make the effort and update this blog! I have been getting message from various individuals suggesting further discussion on these subjects, I will be happy to do it but my priority is set on other projects at the moment! stay tuned!  Abtin