[IP] Terrorists Have Their Way on TV
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Robert C. Atkinson" <rca53@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 15, 2004 7:17:27 PM EDT
To: David Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Terrorists Have Their Way on TV
Reply-To: rca53@xxxxxxxxxxxx
For IP? The summary was provided by the Benton Foundation. For
convenience, the full text of the article follows. It would be
interesting to hear IPers' reaction to the suggested "new ethic" and
the four specific policies for broadcasters.
TERRORISTS HAVE THEIR WAY ON TV
[Commentary] The “if it bleeds, it leads” mentality of television
news is failing us. TV's hunger for shocking pictures is distorting
Americans' view of the war in Iraq, and its excessive use of terrorist
video is spreading propaganda of an even more damaging sort. TV outlets
run the risk of becoming mindless, amoral communications tools by which
terrorists advertise their brutality, enlarge their reputations and
belittle those who would protect us. The Pew Charitable Trusts' 2004
report on the state of the U.S. media found a troubling trend: News
outlets “disseminate” news from other sources rather than collect it
themselves, and the end video product often becomes repetitive, chaotic
and incoherent “raw news.” Ultimately, news decisions are surrendered
to those who would manipulate it for their own ends. TV may need to
explore a new ethic — with some stern written-down policies including:
1) A refusal to air video or other propaganda from terrorist Web sites
or other anonymous terrorist sources, except in the rare circumstances
that such information warns viewers of an imminent, credible threat. 2)
A prohibition against using images that aren't shot by network or other
legitimate photographers. That means not using video shot by terrorists
or insurgents, because these images are suspect, often staged for
propaganda. 3) A new practice of prominently labeling all non-network,
freelance or bystander video — akin to the photo credit in print
journalism — so audiences can judge the source of each image. 4) A
commitment to require the same sharp scrutiny and relentless challenges
to terrorists and insurgents that journalists traditionally give our
own government and military officials.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Alcestis “Cooky” Oberg, a member of USA
TODAY's board of contributors]
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20040915/oplede07.art.htm
USAToday article:
Terrorists have their way on TV
Network news' mentality of ‘if it bleeds, it leads' fails us. Lives are
at stake.
By Alcestis “Cooky” Oberg
When I was in broadcast news, I was dismayed at how often the “if it
bleeds, it leads” mentality let sensational, gruesome pictures dictate
the story of the day, often without explanation, purpose or reason. Yet
our largest and most influential TV networks and cable news channels
have been doing just this sort of sensationalistic journalism in their
coverage of Iraq and the war on terrorism. In the extreme, they even
use the footage terrorists provide of their victims.
For instance, on Sept. 7 and 8, networks used home video from the
terrorists who massacred hundreds of schoolchildren in Beslan, Russia.
A week earlier, kidnappers in Iraq slaughtered 12 Nepalese hostages,
possibly for nothing more than shocking images it would produce on
video. It's as though the terrorists themselves have begun to compete
for ratings.
In our post-9/11 world, all journalists — but especially broadcasters —
need to rethink what they're doing.
Television certainly needs to show the cruel face of war — whether in
Iraq or the war on terrorism — for the sake of truth and accuracy. But
TV's hunger for shocking pictures is distorting Americans' view of this
war, and its excessive use of terrorist video is spreading propaganda
of an even more damaging sort. TV outlets run the risk of becoming
mindless, amoral communications tools by which terrorists advertise
their brutality, enlarge their reputations and belittle those who would
protect us.
The Tyndall Report, which tracks nightly news broadcasts, found that
60% of the time given to top news stories during one week in June was
devoted to car bombings, a hostage beheading and other
terrorist-related activities. Sometimes, it is more.
There were car bombs in Baghdad and attacks on foreigners in Saudi
Arabia. The terrorists even provided “raw” video — such as the
beheading of U.S. hostage Paul Johnson — that dominated those
broadcasts. In the meantime, the networks underreported the vital but
less-visual elements of nation-building in Iraq during that period:
organizing a police force, setting up an economy, stabilizing a
currency and planning elections.
Networks defend such practices as bringing the public the “news” — and
24-hour cable channels especially pride themselves on presenting
“breaking news” footage.
However, the Pew Charitable Trusts' 2004 report on the state of the
U.S. media found a troubling trend: News outlets “disseminate” news
from other sources rather than collect it themselves, and the end video
product often becomes repetitive, chaotic and incoherent “raw news.”
Ultimately, news decisions are surrendered to those who would
manipulate it for their own ends.
This has resulted in non-stop images of hostages, street fighting and
gun-waving insurgents. With virtually each new kidnapping or slaughter,
a video emerges and is dutifully aired. The source of the footage
frequently is not identified.
The most dangerous television practice, though, is the
“personalization” of news reports. Putting a face on every gory story
has turned some terrorists into celebrities, on par with world leaders.
Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the 9/11 mastermind, told interrogators that he
was “inspired” by the “instant notoriety” garnered by the planners of
the 1993 World Trade Center attacks. He said he wanted to cast himself
as a “superterrorist” in this new “theater” of destruction. In essence,
television gave him enormous motivation to commit a bigger, more
terrible act.
Currently, U.S. TV outlets leave the decision to air terrorist video to
the judgment of producers, managers and senior network executives.
Perhaps it's time for a change.
TV may need to explore a new ethic — with some stern written-down
policies — to stop our nightly news from becoming a terrorist
infomercial of death and to prevent future media manipulation by these
barbaric people. Post-9/11 broadcast standards could include:
•A refusal to air video or other propaganda from terrorist Web sites or
other anonymous terrorist sources, except in the rare circumstances
that such information warns viewers of an imminent, credible threat.
•A prohibition against using images that aren't shot by network or
other legitimate photographers. That means not using video shot by
terrorists or insurgents, because these images are suspect, often
staged for propaganda.
•A new practice of prominently labeling all non-network, freelance or
bystander video — akin to the photo credit in print journalism — so
audiences can judge the source of each image.
•A commitment to require the same sharp scrutiny and relentless
challenges to terrorists and insurgents that journalists traditionally
give our own government and military officials.
The Pew report found that three-quarters of all American adults
distrust the media. They should. The world requires tougher standards
of journalism to alleviate this “terrorist theater.”
Arguments over the “if it bleeds, it leads” credo are as old as
television. But in today's world, the practice crosses a terrible new
line, encouraging publicity-seeking fanatics to commit heinous acts.
When and if this contributes to the next 9/11-type attack on the USA,
the time for constructive, post-9/11 journalistic reform will have
passed. The blood on the hands of terrorists will have transferred onto
the lenses and notebooks of American television journalists.
Alcestis “Cooky” Oberg lives in Houston and is a member of USA TODAY's
board of contributors.
-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To manage your subscription, go to
http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip
Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/