Study: Media Self-Censored Some Iraq Coverage (Editor & Publisher)

[Hissyspit]

This story from Editor and Publisher about this Online Survey of journalists tells us a lot about why, with regards to the mainstream media, the U.S. public remains starved for truth and information. Read some of the anonymous comments from the journalists and editors, many who continue to to place decorum and other concerns over truth and journalistic standards, reflecting the continuing zeitgeist of escapism and knee-jerk conformity and conventionalism of American society.

"Our rules are against anything which might offend our audience, i.e. we are in the realm of taste and decency, which is difficult to quantify. ... on the one hand, I don't want, say, my kids to turn on the TV after tea and see some of the things I have seen in the field. But on the other hand, the effect of this is to sanitize the coverage, and glamorize the conflict."

In other words, he/she doesn't want to offend. Well, ma'm/sir, I am and have been greatly offended by that attitude.


http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000846234

Study: Media Self-Censored Some Iraq Coverage

By Joe Strupp
Published: March 18, 2005 12:05 PM ET

NEW YORK Many media outlets self-censored their reporting on the Iraq invasion because of concerns about public reaction to graphic images and content, according to a survey of more than 200 journalists by American University's School of Communications.

The study, released Friday, also determined that "vigorous discussions" about what and where to publish information and images were conducted at media outlets and, in many cases, journalists posted material online that did not make it to print.

One of the most significant findings was "the amount of editing that went into content after it was gathered but before it was published," the study stated. Of those who reported from Iraq, 15% said that on one or more occasions their organizations edited material for publication and they did not believe the final version accurately represented the story.

Of those involved in war coverage who were in newsrooms and not in Iraq, 20% said material was edited for reasons other than basic style and length. Some 42% of those polled said they were discouraged from showing photographic images of dead Americans, while 17% said they were prohibited. Journalists were also discouraged from showing pictures of hostages, according to 36% of respondents, while only 3% reported being prohibited from showing them.

MORE AT LINK

[LynnTheDem]

1. It's ok to send 18 year old American kids to see & do, but we mustn't let

Americans in general see what they've sent a kid, too young to have a legal drink, see & do.

Americans wouldn't support sending American kids to illegal immoral Hitleresque wars of aggression if they had to watch on the telly what they've sent 18 year old kids to see & do.

[dbt]

2. Taste and decency? Oh, PLEASE!

There's nothing tasteful about war, unless you like the tastes of blood and dead flesh. "Taste" goes out the damn window when the subject is war. It becomes a moot point, useful only as an excuse to avoid covering the nasty aspects of the subject--which are the vast majority of the aspects.

Decency? Perhaps the Media needs to discuss how DECENT it was for the Regime to start a war against a virtually unarmed country and base that war upon a staggering pile of LIES. Maybe after this aspect has been fully discussed, we could move on to what's "decent" about the war's coverage or lack of it.

Oops! We'd also have to discuss how "decent" it was for the US Mass Media to go along with bu$hler's plans without questioning them, wouldn't we? Reckon we better just leave this Can Of Worms unopened. Yeah, that's it: more Michael Jackson.

:eyes:

[saigon68]

14. Here "TASTE" FOR THE MSM -- CAUTION GRAPHIC PHOTO

DON'T LOSE YOUR LUNCH. THEY NEVER WANT THIS SHIT ON THE MSM



GI corpse removed from blasted humvee



A dead GI from Fallujah (Randi Rhodes Photo)




A common type of injury associated with roadside improvised explosive device run over by a Humvee (New England Journal of Medicine)

[Judi Lynn]

3. They have eaten their moral compasses.

If they hadn't, what they have seen in this administration (the lies, the brutality, the callous disrespect for the human race) would move them to NOT STOP writing about it with depth and detail until massive change was accomplished.

[Mr_Spock]

4. I saw a family in Iraq filled with 100's of bullets on live TV

It was shortly after a car bombing in Iraq and the troops were very jittery. It was live on CNN before they went to the dark side. A car was rolling at about 5 MPH up to a checkpoint in the middle of the highway - these people had no idea what was going on. The soldiers yelled STOP!in english repeatedly - but the car just rolled very very slowly toward them - 5 MPH tops - as if to ask a question of the troops. When the car was within 30 feet or so of the soldiers, they simply opened fire on the car - no warning shots, only the yelling of "STOP" in a foreign language to the driver and some indescript waving motions with rifle barrel in hand.

The car was riddled with hundreds of bullets on live TV (late at night) - I watched in horror knowing that these were just innocent people who didn't understand why the highway was blocked off and what the soldiers were saying. They later confirmed that it was a family - woman and children included - all dead. I'll never forget those images as long as I live. You'll never see those images again because I'm sure they're locked away somewhere. Gotta support the war effort ya know...

[leftchick]

5. MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE WAR IN IRAQ(self- censored)

Duh!

http://www.soc.american.edu/main.cfm?pageid=1235

Many media outlets have self-censored their reporting on the conflict in Iraq because of concern about public reaction to graphic images and details about the war. Many journalists said vigorous discussions about what, how and where to publish were conducted, in an attempt to balance fair reporting with audience sensitivities.

In addition, journalists used their Internet sites to post material different from what was printed in newspapers or broadcast on TV or radio programs. Nearly one-third of news outlets used their Web sites to disseminate materials online that were not first published or broadcast elsewhere by the organization. In most cases reporters and editors posted additional information online such as photographic essays, extended interviews and behind-the-scenes reporter accounts.

These are some of the conclusions from research conducted by American University School of Communication professors MJ Bear and Jane Hall. More than 200 American and international journalists completed the anonymous, online survey in September and October 2004.

<snip>

The study surveyed reporters, photographers, producers and managers involved in their organization's coverage of Iraq. News personnel were e-mailed a link to the online survey; those who completed it in its entirety are counted in the results. Respondents also identified themselves by audience geography. They were asked to indicate whether their audience was primarily from the U.S. or if their coverage was targeted to an international region such as: the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa or Eastern Europe.

[DrZeeLit]

6. Quel surprise! Anyone who was out of the U.S. during the war,

and watched European or any international coverage KNOWS that we in the
"homeland" (why does that always sound Hitlerish?) didn't get even an eeeny of the real story?

I was in Italy for quite some time during the war, and WOW! the television didn't blink. I came home and wondered "wha the @#!%" -- why weren't Americans in the streets, protesting this war?

Homeland Security -- takes on a whole new meaning.

[Pharaoh]

18. HAAAA!!!! Great picture!

[lonestarnot]

7. Up early on Saturday morning to go protest this very thing! THE WAR

SUCKS! The people fighting it SUCK! The people not covering it SUCK!The people supporting it SUCK! The people in charge of it BLOW! And I SUCK AND BLOW for paying tax dollars to send children to kill children! I am guilty along with every American for not doing enough to stop it! I need to do more. I need to discuss it with every individual that crosses my path. I need to be relentless in the struggle to stop it. I need to do more creative thinking every day to stop it! I need to fight the right wing fundies even when I feel burned out, I need to muster more energies to confront and STOP THIS WAR and expose those who do not do their part to STOP THIS WAR! Screw you media for not doing your part!

[DeepModem Mom]

8. kick

[suegeo]

9. Media whores

These "journalists" are a useless as teats on a bull.

In fact, these overpaid propagandists are worse than useless. They cheerlead America's little dictator as he flushes us down the toilet.

Here's a hearty "eff you" (with the appropriate middle finger gesture) to the corporate whores.

[Cocoa]

10. but it was ok to report that Jessica Lynch was anally raped

a story which wasn't even TRUE.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

11. Do they claim to be news reporters or babysitters?

I do not want them to be my nanny-- I want the facts, the full facts, and the real facts. Nothing made up, filtered, rewritten, dumbed down, or in any way made inoffensive by fiction writers playacting as investigative reporters. I WANT THE REAL NEWS.

Those poeple are in the wrong business. Buncha fuckin' moral cowards....

[Hissyspit]

17. They reflect the attitude pervading a complacent American populace...

[leesa]

12. Are we getting a little nervous about those war crimes trials??

I'm sure Goebbels never thought he'd be on the docket either.

[MADem]

13. You have to wonder why in hell we have to learn this yet AGAIN???

The worm turned on Vietnam when guys like Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite started covering the war "critically." They didn't take the xerox from the Public Information puke and repeat it, they went out into the field and ducked while getting shot at. They brought cans of film home and showed it to Americans, who were shocked at what they saw.

It's real easy for folks who were raised on Hollywood war movies to have a sanitized view of war, where everyone is John Wayne or Audie Murphy, and Americans are always good, kind, and say and do the right thing. They are also always brave and honorable -- guess it makes it easier to sleep at night if you think along those lines. The muck, mud, disgust, despair and gutwrenching fear are not seen unless someone gets off their ass and shows it to us.

The media, though, is the fourth branch of government nowadays. We aren't going to see it from them--they've been de-balled; they are all castrated lapdogs. All we need is a Minister of Propaganda and the coup is complete.

It's sad. I miss the old America. It was bold, it was contentious, but it was vibrant, forward-looking and free. I wonder if we will ever have it again...these are dark days.

[MsMagnificent]

15. We need to use OUR collective muscle

The reason the media edits and censors itself is because of money, the bottom line; NOT because of just the howl's of the myriad right-wing pundits.

If they printed a true story, and ALL the pundits went wild (other than the only 2 -- Keith Olbermann and Al Franken), so what? They wouldn't care, the right-wingers mere words can't hurt them. But what they're afraid of is the ditto-heads who will cancel their subscriptions in droves. The thing is, if ALL media reported a certain TRUE story there isn't much the Right Wingers can do except to --perhaps-- actually DEAL WITH THE TRUTH.

There is a saying: If you repeat a lie long enough and enough times, it becomes truth.
Well what do you think will happen when it's actually a Truth?!

There is a huge demographic, us 49% plus, who actually desire the truth, and we would then subscribe to these various media

But I get ahead of myself... we can't resubscribe if we're STILL paying those mealy-mouthed cowards!


We must use our collective muscle NOW and cancel each and every subscription to every media center and make damn sure they know we are canceling because they don't print the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!

The bottom line seems to be the ONLY thing that works in this modern day in America.

We have as much power as the Freepers, Chickenhawks and other Right Wingers, and we must start to use it!

If our subscriptions are canceled, and they start reporting the actual truth, then we should re/subscribe. Positive reinforcement works.
They're worried about losing subscribers? Well, at the same time they'll GAIN subscribers!

But we can't 'resubscribe' if we're always & still paying them for such drivelly, propagandist, untruthful pablum. We need to STOP all payment NOW and make sure they know exactly why they have lost our business!

DON'T GIVE ANY NEWSPAPER, TV STATION, MAGAZINE, ETC ONE MORE SINGLE DIME UNTIL THEY START REPORTING THE UNVARNISHED, UNSPUN TRUTH!
AND TRUTH IN IT'S ENTIRETY!



edited for usual unfortunate grammar :shrug:

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. The Poodle Press in action!

We need to expose their cowardice and distortions.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1668099
Title: "Introducing a new name for the lapdog corporate media: THE POODLE PRESS!"

[NicRic]

19. How dare they !

Assume tht they know what we can or cant handle to hear or see ! Its not their job to protect us from the truth ,its their job to report the truth and let us decide what is taking place. This is with no doubt to worst time in our history as far as truth in reporting goes. Day after day Iam amazed at the top stories of the day being so insignificant compared to real life events taking place .The real kicker was the baseball steriod story ,that to top it off ,was about steriod use years ago not even present day . Oh ,I just cant believe what is happening to our beloved country since the stolen election of 2000. I keep thinging I will wake up and its all been a big nightmare, sometimes reality is stranger then fiction .This is defintly one of those times ! We have the beverly hillbillies being touted as the new American Royal family, with prince jeb ,next inline to be king. From John and Robert Kennedy to Gorge and Jeb Bush ,talk about regression,it could not be any worst. Then I cant even count on both hands to people I thought I knew, that support this idiot ,they are so misinformed on the truth about this gang of thieves thats highjacked our country. If we ever needed a super hero ,now is the time. Untill then all I can do is "keep hope alive"
Thanks NicRic

[MetaTrope]

20. Oh SURE

Just like the endless convoluted attempts to explain away the discrepancy between exit polling and voting machine results was an attempt to remain within "the realm of taste and decency." Fuckers!