The
Role of the Media in the "War against Terrorism"
That a growing nation-wide and international movement has developed to oppose
the United States led aggression against Afghanistan is not a fact to be discovered
by reviewing all forms of media since September 11. Neither that the war's pretext
- the alleged complicity of Osama Bin Laden in the terrorist attack and the
refusal of the Afghanistan government to release him without evidence - does
not justify the violation of international law. Similarly the consequences of
the "War on Terrorism" - militarisation of the economy, unveiling
and strengthening of repressive legislation, incitement of racism, anti-Muslim
violence, intensified economic crisis together with violation of the rights
of all - remain uncovered.
Instead the issue is presented as the action of Islamic militants and fundamentalists;
that the documents alleging Bin Laden's guilt are presented as fact rather than
conjecture and as such require the government and people of Afghanistan to be
attacked militarily; similarly that people accept curtailment of their liberties
in order to counter the terrorist threat. These are the way these issues are
addressed in the media.
Guaranteeing that people are confused and accept the rationalisations for the
United States led military aggression against Afghanistan and support it - this
is one aspect of the government's practical measures to justify participation
in the "war on terrorism". It was summed up recently by 10 Downing
Street imploring news organisations to censor video footage of representatives
of the Al-Qaida organisation originally broadcast on the Al-Jazeera Cable News
Network. The reason given was that secret coded messages are provided to international
sleeping terrorist cells. Another view could be that the orchestrated propaganda
war is ineffective. The broadest range of international opinion refutes the
explanations given for the bombing of Afghanistan. It has the sentiment of opposing
the violation of accepted norms of international relations; and understands
that collective punishment and targeting of the weak by the strong is the action
of a fascist.
With a wealth of experience in news management, propaganda, disinformation,
distortion and underhand techniques to present yellow journalism as news, or
justifications as analysis, the need for a media that reports international
events as well as political, social, cultural and economic affairs accurately
and without bias is vital. In this way the mass media - print, visual or audio
- becomes a useful tool in assisting people shape their conclusions on the basis
of objective and accurate presentation of the facts. The technique of the big
lie, of manipulation and misrepresentation is inimical to informed opinion.
The Gulf War of 1991, the assault on Yugoslavia in 1999, the targeting and harassment
of Iraq over the past decade have all been the terrain on which the news management
has been perfected by the monopoly-controlled media and the major news organisations.
Still the imperialist forces, led by Britain and the United States, cannot impose
their dictate on the world. With the principles of the free market having transformed
news into a commodity, the news organisations of the monopolies appear unable
to restrain their need to achieve pre-eminence in the marketplace by presenting
news as superficially a way as possible. They are not beyond reporting the bombing
of Afghanistan salaciously and in a sensationalised manner. In so doing the
barriers before the "consumers" of this news are even more impenetrable.
The truth becomes vulgarised.
What is presented as investigative journalism is very often character assassination
or prejudicial presentation of events. It purports to analyse events but does
so from the perspective of the uncritically accepted mainstream stance and view
put forward by the government. News or news journalism should let the facts
speak for themselves. Analysis of the news that is accurate uncovers what the
facts show, presenting all the facts of an issue. It should be presented as
such so as not to confuse news with opinion and commentary. This allows the
reader to arrive at the conclusions necessary without having their ability to
interpret information distorted by ideological or political prejudices.
Semantic flip-overs on "Taleban atrocities", "civilian casualties"
"smart bombs", "military targets", "precision bombs",
"alleged deaths of civilians", "unverified reports of civilian
deaths", Anthrax scares - all obscure the smokescreen behind which terrible
crimes against the civilian population of Afghanistan are being carried out.
None address that this assault could be the precursor to a US project to dominate
Central Asia and Asia.
There is opposition to this however. Indymedia website reported on October 17
that a group of protesters targeted the BBC's Oxford Road Studios in Manchester,
hoisting a flag proclaiming "Blair's Broadcasting Corruption" from
the building's flagpoles. There have been other calls to oppose the media bias
in favour of the status quo, disinformation and selective reporting. It is reported
that Media Workers against the War are to stage a demonstration at the BBC on
October 23.
Another view also emerged from the Latin American and Caribbean Journalists
Congress held in Havana, Cuba between October 8-11. The congress affirmed amongst
other things their recognition that media monopolies are playing a determining
role in imposing militaristic politics through mass propaganda based on disinformation,
censure and self-censorship as well as manipulation and silence - in order to
strengthen one way of thinking. Also affirmed was the commitment of the Latin
American and Caribbean journalists to defend people's right to truthful information
on which critical awareness can be formed. Especially during these times.
Regrettably the alliance of big business, monopoly controlled media and the
"coalition" governments seem unlikely to heed this widespread sentiment
for accurate news. The received wisdom intrinsic to the editorial policies of
each of the national newspapers, broadsheet or tabloid, and of the major news
organisations endorses the stand of Tony Blair and New Labour. As with the suspension
of party politics sanctioned by Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith's
decision to stand shoulder to shoulder with Tony Blair - as Blair assumes the
same position with the United States government - so the mass media, visual,
print and audio have subordinated critical thinking to support the "war
on terrorism".
The need for a mass media that is just that - one that addresses and reports
on the concerns of the people - is especially important at times such as these.
For people to seek truth from the facts, to have all of the evidence and information
presented clearly and without prejudice, will serve the anti-war and peace movement
and the movement for a new society as well.