Journalists war on terror Essay
Troubles Confronting Journalists Reporting the “ War on Terror ”
Introduction
This essay will concentrate on exemplifying the present troubles confronting by journalists who will describe war on panic after the eruption of 911 and series of terrorist act activities around the universe, to do us understand the serious position quo of news media in the warfare clip and states. In the chief organic structure portion of the essay, it will give us a simple debut about the background of present planetary safety and the execution of “ war on terrorist act ” by the US Government.
Then it moves on to exemplify the menaces and adversities that have been or will be undertaken by war journalists in their coverage procedure and give us a elaborate analysis of the ground. Then matching suggestions are provided in the concluding portion to ease the media coverage activities of journalists describing in those unsafe countries of war and better the development of imperativeness freedom in the universe.
Main Body
Background
The eruption of September 11 terrorists attack gave the US Government a heavy blow. As a response, the Bush Administration implemented the “ war on panic ” plan instantly after the onslaught and international alliance gathered for rooting out terrorist act has created a unsafe state of affairs, where journalists may be reduced to the victims and marks of terrorists and go cardinal histrions of those ace powers in describing events to fulfill the demand of the populace in understanding the state of affairs in the frontier of battleground. Journalists have been used as a tool of the authorities in propaganda and they are being forced to a hard lip that on one manus, the mass need them to describe the progressing of the alleged “ war on terrorist act ” based on imperativeness freedom, on the other manus, the existent danger of life and political force per unit area in coverage may act upon their thought and opinion. Inevitably, the imperativeness freedom and pluralism is being bit by bit undermined by the increasing imperialism of ace power states such as the United States.
First Difficulty — Safety and Health
Journalists are confronting dangers when set abouting describing undertakings in those volatile states and parts. Harmonizing to the day of the month released by IFJ ( International Federation of Journalists ) , 129 journalists and media staff were killed in 2004, doing it the worst twelvemonth on record for the casualty of journalists.
In the Iraq War, more than 50 media staff have been killed by political extremists and felons ( Aidan White, Ben Hayes. 2005. Journalism, Civil Liberties and the War on Terrorism. IFJ. P3 ) .
From this we can cognize that the most unsafe trouble facing by journalists describing the “ war on panic ” is their personal safety. The misinterpretation and hatred between hostile states bit by bit press journalists to the dentition of storm since they are the communicator of message. Those terrorists kidnapped and even killed journalists due to their hatred toward the state or authorities of the journalists and they fell to be the victims of political war. Why so many journalists depart from their place to describe in those unsafe states with no respect of their safety, most of their replies can be categorized to their original chase of truth and justness for the universe. People all over the universe are entitled to cognize what ‘s go oning on the other side of the universe and the existent troubles they are confronting. In order to feed the hungry of information of the mass, many journalists have been dispatched to “ batterfield ” and suffered great trouble non merely in organic structure but besides in head.
Feinstein, Owen, & A ; Blair measured the emotional impact of describing war on journalists and concluded that war journalists suffered from higher extent of depression and PTSD than their fellow bargainers who did non describe on war events. They have to seek for mental wellness intervention to let go of interior psychological hurt.
Second Difficulty — Press Freedom
Under the political force per unit area of the United States and its alliances in “ war on panic ” , journalists are confronting great trouble in describing events since the authorities used the alleged “ war on terrorist act ” to spread out its range of probe and to curtail imperativeness freedom and other civil rights. The unveiling of anti-terrorism increased the kerb and surveillance on free look, which non merely retarded the work of newsmans but besides negatively affected the basic right as a citizen. For illustration, the Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act promulgated by the US Government merely constituted a suppress on free address in the media and academe while limited civil rights every bit good.
Journalists have bit by bit departed from original rule of media openness due to the media subjugation since jounalists have to “ brood on the attitude and actions of the American authorities, when the universe is full of existent scoundrels, might look unjust, were it non for the huge power and influence that the US wields on the planetary phase and the effects its policies and illustration have on so many other states, ” said the WAN President.
Mentions
Feinstein, A. , Owen, J.
, & A ; Blair, N. ( 2002 ) . A risky profession: War, journalists, and abnormal psychology. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159 ( 9 ) , 1570-1575.Aidan White. ( 2002 ) .
Journalism And The War on Terrorism. International Federation of Journalists
