War in Iraq kept away from public

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.connpost.com/ci_8577853?source=most_emailed

Q: Professor News, what happened to the war in Iraq? A: If you have lost track, I am not surprised. Americans are still being killed and wounded there. So are Iraqis. Yet the war is receiving less and less news coverage.
It's a vanishing war. Are the news media bored with it?

Last Monday The New York Times had only one story from Iraq. It was about a 2-year-old Iraqi girl who had been flown to Nashville for heart surgery. U.S. Marines picked up the expenses. Nice, but was that all there was from Iraq?

At least the Times had a heart-warming feature. Other news outlets seem to have forgotten about the war entirely unless something really bad happens to our forces.

Try to find something about the war in the March 17 issues of Time and Newsweek. Zilch.

Later Monday, five U.S. soldiers on foot patrol were reported killed in a suicide bombing. It was the deadliest attack against the U.S. military since five soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing on Jan. 28.

That got some attention on TV and radio on Monday and in the newspapers on Tuesday. It made Page 1 of The New York Times but not The Washington Post.

[Perry Logan]

1. When the Dems take over, there'll be a story about the war every minute.

[Selatius]

2. If it's considered repetitive or boring, it gets no play. Investors want high ratings for profits.

Casualty reports are getting "repetitive."

Issues with public education are "boring."

Issues with health care are "too complex." So you get a watered-down, non-sensical interpretation of what's going on.

Infrastructure falling apart? Forget about it. Unless a bridge collapses again killing lots of people, no coverage. Covering rusting steel bridges is more boring to them than watching molasses drip in winter.

What about poverty? Boring. If you're poor, you probably don't watch very much TV anyway, so you are no help to ratings. Forget catering to you then.

Things that get high ratings are the anticipation of a big-ass war because it's war but also because it's brand new and something different. Also, things like OJ Simpson running away in a white Ford Bronco. Those get lots of ratings too. And runaway bride stories and stuff of that sort. Britney Spears, who can forget all the news time she's gotten?

It's about profits, people. Maybe if we copied or improved on the model provided by the BBC, we'd all be better off.

[Supersedeas]

6. Odd, the so-called evidence out of Iran is repetitive and boring, but still gets play

[Selatius]

7. That's why I wrote "anticipation of a big-ass war." Iran war in the future? Dunno. But it'd be new.

[stellanoir]

3. Well they were just talking about a German vessel's attack on a British ship in the 40's on NPR.

Maybe we'll just catch up over time.

It's nutz.

[KharmaTrain]

4. You Can't Cover What You Can't See...

I see CNN sent Kyra back to do some fluff bits...more high school crushes about guys in uniforms and how we're winning "hearts and minds". Amazing how we get those stories...well not quite. When the Pentagon writes the scripts, it makes her work very easy...and this is the coverage they want and we get.

Real reporters are targeted and are unable to have much contact with what goes on inside of Iraq...and when they do have a story, there are few outlets that are willing to take their pieces. Some fear retribution from this regime, others think people are "tired" of all the slaughter and pillage. It's so nice they are looking out for our welfare :sarcasm:

One last and big factor is how our networks are now run on the cheap...running a bureau in Baghdad is expensive and a luxuary few networks feel they can afford. At best they have a "lookout" set up in a Baghdad hotel and their reporting is limited to what they get from the Pentagon and can decifer from the local radio, TV and papers. Informants, who used to assist in gathering the real story, are afraid to associate with Americans and fewer and fewer reliable sources of information are available.

The corporate media coverage of this ugly war for profit and occupation has been a disgrace from the outset. They cheerleaded for this war and when it started to go bad they "declared victory" any way they could...now they just try to ignore it and think we don't notice. Maybe we don't...when only 20% of the population can come close to the number of our own soldiers who have died in this cesspool.

[Supersedeas]

5. the news blackout is a Candidate McBush campaign promises honored by the MSN

Telecom Ad $$$ to major news outlets work in mysterious ways