Welcome to the new genre of reality television. A masterpiece production of Shakespearian tragedy, a war we can watch at any time of the day. The only drawback -- every channel looks the same. War isn't just being fought on the front lines, it's being fought in our living rooms. Something disturbs me about this Hollywood-like coverage of the Iraqi war. Has the moment come when watching the news implied watching death and destruction? Are American media outlets objective enough to be interpreters of such a historical event? Only two weeks in and we can answer the latter -- it has become evidently clear that American media will sensationalize the war. Unfortunately, this sensationalism not only serves as an insult to the gravity of the situation but also as a dissipation of an opportunity to reveal war's horrors.
The virtue in poignant war coverage is that it adds credibility to humanitarianism. Anyone can support his or her dovish sentiments when referencing hard-to-stomach war pictures. Yet, the graphicness and sensationalism of today's news coverage implicitly trivializes what Iraq and America led coalitions are doing to each other. War, despite unarguably representing the worst we are as human beings, is being presented with shrewd glorification. Furthermore, the coverage is noticeably slanted. With the war in its early stages it is easy to detect a pro-American bias on the news.
With war's mercurialness, un-biased reporting is difficult. Arab news outlets have placed an overwhelming emphasis on civilian deaths, while much of the U.S. coverage seems focused on strategy, weaponry and policy. Cameras are now part of the front line, war strategies are publicized and the philosophies of collateral damage have become on-screen debates. The coverage is interesting because it's uncommon, but the media has an obligation to balance the sour with the sweet. As one anonymous U.S. diplomat summarized, "The Arab World is seeing trips to the hospitals, grieving parents, while the American cable stations and networks are showing the troops in the field." News stations from around the globe are broadcasting a much more honest portrait of Iraq -- a country teetering on the edge of devastation and political upheaval -- why aren't we?
One theory about why the media isn't objectively covering the war is that they are operating out of a desire to keep viewers entertained and ratings rising. War coverage is being treated in the same regard as a presidential scandal or a court case. It is a 24- hour repetitive drama, stuffed with ambiguous government jargon. All of which keeps the viewer fearful, confused and salivating for more. Furthermore, the major networks appear to be acting out of the back pockets of big businesses. For instance, of the 160 or more international media outlets owned by Rupert Murdoch, all of them have taken a pro-war stance. Need we go off on Fox News?
The misinforming of society is having dangerous ramifications for future foreign diplomacy. The media is polarizing the conflict and by doing so, building the foundations for further anti-American sentiment. Americans will see war as a plausible solution to our international policies. The Arab world, along with the rest of the globe, will have a vilified perception of U.S. foreign policy. Had the media given proper attention to some of the "under-the-radar" issues, most notably the true composition of the coalition of the willing and the rebellious reaction of much of the Arab world, they would have been doing a better service to their audiences. As it is, Americans will remain entertained while surrounding nations are stirred with justifiable anger.
In the era of television, news networks have become the informers of the nation. Their unprecedented access to the battlefields provides future generations the evidence and inclination to avoid prolonged war. The media acts as the interpreter of the moment and thus largely dictates national perception. This delicate responsibility warrants the most objective and realistic reporting imaginable. Americans aren't watching an action movie unfold in their living rooms. The situation in Iraq is a very real conflict with very real ramifications -- as such it must be treated with the utmost respect and solemnity and not with the sensational hyperbole that we have witnessed in the past two weeks.
