Media Accuracy in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
A Pew Research Center Survey has found that American’s trust in their media is at its lowest in over two decades, and it’s hard to find a British citizen not criticizing their media’s long list of inaccuracies. The British and American media’s inaccuracies have been truly brought to the spotlight in recent years due to the duel conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Inaccurate and distorted accounts of the events and history of the Middle East assault the media from every angle, from small college newspapers up to our large media outlets.
The poll above, conducted by the Program on International Policy (PIPA) at the University of Maryland and Knowledge Networks in 2003 showed the disparities between people and their conceptions of truth about the Iraq War. Overall 48% incorrectly believed that the evidence of links between Iraq and al Qaeda had been found, 22%believes that weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, and 25% believes that world public opinion favored the US going to war with Iraq. Overall 60% had at least one of these three misperceptions.
Also, of those who has none of the misperceptions listed above, only 23% support the war. Those with at least one misconception, about 53% of them supported the war, and that number rose to 78% for those who have two of the misconceptions, and to 86% for those with all 3 misconceptions. While these three misconceptions, are not the only reasons we went into the Iraq war, but the public's ignorance of events looks poorly onto the news organization they mostly follow.
Research on Globe Scan shows that 64% of British citizens disagree that the media report all sides of a story. Also 43 percent disagree that the media reports news accurately.
Also, of those who has none of the misperceptions listed above, only 23% support the war. Those with at least one misconception, about 53% of them supported the war, and that number rose to 78% for those who have two of the misconceptions, and to 86% for those with all 3 misconceptions. While these three misconceptions, are not the only reasons we went into the Iraq war, but the public's ignorance of events looks poorly onto the news organization they mostly follow.
Research on Globe Scan shows that 64% of British citizens disagree that the media report all sides of a story. Also 43 percent disagree that the media reports news accurately.
Why is this an International Problem?
A WorldPublicOpinion.org that shows out of 17 countries, only nine of them had a majority of their people state that Al Qaeda was the conspirator behind the September 11th attacks.
UK: 57% Al Qaeda, 5% US Govt., 1% Israel, 12% Other, and 26% Don't Know.
CNN International is shown in over 221 countries, and the BBC World Service is the largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 32 different languages and their average weekly audience is around 188 million.
UK: 57% Al Qaeda, 5% US Govt., 1% Israel, 12% Other, and 26% Don't Know.
CNN International is shown in over 221 countries, and the BBC World Service is the largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 32 different languages and their average weekly audience is around 188 million.
Study: False Statements Preceded War
"'Some journalists - indeed, even some entire news organizations - have since acknowledged that their coverage during those prewar months was far too deferential and uncritical. These mea culpas notwithstanding, much of the wall-to-wall media coverage provided additional, 'independent' validation of the false statements about Iraq,' it said."
Massive Iraqi Death Toll Ignored by Tabloid Culture
Story about how British the polling group Opinion Research Business (ORB) calculated the over 1 million Iraqis has been killed since the beginning of the war, yet the story was only printed in three British newspapers, and ignored in America. Later, American's were polled and the most Iraqi's they thought had been killed in the war was around 10,000.
"'Some journalists - indeed, even some entire news organizations - have since acknowledged that their coverage during those prewar months was far too deferential and uncritical. These mea culpas notwithstanding, much of the wall-to-wall media coverage provided additional, 'independent' validation of the false statements about Iraq,' it said."
Massive Iraqi Death Toll Ignored by Tabloid Culture
Story about how British the polling group Opinion Research Business (ORB) calculated the over 1 million Iraqis has been killed since the beginning of the war, yet the story was only printed in three British newspapers, and ignored in America. Later, American's were polled and the most Iraqi's they thought had been killed in the war was around 10,000.
Regulation Of the Media
News Councils: Council’s that are supported by a tax on a group of media organizations, that allow for complaints to be filed about the groups in the council. The Press Complaints Commission is a British regulatory body which helps filter complaints given to newspapers and magazines. Its power comes from the media organizations that agree to pay a small tax to it, but it still has no legal power. Minnesota and Washington now have their own News Councils.
Ombudsmen
Media Watchdogs:
Self-Regulation:
Fairness Doctrine
In 1949 the FCC(Federal Communications Commission) enacted the Fairness Doctrine, which required American television and radio networks to give "reasonable opportunities" for differing viewpoints on controversial social and political issues to be aired.
"The Fairness Doctrine has two basic elements: broadcasters must devote some of their airtime to discussions of controversial matters of public interest, and they must air contrasting views regarding those matters."
In 2005, communications law expert Steve Rendell wrote: “There are many misconceptions about the Fairness Doctrine. For instance, it did not require that each program be internally balanced, nor did it mandate equal time for opposing points of view. And it didn’t require that the balance of a station’s program lineup be anything like 50/50...The Fairness Doctrine simply prohibited stations from broadcasting from a single perspective, day after day, without presenting opposing views.”
On June 9th, 1969, the Supreme Court Upholds the Fairness Doctrine as Constitutional.
In 1985 the FCC stops enforcing the Doctrine before overturning it in 1989.
"The Fairness Doctrine has two basic elements: broadcasters must devote some of their airtime to discussions of controversial matters of public interest, and they must air contrasting views regarding those matters."
In 2005, communications law expert Steve Rendell wrote: “There are many misconceptions about the Fairness Doctrine. For instance, it did not require that each program be internally balanced, nor did it mandate equal time for opposing points of view. And it didn’t require that the balance of a station’s program lineup be anything like 50/50...The Fairness Doctrine simply prohibited stations from broadcasting from a single perspective, day after day, without presenting opposing views.”
In 1985 the FCC stops enforcing the Doctrine before overturning it in 1989.
The British Version of the Fairness Doctrine?
The Header of The Sun newspaper May 05, 2010.
NGO's
o The World Press Freedom Committee works with IGO’s to secure a free press in every single country.
o The International Association of Press Clubs was formed to help journalists uphold international ethics standards, and allow for free access and distribution of information worldwide
o The Press Complaints Commission is a British media watchdog for its newspapers and magazines. Its power comes from the media organizations that agree to pay a small tax to it, but it still has no legal power.
o Media Watchdog Groups(FAIR, AIM, MMA, MRC, Factcheck.org)
o The International Communications Forum (ICF), is an international group that hopes to, through training and conferences, to promote strong ethical standards in international journalism.
o The International Association of Press Clubs was formed to help journalists uphold international ethics standards, and allow for free access and distribution of information worldwide
o The Press Complaints Commission is a British media watchdog for its newspapers and magazines. Its power comes from the media organizations that agree to pay a small tax to it, but it still has no legal power.
o Media Watchdog Groups(FAIR, AIM, MMA, MRC, Factcheck.org)
Multi-National Corporations
· GE owns NBC
· Walt Disney owns ABC
· News Corps owns Fox, The Times, and The Sun, and is the majority shareholder in SkyTV.
· Time Warner owns CNN.
· Not to mention all the ad-space.
· Walt Disney owns ABC
· News Corps owns Fox, The Times, and The Sun, and is the majority shareholder in SkyTV.
· Time Warner owns CNN.
· Not to mention all the ad-space.
