A Look Back At The Persian Gulf War

"American knows surprisingly what is taking place in the Persian Gulf. Because of the restrictions placed on the news media by the Pentagon, rarely have so many labored so hard to convey so little."

This is an exerpt from an article named "No News Is No News" during the time of the Persian Gulf War. This quote exlains how Americans were not informed about the events that had taken place during the war. But this article allows me to realize that restrictions were not only aimed toward the media during that time. it is still going on today as well. Even though there are different presidents and different people who are in charge, the rules have remained the same and the approach has remained the same as well.

"Viewers watch the high drama of journalists donning gas masks and hurrying bomb shelters, and CNN reporters ducking under desks to thousand of explosions nearby. Although the news gathering process has been short-circuited, and viewers have been treated to raw, unprocessed rumor as a result."

This is the same way news is delievered to viewers today. this article opens the eyes of an American for them to know that America will never change. They are not concerned with their citizens and care less about what is really important. many fact have been exaaggerated and the correct information was not exposed during the Persian Gulf War. And this is the same way things are happening today with the war with Iraq. What i have came to realize is that we are re-living history, and the pattern continues over the years.

Another quote form the article states that......
Debroah Amos of National Public Radio has remarked, "What we are seeing is too much of the war, and what we are not seeing is the context of the war."

This is the same way it is today in 2008 with Iraq War and many people need to realize that this approach has been happening for way too long.

Fox News or Fox Opinions??

"Ever since the terrorists attacks on Sept 11, the network has become a sort of headquarters for viewers who want their news served up with extra patriotic fervor. In the process, Fox had pushed television news where it has never gone before: to unabashed and vehement support of a war effort, carried in tough-guy declarations often expressing thirst for revenge."

This article discusses how fox news is knows for their flip flopping ways. for example, fox news used to be known for being politically conservative. but has changed since September 11th. they have encouraged correspondents and writers to tap into their anger and let it "play out". Then to add fire to fury Geraldo Rivera who was a fox war correspondent in Afghanistan said he would consider killing Osama Bin Laden himself is he came across him."

Now that is very ridiculous for a reporter to even say that on television. Not only is this on television for the entire public to hear, but it influences everyones thoughts and how they feel about the war as well. This article emphasizes how bias fox news is and how they impose their opinions on the public. they seem to always switch their opinions around and their news are always based on the way they feel. it is not fact based events that is covered, it is mostly the views of the reporters that they consider to be "news". They force these views on the all America regardless of race, color, religion, ethnicity, and nationality

America's Interest is not too much at heart

"There is intense pressure to win the story and be No. 1 with it. the feeling is, if we can't dominate during a time like this, when can we?"

From reading this article, one can see that the media is only concerned with themselves. Their increase in their ratings and the money that is made from the news is the most important concern for them. The article also emphasizes the importance of reporting at the place of the event. When reporters do this, it displays more competition between the other news stations. For example, in the article it says "And in this warm, it is not the well-known CNN war correspondent, Christine Amanpour, now reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan, who is getting all of the gossipy media attention, but Ashleigh Banfield of MSNBC, also stationed there." This quote displays the interest in only the company. They are not deciding what is the most important details for the public and what they are entitled to be informed about.

This article has only opened my eyes even more to the propaganda that is planted within these news stations. I have realized that their political views are not only the important characteristics to consider. when choosing a news station one has to be more observant about the news delivery and quality of the news as well.