Reporting on war is a fragile and sensitive subject. There are few other issues that affect mankind globally in such a dramatic and horrific manner.
The function of a war reporter is to paint a precise and vindicated picture of conflicts from around the globe.
Today, in our advanced technological world that has transformed reporting over the last two decades, conflict reporters aren’t just capable of painting a picture of world conflicts, but creating a piece of art.
Reporting technology
In addition to an improvement in television picture and the emergence of the digital age which allows unprecedented access to news, it’s the equipment used by the reporters themselves that has brought conflict reporting into unfamiliar territory.
This newfound access invades areas of the conflict that previously only troops ventured to. This has in part been achieved by the equipment that reporters are now able to carry on themselves as they sit on a tank and roll into Baghdad or sprint to catch up with their comrades on the frontline. As this equipment has become faster it has also, in parallel, become smaller. Pocket-sized, battery-powered satellite phones operated during Gulf War II have substituted the forty kilogram models on display in the first Gulf War, allowing reporters increased mobility in the reporting field.
Furthermore, the computers used by war reporters have shrunk to a convenient size. Reporters are equipped with small laptops which can be carried on their person permanently. The journalist’s footage, files and reports can then be uploaded onto the laptop instantaneously, rather than relying on having to retreat far behind the frontline to pursue a computer operating miles from the battlefield.
Today satellite phones function through a medium called the Integrated Services Digital Network, or ISDN. The ISDN network enables file transfer, audio coding and other decoding devices, giving studio quality audio. These files can then be sent back across the network for broadcast. The phones can also do live video conferencing via ISDN. Although the coverage is of low quality, the ability to broadcast from the frontline provides the element of eye-witness account which is evolving the way that television war reporting is interpreted.
Reporting to a new audience
Regardless of the expansive array of gadgets now available to war reporters and the undeniable fact that the gap between the audience and the frontline is gradually being bridged, sophisticated technology doesn’t entirely guarantee the consumption of quality news. The information reported is far more significant than the medium by which it is carried. Many other avenues have been unwrapped in this soaring technological march, some that enhance the news experience, yet others that arguably oppose the traditional values that news stands for.
Despite the fact that television war coverage hit its pinnacle during Gulf War II, arguably an alternative medium has dominated the technological furor during the conflict. The Internet, or online news, strictly speaking, has acted as a pivotal power in the coverage of the war in the Middle East.
War reporting and the Internet
Since its birth, the Internet has brought about the most significant changes in communications since the advent of television. It is predicted that in the long run it will alter global society even more than television has because people use it not just to receive information but to send it and to connect with one another. The Internet gives news consumers unprecedented independence as information gatherers. Before the Web, most information from governments, interest groups and other sources was presented and filtered by the news media. But now, in the era of unmediated media, anyone can use the Web to access information from sources such as The White House, The Pentagon, The House of Commons, even terrorist groups. During wartime, the Internet allows the individual news consumer to cut loose and view events from many perspectives – opposing the wishes of the news business and governments.
The war in the Middle East has created a surge in the emergence of "weblogs" or "blogs." These text pages serve as a basic format for writers to correspond directly with their audiences. Many mainstream news outlets are utilising this medium by encouraging their reporters to post blogs on the conflict, providing news-hungry readers an alternative perspective to war coverage. Sky News has launched a section on their website called "The Frontline Blog."
Personal war stories
The Internet also saw the emergence of weblogs created by soldiers fighting in the war itself. These were quickly labelled "warblogs." A famous example comes from U.S military officer "L.T Smash." His blog, which described his opinions on the conflict and his day-to-day routine was getting 6,000 visitors a day during the first week of the war. These warblogs provided a sense of intimacy and attitude that are impossible to create in newspapers or on television.
More recently, the Internet has seen the rise of Twitter and its engagement in the conflict debate. Vin Ray, Director of the BBC College of Journalism identifies the power and significance of online programs such as Twitter. “Twitter takes arguments and opinions and can spread them globally at incredible speed; it’s a format that’s perfect for promoting events such as political protests.”
Whilst the power and accessibility of blogs and Twitter is undeniable, its significance and reliability is questionable.
The rise of the Internet has seen an increase in uncensored and arguably unreliable and inaccurate accounts of war, leaking into a global newsroom. Online users are in danger of being manipulated by phony bloggers whose real mission is to deliver propaganda. The case of "Salam Pax," whose blog detailed life in Baghdad, caused real stir as the reliability of his endorsements surrounding the state of life in Iraq were questioned. Some believed his musings regarding the need for political change were a "CIA creative writing exercise." Vin Ray recognises that the Internet has the capacity to be used as a tool of war. “The Web can be deceptive, anyone can create their own identity and there is no defence against this sort of manipulation. One must keep skeptical when exploring the Web.”
War reporting and the news industries
News industries are finding ways of utilising the public’s access and ease in relation to online news. Citizen journalism is increasingly becoming a valuable addition to television and online news. Mobile phone videos taken by the everyday citizen are providing exciting eye-witness accounts that reporters arrive too late to capture. When the July 2005 bombings occurred in London, reporters had no access to the scene of the incidents and channels such as Sky News were relying on mobile phone footage sent in by those caught up in the chaos. Citizen journalism can provide a unique angle to accounts of conflicts, with members of the public sending in what they capture, highlighting the reality of a situation, avoiding the censorship of military or government control on certain newsworthy content.
“The user generated content hub was set up to develop audience participation and debate as well as gain eye-witness photos, videos and accounts,” explains Vin Ray. “We’re currently receiving over 65,000 images a week.”
Whilst the opportunity is a popular one for the aspiring journalist, it is argued that the over reliance on public-submitted material in major news stories means that consequently the freelancers and professional journalist perspective is overlooked in favour of a free, frontline account.
Reporting to a 24-hour audience
The depth in which Gulf War II has been covered eclipses that of any other previous conflict. The media explosion of recent decades has led to there being staggering amounts of information available today. In particular, anytime, anywhere, we have updated 24 hour news services, an expansion that has shaped the way war reporters function. Twenty-four hour television allows the audience to see events unfold before their eyes. Catastrophes such as 9/11 and the Beslan school massacre of 2004 are covered step by step, similarly to a soap opera. The continuous flow and output of information has fashioned a cliffhanger-esque effect to war coverage, with audiences tuning in to avoid missing a report on pockets of resistance or steps towards Baghdad.
Twenty-four hour news demands speed and the routine of the modern day reporter varies largely to how those functioned two decades ago. BBC Correspondent Allan Little feels the demand for fast news adds more pressure on conflict reporters today. “When I reported in Bosnia, I’d have loads of time between interviews. I could collect my thoughts, decide what angle to take my story at and produce a well balanced, well prepared story. Today a war reporter has to think on his feet. Everything is so quick, you go straight to live broadcast and everything you say is online within minutes. It’s a different demand today.”
Arguably, 24-hour coverage on war is beginning to cater to audiences looking to be entertained and satisfied, and hard news is being replaced by glamourised accounts of war. News corporations are business-run, and businesses crave profit. It is suggested that the coverage of Gulf War II has become a ratings war, especially in America with channels like CNN and FOX battling for audience share. Channels have been accused of promoting a pro-war slant and avoiding reporting on casualties and accidents in order to keep audiences happy. This strategy reinforces the belief that 24-hour news has been used as a tool for political management and spin. The strongly held opinion that the media lost the war in Vietnam for America has led to tighter control over the media and an apparent campaign to utilise advanced media technology and present censored news to enforce positive spin on a war that has been slammed continuously by the media and the public.
Ironically these technologies that have enhanced the reality and experience of conflict reports are arguably being used as a tool to hide what’s really happening in the Middle East.
Alastair McClymont - I am a recent graduate in Multimedia Journalism with a passion for travel, music, sport and real ale. I have previously covered travel ...
