| |
| |
You are here: Frontpage > Issues > 2492-93 >
|
|
1.2m Iraqis may have died in the
Iraq war: why the silence?
1.2m Iraqis may have died in the
Iraq war: why the silence?
Polina Aksamentova
Hope for journalism.
While the purpose of the "First
Casualty? War, Truth and the
Media today" conference, held by
Media Workers Against the War
on 17 November, was to expose
media's self-censorship and pon-
der its origins, the overwhelming
theme of the gathering was hope.
I went to the conference seek-
ing to understand the media's
treatment of the finding by polling
agency ORB that 1.2m Iraqis have
died violently in the invasion and
occupation of Iraq (reported in the
last two issues of PN).
Disillusioned
No one at the convention doubted
that the war in Iraq and "the war
on terror" have not received a fair,
balanced and critical coverage.
The vast amount of evidence the
speakers presented was already
accepted as fact and almost
unnecessary.
Like me, the attendees came
disillusioned, appalled by the jour-
nalists' lack of integrity. And many
had noticed the trifling appear-
ance the 1.2m-dead figure has
made in the headlines.
Why?
More intriguing were the various
explanations for this that famous
journalists and anti-war activists
offered.
Tony Benn, a former Labour
Cabinet Minister, stressed the
influence of the government. He
said journalists are pressured to
report what the government tells
them for fear of being denied the
"scoop".
He added that recent cuts to
the BBC's news resources were
an example of this "attack".
Sami Ramadani, a professor at
London Metropolitan University
and an Iraqi political exile since
1969, had a more pessimistic
view. He said the media are a part
of the establishment, and if they
report anti-war views, it's because
there's division within the govern-
ment.
Nick Davies, an investigative
reporter from the Guardian, dis-
missed several arguments citing
proprietor interference in news
agenda, and said the nature of the
business over the last 20 years
has to be considered.
He explained that since 1985
the output per journalist has
tripled while the time for reporting
has been cut. At the same time
the PR industry has skyrocketed,
overtaking journalists in numbers.
"We are infinitely vulnerable to
being manipulated," he said.
"Journalists used to choose the
stories and angles, now PR
decides this.
"Reporters are no longer active
gatherers, but passive proces-
sors."
While many speakers noted that
there are instances of brave and
honest reporting, some said jour-
nalists don't bother trying, despite
their ethical convictions.
Where now?
Debate also ensued over how the
system can be changed.
Some people said the anti-war
movement should set up their
own news channel  online per-
haps  others argued that pres-
suring the media and government
would be most effective, giving
confidence to the few journalists
to report the truth.
Hopeful
I came away from the conference
much more informed and hopeful.
My idealism was not resurrect-
ed. I could not but doubt the
impact of this movement.
And perhaps they won't change
the nature of the media. The
imposing forces are too big for a
few righteous people.
Yet I and those around me
remained hopeful. Because, sure-
ly, the conference's greatest
achievement was that it had been
held in the first place.
Because there is a struggle, and
because journalism students
attending the conference have
been exposed to vital information,
as I have been at Peace News.
After all, it is up to the journal-
ists themselves to stand up and
do the right thing. Up to someone
like me, if I make it.
So I say, there is hope for jour-
nalism.
Polina Aksamentova is a journalism
student at Binghamton University,
New York State, currently working
with Peace News in London.
|
|
|
|
