Israel invades Gaza

[Winner]

When the Israeli army decided to shut all media out of Gaza (never mind the Israeli Supreme Court ruling telling them they can't do that). Apparently Al-Jazeera is the only channel which was both willing and able to essentially flip them the bird over this. Consequently they are now the only channel with the much-in-demand footage.

That doesn't in any way justify the bias of the anchormen.

Anyway, it's clear why Israel doesn't want reporters in Gaza - it's a war zone, they'd either get killed, kidnapped or used as human shields.

 

[Verbose]

Anyway, it's clear why Israel doesn't want reporters in Gaza - it's a war zone, they'd either get killed, kidnapped or used as human shields.

Yup. And those things are the reasons why a certain kind of reporters think that's exactly the place they should be, reporting the news.

 

[silver 2039]

Reporter's know the risk of the job. If they are willing to go there's no reason they shouldn't be allowed to.

 

[Winner]

Yup. And those things are the reasons why a certain kind of reporters think that's exactly the place they should be, reporting the news.

Yes, we definitely need more propaganda pictures of hurt women and crying children and some hypocritical sensationalist idiots helping Hamas to win the PR war...

 

[silver 2039]

Yes, we definitely need more propaganda pictures of hurt women and crying children and some hypocritical sensationalist idiots helping Hamas to win the PR war...

Yes to hell with freedom of press!

 

[Winner]

Yes to hell with freedom of press!

This is war. No nation offers full freedom to journalists in war zones, especially if they could aid its enemies. That's a reality.

 

[holy king]

o noes, snapshots from the war are propaganda pictures!!!!

 

[Verbose]

Reporter's know the risk of the job. If they are willing to go there's no reason they shouldn't be allowed to.

No, then the army operating there cannot control the information, and its spin, properly. Any damn thing occurring might get reported, and they don't want that.

It might turn out like Vietnam again, where people actually found out what was going on, while it was still going on. Caused all kinds of headaches. Much better to pull the wool over everybodys' eyes.

Since Vietnam we haven't had a war involving a major western army where there wasn't considerable effort expended on massaging the media to ensure they reported the "right" news.

 

[Winner]

o noes, snapshots from the war are propaganda pictures!!!!

These days, in the era of info warfare? You bet! Most journalists today are interested in blood, violence and sex. They're not interested in offering a balanced analysis of what's happening and why. Let's take some pictures of some dead kids instead, that interests the audience more than boring babbling of some experts.

Bah. Given that how biased most of the mainstream media is against Israel, I totally understand why they don't want them in Gaza.

If they were allowed there, they'd work against Israel. If they got killed, Israel would be blamed for their deaths. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Verbose]

This is war. No nation offers full freedom to journalists in war zones, especially if they could aid its enemies. That's a reality.

The US army did in Vietnam. They regretted it later, but they did. The only thing you couldn't do as a reporter was to first get accreditation with the North Vietnamese, and then with the US. Other way around was fine though.

 

[Winner]

No, then the army operating there cannot control the information, and its spin, properly. Any damn thing occurring might get reported, and they don't want that.

It might turn out like Vietnam again, where people actually found out what was going on, while it was still going on. Caused all kinds of headaches. Much better to pull the wool over everybodys' eyes.

Since Vietnam we haven't had a war involving a major western army where there wasn't considerable effort expended on massaging the media to ensure they reported the "right" news.

Do you honestly believe that Vietnam was an example of solid journalist work? Please. They one-sidedly presented everything as US fault and US defeat. They even managed to present the Tet offensive as US defeat, which is perhaps the most ridiculous journalist screwup in history.

 

[TheLastOne36]

the allies also didnt build a wall around germany and left them to die of hunger and disease in there.

And the Palestinians didn't start a full force invasion on Israel and Lebanon, And Turkey and all the way up to Greece and Europe. You can't compare the two. What do you think the Germans would've reacted if a Wall was built around it? Not to mention that Germany is huge and a wall that big would cost billions.

 

[hossam]

the allies also didnt build a wall around germany and left them to die of hunger and disease in there.

there was that wall built though berlin

 

[Verbose]

Do you honestly believe that Vietnam was an example of solid journalist work? Please. They one-sidedly presented everything as US fault and US defeat. They even managed to present the Tet offensive as US defeat, which is perhaps the most ridiculous journalist screwup in history.

To my knowledge the best coverage of the Vietnam war was done by journalist legend I.F. Stone. He never even visisted the place. He just read every damn offcial report put out, and pieced together a picture of what was actually going on. He was the guy reporters IN Vietnam tended to read, when they wanted a coherent attampt at an analysis of what they were seeing actually meant.

So no, I don't necessarily consider Vietnam an example of "solid" reporting. I do consider it an example of more or less "unconstrained" reporting, of a kind that ended there. Already for the Falklands war the British army had decided what it was they wanted, and made sure they got it.

But really, don't watch TV at all, if you are uncomfortable with the fact that it is a form of media absolutely useless at analysis, but unprecedented for emotional appeal.

 

[Winner]

To my knowledge the best coverage of the Vietnam war was done by journalist legend I.F. Stone. He never even visisted the place. He just read every damn offcial report put out, and pieced together a picture of what was actually going on. He was the guy reporters IN Vietnam tended to read, when they wanted a coherent attampt at an analysis of what they were seeing actually meant.

So no, I don't necessarily consider Vietnam an example of "solid" reporting. I do consider it an example of more or less "unconstrained" reporting, of a kind that ended there. Already for the Falklands war the British army had decided what it was they wanted, and made sure they got it.

But really, don't watch TV at all, if you are uncomfortable with the fact that it is a form of media absolutely useless at analysis, but unprecedented for emotional appeal.

I am mostly ignoring TV coverage, I turned on CNN just to see how they're reporting about this and it convinced me that they're totally useless.

As for BBC, I laughed when they reported that "Thousands of Europeans are protesting against the Israeli op" - then they show the demonstrants, 99% of them of Middle Eastern appearance waving Palestinian flags. Certainly a representative sample of European society...

Ok, I am finished ranting tonight

 

[TheLastOne36]

I am mostly ignoring TV coverage, I turned on CNN just to see how they're reporting about this and it convinced me that they're totally useless.

As for BBC, I laughed when they reported that "Thousands of Europeans are protesting against the Israeli op" - then they show the demonstrants, 99% of them of Middle Eastern appearance waving Palestinian flags. Certainly a representative sample of European society...

Ok, I am finished ranting tonight

lol i'm watching that right now

 

[emzie]

That's good, because I do, and it is!

It's inconsequential. Either Israel holds talks with / indirectly supports Fatah or they continue the status quo.

Yes, we definitely need more propaganda pictures of hurt women and crying children and some hypocritical sensationalist idiots helping Hamas to win the PR war...

You have to face the reality that women and children are dying, are going to continue to die, and then convince the populace that their deaths are the lesser evil. If you can't win the PR war in the face of civilian deaths, you don't have the resolve to be in a fight in the first place. As I said earlier: either go all out or don't bother trying.

 

[MobBoss]

Fully expect Hamas to bring the same propaganda than Hezbollah did in 2006. Like the altered or staged photographs. Crazy stuff that.

 

[Fëanor]

Germans didn't believe they started the war either. According to them, they were only reclaiming their ancestral lands (Austria, Sudetenland, and the Polish corridor/Danzig) which were unjustly taken from them by the Allied powers.

Sounds familiar?

your right, it sounds exactly like the declaration of Independence of Israel!

Impelled by this historic and traditional attachment, Jews strove in every successive generation to re-establish themselves in their ancient homeland.

Lets hope that like in Poland, where millions were displaced to make lebensraum for the Germans, one day refugees will be allowed to return to their homes.

 

[Gogf]

your right, it sounds exactly like the declaration of Independence of Israel!



Lets hope that like in Poland, where millions were displaced to make lebensraum for the Germans, one day refugees will be allowed to return to their homes.

Tell me when Israel forcibly expelled the Palestinians.