Images and Bullets - The Reality of War

Entertainment is big business! As a society we endeavor to be entertained, amused, aroused, intrigued and most importantly feel apart of something, whether it’s physical or emotional/psychological. As the world is such a large place it is impossible to know what is happening across the globe, understand, witness or be apart of it, what ever it might be. The media industry in most societies facilitate by delivering the happenings of the world to comfort of a persons facilitations, wether it be by, television, newspaper, magazines, radios, internet mediums; Blogs, forums, websites and social networks plus various other alternatives. As viewers when watching news & correspondents we are represented with what we are led to believe is reality of what is actually happening and absorbed into it as a notion of what is being represented to us is fact. How much of what you are is seeing are actual real scenarios and how much of what you are watching is manufactured?

If we use War as an analogy to what is represented to us in the media. War is considered a situation of widespread conflict between large factions of people which involves the use of violent, physical force between soldiers/fighters or civilians. How much of what is actually happening within conflicts is actually being presented to us in it full entirety? Journalists have to be aware when televising war reports with what is happening on the battlefield and the response it will receive from its audience and viewers. How the depiction of the good and bad will be represented.

In recent times and even currently during conflicts i.e. Iraq (Gulf War 1 & 2), Afghanistan, Kosovo, Somalia and others we have seen misleading information and images. There are many reasons to why this occurs one being that journalists who are embedded with soldiers to cover stories have a conduct to abide by. “There are rules of engagement which journalist were to swear to abide by, some of these were that the details of military actions could only be described in general terms and there was to be no writing about possible future missions and weapons or sensitive information” (Cardell, Politics in the Wires). This can be seen as reasonable actions by military organizations as the information that is being protected and kept under the covers, if was released can endanger the lives of soldiers and civilians.

Manipulation and control of the media by military and governments is becoming common course of action, "The first casualty when war comes is Truth"— U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson, 1917. If we take a look at the Pentagon, it currently has its restrictions on what media can be released to the public this includes what Journalists are allowed to report on and includes restrictions on soldiers & Personnel posting pictures, Blogs and online discussions relating to the war or conflict zone they are in. If a journalist is broadcasting material deemed inappropriate for release the Pentagon has the power to jam all satellite transmission. Journalists, Personnel and soldiers who are publishing or sending to authorized personnel material which is seen unfit by the Pentagon are receiving letters warning them to stop or face consequences. The Pentagon “By restricting or managing what information is presented and hence what the public are told. For them it is paramount to control the media. This can involve all manner of activities, from organizing media sessions and daily press briefings, or through providing managed access to war zones, to even planting stories. This has happened throughout the 20th century. Over time then, the way that the media covers conflicts degrades in quality, critique and objectiveness."

So the Pentagon is putting restrictions on what can be published but the media organizations still need to make it look good to be able to sell it to its audiences. Candall tells us that “real life is where the action is at”. So this is where the barriers of truth becomes stretched to sweeten the taste of society yearn for action. The truth is Peace is boring most of us rather go and watch an action or a thriller movie then watch it again then have to sit through a boring documentary on the Discovery channel. (Not that all documentaries on discovery channel are boring but you get where I am coming from.) What we have happen is media organizations bending the truth to make it more interesting. Is the essence of story still there? Would you rather the truth or what every CNN has to offer?

So what is happening to the media that we are receiving?

It’s been restricted from the government agencies, The Media organizations are manipulating it, and so what are we ending up with? We are in cases receiving doctored and manufactured images of war. Is this giving us a false perception of what war really is like? Glorifying The Allies and deviling the enemies.

Crandall asked the question, What is more powerful images or bullets?

Let’s look at this way; In order for a countries bullets to be shot on foreign soil > Soldiers need to be there > for the soldiers to get there and continually receive funding to continue their campaign governments needs to authorize all measures > In order for governments & politicians to come into power they require funding and support > Political Funding - majority is provided by big business>big business own media organization > Media organizations entertain and have an influence on society > Society support politicians and elect them to government. So you tell me what do you think is more powerful images or bullets? Images are doing the influencing, illustrate the right images and you are able to shift a public opinion. This with most people in society the power to influence is seen more powerful then the power of the bullet.