Israel's News & Views BlogThe Kfar Qana bombing incident in Lebanon, followed by tragedies such as missile attacks in Akko, Haifa, and now, pristine Kfar Giladi, makes one wonder who really is winning the media propaganda war? For example, the two major American news networks that can be easily picked up in this part of the word, seem have very different ways of reporting the often tragic events, with a definite slant in favor of either one side or the other. Military censorship, once very easy to control by the Israeli military, is now less possible, due to the high tech world we presently live in. Use of the internet, cellular phones, Ipods, and many other means of on the spot communication, also allow media reporters to give accurate ‘as they happen’ details, without having to first write them down and then run to the nearest private or public telephone to frantically call the story in, like they had to do as recently as the Vietnam War.
Hat Tip: Dor from Haifa
Playing on already frayed and often panic stricken emotions, ‘breaking news’ events are often blown completely out of proportion, including video photo clips of dead and terribly wounded people being pulled out of destroyed buildings and carried off to receive medical attention (if still alive). The Qana incident, for example, was one of the most covered and dramatic incidents of the current conflict so far. While tragic enough on its own, still ongoing investigations, including more accurate accounts by on-the-scene Red Cross emergency personnel, now confirm that 28 people were killed in the alleged attack by Israeli aircraft, and not 57 as was so graphically reported by world media news mongers. Even the actual facts were muddied a bit, especially the 7 hour ‘time lapse’ between the aerial attack by Israeli aircraft and the time when the building housing the unfortunate victims actually collapsed, resulting in their deaths.
Photos, video shots, and even less perfect images taken by private witnesses using new cell phones with miniature video cameras installed often try to over-dramatize events in order to get the viewers’ undivided attention. Though acting under the guise of free speech and freedom of the press, are these current news propaganda methods really any different than those described in British author George Orwell’s famous novel: 1984? Orwell’s now historic novel, from which several movie versions have been made, describes a world in which huge authoritarian and oligopoly run governments have divided a post nuclear war world into three mega dictatorships: Oceana, Eurasia, and East Asia. Using dramatic film clips, television, and a political language called ‘double-speak’ peoples’ minds and actions are completely controlled by the government, using such slogans as: War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, and Slavery is Freedom.
OK, good people, don’t get me wrong. We who live in democratic societies, including Israel, do not live under such governments; and are free to choose which news ‘versions’ of events we want to hear. And, if things get too rough, we are also free to turn off our “tel-screens” and not see these horrible events at all (something completely forbidden in the ultra-authoritarian ruled society portrayed by Orwell). Many people in other countries, including ones very near to Israel, do not have such freedoms, however; and often have to watch government censored and controlled versions, including listening to ‘double speech’ type of rhetoric. Islamic republics like Iran, and Kingdoms like Saudi Arabia, probably fall into this Orwellian category, with people having to take great risks to see other ‘versions’ of current events.
Government censorship may be beneficial however, when issues of national security are at stake. To explain on television how a commando operation, or similar operation was carried out, or graphically describe damage from a bombing or missile attack in a certain location, can play in to an enemy’s hands giving them better details in order to be more accurate in their next planned attack; which appears to occur much too often. In this case, we’re not talking about Orwellian double-speak, but good common sense; especially in matters of life and death.
2 Comments
Superb! One of the best postings I’ve read yet!
Just stay with your guts, time will be the solid proof that Israel was right…..again. The news lives from anything out of the normal, not solid proof.
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