As per our post yesterday about the role of the media when covering asymmetric conflicts between democracies and terror organizations we’d like to highlight some recent research and reporting on these issues, namely, the recent report, The Israeli-Hezbollah War of 2006: The Media As A Weapon in Asymmetrical Conflict by Marvin Kalb, Senior Fellow, Shorenstein Center, and Carol Saivetz, at Harvard University. Here’s the abstract:
“Based on content analysis of global media and interviews with many diplomats and journalists, this paper describes the trajectory of the media from objective observer to fiery advocate, becoming in fact a weapon of modern warfare. The paper also shows how an open society, Israel, is victimized by its own openness and how a closed sect, Hezbollah, can retain almost total control of the daily message of journalism and propaganda.” Full Report here.
This is not only an Israeli/Arab conflict issue. As the US led global War on Terror has illustrated over the last 6 years, many democratic countries are confronted by these same issues. Terror groups are able to set the media agenda by perpetrating spectacular acts of terrorism which play well for TV, as well as post their gruesome exploits on the internet for all to see, and the media unwittingly provides them a global platform. Meanwhile, these same groups restrict all access to their inner dysfunctions and coercive ideological controls, as illustrated in Kalb’s report.
In our case, the media is able to scrutinize Israel because we value and uphold freedom of the press. They deconstruct our every failing and debate because they can, and at the same time treat our autocratic neighbors and terror utilizing enemies with a different standard because they must. This is not an accusation, to be fair the media tries to get the story right, but it is foolish to believe that the media can remain objective when covering asymmetric conflicts and conflicts between open and closed societies. The media either provides an invaluable platform for terror groups without any of the uncomfortable scrutiny, as they work under the threat of violence or even worse for journalists, denial of access, or they create a perception of the open society as being weak and confused because it speaks with multiple voices and cannot hide its warts.
However, in the name of fairness and objectivity they give equal weight, and essentially equal credibility, to both sides, which creates a false moral equivalency. Essentially, the terror group can stay on message, even if it is a false and wildly misleading message, and because they are given an entire side of the story, an entire side of the television screen, and the open society has many messages and many voices, the terror group’s message shapes the debate because it is consistent and is given equal coverage and cannot be challenged from within.
We know this post raises many more questions then we have time or space to address, but let us know what you think. We will continue to explore these questions and try and push the debate on media coverage of asymmetric warfare between open societies and terror groups, as this may be one of the greatest media challenges of the 21st century.
Harvard should know a thing about terrorism since they accepted some real terrorists there recently, i.e. Halutz …
“an open society, Israel, is victimized by its own openness”
how is israel open when it allows Jews from anywhere in the world to “return”, but not Palestinians who lived there for centuries before 1948?
Disgusted;
The only real terrorists are Hamas and the Plo who love to murder Jewish women and children. Arabs who falsely call themselves “Palestinians” have not lived in iIsrael for centuries. This is just one of the countless lies that Arabs repeat all the time.
There has never been a Palestinian country, people, language, or culture. Israel was re-named Palestine thousands of years by the Romans and has no Arab connection. The Jews were the first to be called Palestinians. The Arabs started using the term several decades ago for propaganda purposes.
Arabs are indigenous to Arabia and most of them immigrated to Israel after it was re-founded for jobs. Jews are indigenous to Israel and the historical evidence proves it. Jews have always lived in Israel!
Dear Palestiniansareamyth:
At last…it is wonderful to hear the voice of truth. I am afraid “Disgusted” has not read his or her history, studied the scriptures, or taken a course in Archeology. It is true that advertising sells and the Arabs are the best spin-doctors in the world. Almost the entire Palestinian Arab population of Palestine arrived in the past two centuries and walked across the border into Jewish territory illegally, unimpeded by the British, who closely monitored every Jewish immigrant and limited that immigration. The records speak for themselves. Anyone who has not read “From Time Immemorial” will never know the truth. It was so accurate a fatwa was put out on the writer 20 years ago. The Arabs who call themselves Palestinians even jointed Hitler’s Army in Germany and killed thousands of Jews, Bosnians, Gypsies and Catholics in WWII, and when Hitler surrendered in 1945 they returned to the land of Palestine which was under British control,and proceeded to try to take over the land entirely, and have been doing so ever since. Their leader who appointed himself the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, a Jewish city build by King David, started the lie that has wound around the world, and ended up in Caffelatte klatches from Berkeley to New York, and the sheep follow. “Occupation” is a lie as it is currently told in the media. The truth is that illegal Palestinian Arabs occupy legal Jewish land. My fatwa will come soon, I am sure! The Arabs left on their own accord to let the Jewish people be killed off by five other Arab countries, and yet thousands were allowed to return. And now many of those thousands are trying to destroy Israel from within. Yes, it is complicated, and all instigated by diabolical Arab leaders.
What else is new these days? Jews have been in Palestine for over 3300 years, as far back as the time it was the Land of Canaan. Arabs are from Arab countries, of course… what is not to understand??
Keep talking truth…its out there… and our voices are beginning to be heard!!
hear the lord almighty says,the god of abraham isaac and jacob,i am with you my chosen people the jews. seek the lord jesus christ with all your heart. i will never leave you or forsake you. pray for your enemies,you do my work and i will take care of yours.
Oh Bother! To be born into a six thousand year old war. I lay this at your God’s feet, and walk away.