Media In Wartime

Whether media impacts people’s minds and beliefs through television, radio, internet, or pamphlets, it is a powerful means by which individuals, companies, and nations can convey their perspectives. This fact holds true during wartime as well with the additional reality that the high stakes, emotionality, and polarity that are natural to war make the media that much more significant. For this reason, various involved factions will inevitably attempt to control or influence media to their own objectives. The military of opposing sides often attempt to influence the way that information is disseminated through their own presentation of the data and facts. Politicians, corporate moguls, and concerned groups do the same. In fact, the supposedly objective media reporters and editors also provide their own spin on wartime subjects. Reporters and editors may state that they are truly objective, but this has not been the case in recent wartime conflicts. In the writing process that yields the final copies of information that will reach the public, perspective is always present. For instance, a headline for the same wartime incident could read: “American Troops Win Critical Battle” or “American Troops Kill 35 Afghanis.” These two fictitious headlines provide very different first impressions of the same event. For those involved in security and emergency operations, the conveying of perspective through the mass media must be closely watched and understood so that the public reaction and perception can also be gauged. Such analysis and evaluation enables security managers to be prepared for what lies ahead during wartime.