Media in Conflict Media in Conflict situationssituations

Xavier Giró - Universitat Autònoma de Xavier Giró - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)Barcelona)

OutlineOutline

The communicative strategy of actors in a The communicative strategy of actors in a ConflictConflict

Criticism to the Media coverageCriticism to the Media coverage

Why media do not perform a better workWhy media do not perform a better work

The effective logic of Media‘s workThe effective logic of Media‘s work

Challenges for a critic journalismChallenges for a critic journalism

Actor‘s (Communicative) StrategyActor‘s (Communicative) Strategy

Two battlefields:Two battlefields:– The military field :The military field :

The rearguardThe rearguard The front The front

– The information field:The information field: The frontThe front The rearguardThe rearguard

Communikative Communikative StrategyStrategy At the Front:At the Front:

– To misinform, mislead the enemy:To misinform, mislead the enemy: ““To lie is a necessity; telling the truth, a To lie is a necessity; telling the truth, a

treason”treason”– i.e. Golf War (1991), before the offensive of i.e. Golf War (1991), before the offensive of

the “Allied forces”.the “Allied forces”.

Communikative Communikative StrategyStrategy At the rearguardAt the rearguard::

– Legitimation of the choice of War.Legitimation of the choice of War. International Law / International Public International Law / International Public

OpinionOpinion Their own public opinion / die votersTheir own public opinion / die voters

– Ex. M. Thatcher:Ex. M. Thatcher:

Thatcher, Margaret:Thatcher, Margaret: My years in Downing Street. My years in Downing Street. (about the Malvinas War) (about the Malvinas War)

““... We decide to allow war journalists ... We decide to allow war journalists in our Warships . ... The result were in our Warships . ... The result were very vivid reports about the events. But very vivid reports about the events. But there was always the risk to broadcast there was always the risk to broadcast information which could be useful for information which could be useful for the opponent. I was shocked by the the opponent. I was shocked by the tendency of some commentaries to tendency of some commentaries to appear neutral, and I also found awful appear neutral, and I also found awful when reporters spoke about ‘the when reporters spoke about ‘the British’ and ‘the Argentineans’.”British’ and ‘the Argentineans’.”

Thatcher, Margaret:Thatcher, Margaret: My years in Downing Street. My years in Downing Street. (about the Malvinas/ (about the Malvinas/ FalklandsFalklands War)War)

““... We decide to allow war journalists ... We decide to allow war journalists in our Warships . ... The result were in our Warships . ... The result were very vivid reports about the events. But very vivid reports about the events. But there was always the risk to broadcast there was always the risk to broadcast information which could be useful for information which could be useful for the opponent. I was shocked by the the opponent. I was shocked by the tendency of some commentaries to tendency of some commentaries to appear neutral, and I also found awful appear neutral, and I also found awful when reporters spoke about ‘the when reporters spoke about ‘the British’ and ‘the Argentineans’.”British’ and ‘the Argentineans’.”

Ideological boxIdeological box

To maximize your own victories, successes, To maximize your own victories, successes, qualities, virtues, and those of your allies.qualities, virtues, and those of your allies.

To minimize the victories, successes, To minimize the victories, successes, qualities, and virtues of the enemy and those qualities, and virtues of the enemy and those of his/her allies.of his/her allies.

To maximize the defeats, failures, and To maximize the defeats, failures, and mistakes of the enemy, and those of his/her mistakes of the enemy, and those of his/her allies.allies.

To minimize your defeats, failures, and To minimize your defeats, failures, and mistakes, and those of your allies.mistakes, and those of your allies.

The ideological square in the The ideological square in the case of the mediacase of the media

Broadcasting information from military sources / actorsBroadcasting information from military sources / actors

Accepting the constraints put by the military authorities.Accepting the constraints put by the military authorities.

Through the choice of the collected material.Through the choice of the collected material.

Through the priority given to different parts of the Through the priority given to different parts of the information.information.

Through the choice of people to be interviewed.Through the choice of people to be interviewed.

With the decision to broadcast or not what a certain Actor With the decision to broadcast or not what a certain Actor has said.has said.

Beyond the explicit content of information, with the IMPLICIT Beyond the explicit content of information, with the IMPLICIT CONTENT.CONTENT.

Criticisms at the mediaCriticisms at the media

The broadcasting of lies and The broadcasting of lies and exaggerationsexaggerations

SilencesSilences SuperficialitySuperficiality Out of contextOut of context SimplificationSimplification

SimplificationSimplification • Alger: Islamic Fundamentalism

• Israel – Palestine: excessive personalization

• Putting all actors in the same category

• Demonising one actor, a part or an ethnic group.

Demonising an ethnic Demonising an ethnic groupgroup

“Serbs block all the help for the starving Bosnian cities" (ABC,15.1.93).

“Serbs don’t listen to the Nato threat to bomb them" (El País, 11.7.95).

“Serbs spread death in Zagreb" (El Periódico, 3.5.94).

“Serbs maintain, they will lift the Blockade of humanitarian Convoys to Sarajevo" (Avui, 9.7.75)

„Serbs mine the Nato-headquarters in Zepa und threaten to

blow it up if Nato attacks them" (El Mundo, 18.7.95)

The broadcasting of lies and The broadcasting of lies and exaggerationsexaggerations

SilencesSilences SuperficialitySuperficiality Out of contextOut of context SimplificationSimplification Repetition of direct violence / Repetition of direct violence /

not looking for ‘Why’not looking for ‘Why’ Assumption of the language of Assumption of the language of

dominants.dominants.

Criticisms at the mediaCriticisms at the media

USA says to the Spanish Foreign USA says to the Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministry they dislike the visit Affairs Ministry they dislike the visit to Cuba of the King in1998 to Cuba of the King in1998

USA doesn‘t put any objection USA doesn‘t put any objection to visit of the King to Cubato visit of the King to Cuba

The broadcasting of lies and exaggerationsThe broadcasting of lies and exaggerations SilencesSilences SuperficialitySuperficiality Out of contextOut of context SimplificationSimplification Repetition of direct violence / not looking Repetition of direct violence / not looking

for ‘Why’for ‘Why’ Assumption of the language of dominants.Assumption of the language of dominants.

The South, nearly always negative.The South, nearly always negative.

Criticisms at the mediaCriticisms at the media

A plane crashes in Nigeria against 10 A plane crashes in Nigeria against 10 buildings and causes more than 125 buildings and causes more than 125 deaddead

A ship sinks with hundreds of A ship sinks with hundreds of passengers in Bangladeshpassengers in Bangladesh

Imminent freeing of a Imminent freeing of a Cuban dissidentCuban dissident

Pacemakers from dead Pacemakers from dead will be reused in will be reused in ArgentinaArgentina

396 Maoists Rebels 396 Maoists Rebels dead in Nepal dead in Nepal

Several girls die in an Several girls die in an accident in Iranaccident in Iran

Criticisms at the mediaCriticisms at the media

The broadcasting of lies and exaggerationsThe broadcasting of lies and exaggerations SilencesSilences SuperficialitySuperficiality Out of contextOut of context SimplificationSimplification Repetition of direct violence / not looking for Repetition of direct violence / not looking for

‘Why’‘Why’ Assumption of the language of dominants.Assumption of the language of dominants. The South, nearly always negative.The South, nearly always negative. The naturalization of Catastrophes and The naturalization of Catastrophes and

the war.the war. Interpreting foreign conflicts in the key Interpreting foreign conflicts in the key

of internal conflictsof internal conflicts

Not alwaysNot always

Denunciation of military language:Denunciation of military language:– „„Collateral Damage”, „preventive Attacks”, Collateral Damage”, „preventive Attacks”,

„surgery operation“, controlled Pools, etc. „surgery operation“, controlled Pools, etc. They distinguish aggressors from victims.They distinguish aggressors from victims. They take stand in favour of the weak.They take stand in favour of the weak. Etc.Etc. i.e.: Against the Bush administration and i.e.: Against the Bush administration and

the war Iraq.the war Iraq.

Bush‘s inventionsBush‘s inventionsIn his eagerness to justify the war In his eagerness to justify the war against Iraq, the president made against Iraq, the president made up reports and data. up reports and data.

Why don‘t media work Why don‘t media work betterbetter??

The first answersThe first answers

TimeTime Room, spaceRoom, space EducationEducation

Media pursue: Economic Media pursue: Economic Profit and Influence.Profit and Influence.

Aims: Profit and Influence Aims: Profit and Influence (or the other way around)(or the other way around)

Competition:Competition:– The market, die Audience, the share, etc.The market, die Audience, the share, etc.

CompetitivenessCompetitiveness– profitable, reduce costsprofitable, reduce costs

But they need to work with reality, and But they need to work with reality, and be credible.be credible.

Cracks or chinks and Cracks or chinks and elasticityelasticity

CompetitionCompetition

Competitiveness Competitiveness

Credibility regarding RealityCredibility regarding Reality

Cracks or chinks and Cracks or chinks and elasticityelasticity

Competition (Market, Audience)Competition (Market, Audience)

The fight against the other Media and The fight against the other Media and their political allies. their political allies.

ScoopsScoops Own ProfileOwn Profile all Segments of the Audience are all Segments of the Audience are

importantimportant

Cracks or chinks and Cracks or chinks and elasticityelasticity

CompetitionCompetition CompetitivenessCompetitiveness (economic)(economic)

insufficient payroll, exploitation of insufficient payroll, exploitation of journalistsjournalists

Holes and ads, Refrigerator.Holes and ads, Refrigerator. Different margins of manoeuvre.Different margins of manoeuvre.

Cracks or chinks and Cracks or chinks and elasticityelasticity

CompetitionCompetition CompetitivenessCompetitiveness

Speak about the reality:Speak about the reality: CredibilityCredibility

– Critic attitude towards those in power. Critic attitude towards those in power. – Social pressure: Activists, professional Social pressure: Activists, professional

organizations, council of information, organizations, council of information, – Code of Ethics (sometimes a double edged Code of Ethics (sometimes a double edged

sword)sword)

Alternative Media Alternative Media

PEACE/CONFLICT JOURNALISMPEACE/CONFLICT JOURNALISM explore conflict formation, x explore conflict formation, x

parties, y goals, z issuesparties, y goals, z issues Focus on conflict arena, Focus on conflict arena,

WAR/VIOLENCE JOURNALISMWAR/VIOLENCE JOURNALISM

humanisation of all humanisation of all sides; more so the sides; more so the worse the weaponsworse the weapons

see conflict/war as see conflict/war as problem, focus on problem, focus on conflict creativityconflict creativity

general “win, win” general “win, win” orientationorientation

giving voice to all giving voice to all parties; empathy, parties; empathy, understandingunderstanding

dehumanisation of dehumanisation of “them”; more so the “them”; more so the worse the weaponworse the weapon

see “them” as the see “them” as the problem, focus on who problem, focus on who prevails in warprevails in war

““us-them” journalism, us-them” journalism, propaganda, voice, for propaganda, voice, for “us”“us”

2 parties, 1 goal (win), 2 parties, 1 goal (win), war general zero-sum war general zero-sum orientationorientation

proactive: prevention before proactive: prevention before any violence/war occursany violence/war occurs..

focus on elite peace-makersfocus on elite peace-makers

Focus on suffering all Focus on suffering all overover

focus on invisible focus on invisible effects of violence effects of violence (trauma and glory, (trauma and glory, damage to damage to structure/culture)structure/culture)

Focus on people peace-Focus on people peace-makersmakers..

expose untruths on all expose untruths on all sides / uncover all sides / uncover all cover-upscover-ups

focus only on visible focus only on visible effect of violence effect of violence (killed, wounded and (killed, wounded and material damage)material damage)

Focus on “our” Focus on “our” sufferingsuffering

reactive: waiting for reactive: waiting for violence before violence before reportingreporting

Expose “their” untruths Expose “their” untruths / help “our” / help “our” cover-ups/liescover-ups/lies

Aftermath: resolution, Aftermath: resolution, reconstruction, reconstruction, reconciliationreconciliation

Leaving for another war, Leaving for another war, return if the old flares up return if the old flares up againagain

Focus on structure, Focus on structure, culture, the culture, the peaceful societypeaceful society

Peace = non-Peace = non-violence + creativityviolence + creativity

Highlight peace Highlight peace initiatives, also to initiatives, also to prevent more warprevent more war

Peace = victory + Peace = victory + ceasefireceasefire..

Conceal peace-Conceal peace-initiative, before initiative, before victory is at handvictory is at hand

Focus on treaty, Focus on treaty, institution, the institution, the controlled societycontrolled society

The ChallengeThe Challenge

To understand the logic of the mediaTo understand the logic of the media

Take advantage of the Cracks or the Take advantage of the Cracks or the ChinksChinks

Build and strengthen alternative Build and strengthen alternative mediamedia

Spasiba / ThanksSpasiba / Thanks