Too much media coverage on the war?

[Got Honey?]

Is 24 hour a day too much media coverage on the war, especially live? I think we should show some respect for the soldier's families at home.

Joseph

[Michael Bush]

And, in spite of all of the new media's disclaimers about what they will and won't tell us, it is always to the advantage of the other side to know ANYTHING about what we are doing. I think it comprimises our troops to offer ANY information that is current. OLD information probably doesn't matter to the war and is useful to keep us informed.

[dragonfly]

I understand what both of you are saying about a media overkill, but I think the positive about all the coverage of the war is that it probably makes us, as civilians, feel like we are more personally involved in the war, and thus keeps us more supportive of the troops who are there. After Vietnam, I think it's a great idea to keep more personally involved, at least in thought, to what's going on with our soldiers. I would hate to see them treated like the Nam vets. That was such a mar on our history for those of us who remember it. No matter what your stance is on the necessity of war, those soldiers are doing their job whether they like it or not, and for that, they have my respect. You and I can just go get another job if we don't like the boss or the working environment. They can't.

[hoosierhiver]

i agree with all these posts,i think another point is that to alot of people in this country,the war doesn't seem real,we don't witness it personally.maybe the media does a service in reminding us that people are there trying to survive 24 hours a day,but on the otherhand does it turn it into a made for tv drama?

[Michael Bush]

That is another thing that worries me is that we get desensitized to it. It already doesn't seem very real to me, even though I know it is. Watching bombs hitting Bagdad live is very strange.

Certainly it is a two edged sword having such close coverage. I think part of what ended Veit Nam was when the coverage increased such that we were watching a war. It changes your perspective. It also gives it a bit of surrealism. It can also demoralize the people and that can work against winning a war.

What made Viet Nam real to me was being at Arlington and a young marine was being buried. I saw the greif in the faces of his family and that was the most real it had ever been to me. It was no longer numbers of causulties and pictures on TV. It was a family's real loss.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I've become addicted to the coverage, I can't get anything done in the evenings. I keep flipping back and forth between MSNBC and FOX. God help me...

I have noticed that since the second day when we were getting minute by minute live camera reports from the imbedded front line reporters, that now the live camera shots have diminished quite a bit and we now mostly get phone reports. Curious.
Bill

[Michael Bush]

Probably the Pentagon realized that any landmark at all in the photo shoot, could tip someone off as to their location. I bet the Iraqi's are watching CNN, CBS, NBC and FOX like a hawk for any clues. It's the best Military Inteligence money can buy and it's free.

[hoosierhiver]

i don't think they want alot of footage of dead people either.

[Michael Bush]

Part of succeeding in any war is the morale, not only of the troops, but of the people at home. Dead people are hard on everyone's morale.