8 Comments
User's avatar
â­  Return to thread
Kathleen McCook's avatar

Iraq was a big change in War coverage. But think back..the Crimean War was the first one where there were telegraphs....the British public learned about that war from reporters...there was censorship in subsequent wars as the govt didn't want the "on the ground" stories to come out. Then the War Correspondent era where journalists circumvented govt censorship right up through Vietnam. But fast forward to Iraq--embedding solved the "problem" of actual reporting. That is why this coverage by Jon Farina is so important--and why the YouTube censorship falls right in line with government authorized War reporting. as all govt's try to do. I remember that glee of reporters in combat gear. They were like kids at a dress-up party.

Expand full comment
John Cougar Misanthrope's avatar

Great comment, particularly your reference to the Crimean War and the role of journalists there. Orlando Figes touches on the subject in his excellent book, The Crimean War: A History.

The government learned its lesson from Vietnam. Even by the time of the Grenada invasion in '82 the government had journalists on a tight leash in order to control the narrative. This was particularly evident in Panama seven years later.

Expand full comment
Kathleen McCook's avatar

When I got my radio license and joined a radio club I had to make a presentation to the club. Most everyone comes in with a new thing they have built or wired. I did book reviews on radio history (it was not a hit) and I used Figes! I thought that section was quite fascinating and had never thought about it, but of course all people received prior to telegraphy was what the military wanted people to know.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
Jul 26, 2022
Comment removed
Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
Jul 26, 2022
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Kathleen McCook's avatar

That's a substack "bug," isn't it? That happens to me all the time.

Expand full comment
Kelly Green's avatar

yes, a weird one

Expand full comment