Press and the War

 

    The press loves war. It's the perfect situation: conflict, loved ones being sent to fight, busy-bodies looking to know more information, and who's there to cover it all? The press. While looking more into this topic I found the perfect analogy: journalists are like windshield wipers. In this case windshield wipers are journalists and rain is war. War is inevitable, rain is inevitable; journalists are there to report on the war, wipe away what shouldn't be reported like windshield wipers are there to wipe away rain that impacts vision while driving. Of course journalists are going to love war, and of course they aren't going to admit that, but at the end of the day it drives media. 

War Propoganda:

    When you think of war, I'm sure that like me you think of the "good guys" vs. the "bad guys", but who decides who's good and who's bad? The media and their war propaganda.  United States Senator Hiram Johnson said "The first casualty when war comes is truth," there are two sides to every story and normally with war, you're not going to find the truth from either side. War today is not like war years ago, war now is made up of Military presence, some type of economic and political evolvement, and propaganda pressure. Continue reading to see how press has effected war through the years. 

World War II

    During World War II, we saw such a difference in the way the press and the government works together.

The government really started to censor the media at this time on radio, music, newspapers,  etc. At the time, radio was the cheapest and easiest form of mass media for the public, which made it a great way to spread wartime propaganda to U.S. citizens listening. Propaganda also took form in comic books and cartons: Little Orphan Annie started to introduce war themes, and superheroes like Superman were seen fighting the German's, Hollywood began to include propaganda in their movies plots, as usual, but they did lose access to most foreign markets so many films were directing directly toward Americans. Documentaries were filmed with hopes to recruit more young men into different branches of the military. Wartime propaganda is still in America, but it has begun to change. 

The CNN Effect

 

  The CNN Effect is a theory constant coverage of major events on TV networks, like CNN, can influence domestic and foreign policy agendas. CNN had constant filming of the war in the middle east, which allowed the world to wake up daily and see all that was going on with the war. This was big since it welcomed constant conversation and opinions, but it also effected these opinions. It changed how politicians and lawmakers reacted to issues happening in the world and with war, it made these same people take responsibility for their actions. It showed what was happening in the world, but also used to make America look so much better in comparison, it called for change.  

 

Good Night, and Good Luck

 

 Good Night, and Good Luck, a film directed by and staring George Clooney, takes place during the height of McCarthyism, this was time where being accused of communism or being a communist sympathizer could and would ruin someone's career as well reputation. Some may think that this film is trying to depict politics, but the spotlight is truly on journalism. David Strathairn portrays Edward Murrow, a CBS news personality, dedicates himself and his time on air to expose acts being committed by Joseph McCarthy's Senate investigation; in fact, his show actually aided taking down the senator himself. This may be a movie, and a great one at that, but all the events covered in the movies actually took place, These were real people, battling real battles. 

Edward R. Murrow 

    

Edward R. Murrow is a big name in broadcast journalism, in fact he was credited as one of the creators of broadcast journalism in America. His coverage of the bombings of London from London made himself a well-known name, he had a weekly news show broadcasted called See It Now (which we see portrayed in the movie), but it was his take on Senator Joseph McCarthy that really made him stand out and stand up when it came to First Amendment rights. Murrow's CBS show was not originally intended to call out McCarthy and his doings, but a month after it began Murrow wanted to expose the misinformation put out by McCarthy. McCarthy's colleagues eventually went on to attempt to censor Murrow, but at the end of the day damage was already done to McCarthy and his reputation. It can not be said that Murrow and See It Now are entirely credited with taking down McCarthy, but his reporting really did play a very key role in all of it. There is no arguing that Murrow's attack on McCarthy is truly legendary to so many people, it takes guts to go on air and do what he did so unapologetically, especially in the times he was living it. Taking down McCarthy has truly made Murrow immortal in the journalism world. 

Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism

Elected to the Senate in 1946, Joseph McCarthy, a Wisconsin Republican, would lay pretty low in the political world until 1950. February 9, 1950 while in Wheeling, West Virginia delivering a speech, McCarthy claimed Communist infiltration was the root of failures in the American foreign policies. Claims were made that Communists could be anywhere, disguised as everyday school teachers, artists, journalists, your neighbor, anyone. McCarthy created mass hysteria which we now know as the Red Scare.

Thoughts

    I personally loved Good Night, and Good Luck, I think it was so educational, yet held audience's attention while teaching various themes and events that actually took place. The script was great, actors phenomenal, but truly the story is so compelling and something all journalism majors should find themselves watching. It's a great portrayal of the Red Scare and McCarthyism was done so brilliantly and carefully that it felt to me like I was living in those times.