Should media report ACTUAL operations in the Theatre?

Question

Should the media be allowed to report actual operations that they have been on and filmed real time, even DAYS AFTER the event?

Do you think such reporting is showing the enemy what our troops instinctive actions based on good training will be given a certain situation?

Do you think there is a PUBLIC NEED to see such footage?

Answer 1

They should not be on the front lines or anywhere near soldiers performing in a combat environment. Not only is this an unnecessary hazard to the reporter and crew, but it causes the soldiers on the ground to have to play a protective role in order to keep the untrained crew alive.

They are also a security risk and a distraction.

So my answer is not no but HEck NO!

Answer 2

Not until it will not endanger the troops. Even after that, since by all appearances the media is not there to educate the public on what is happening but instead is a propaganda tool, it's probably best if they kept at arms length. If it were done in good faith, the public does have a need to see such footage. It lets them know how their hard earned dollars are being used and allows them to make more educated decisions when voting.

Answer 3

No and the reason I say this is because this is precisely what happened during the Vietnam War. The press and media showed nightly news pix of US Marines and Soldiers being killed. Public opinion back home in the States slowly turned against the war so that the electorate became disenchanted with the war and just wanted to pull out.

Okay - so war is bad, mostly very very bad. Seeing it every night on our screens is not going to help our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women win. They need out total support. I do not want UK and US veterans returning home to be spat upon as happened to many American Vietnam vets when they got home.

Our service personnel do not choose to go to war. They have been sent there to do a job. Let them do that job. Meanwhile back home here in the safety of our comfortable democracies, we can all scream at each other as much as we like. But do not on any account allow ourselves to start putting down our service personnel.

Here in UK the British Armed Forces are held in very high esteem. This, in spite of what some people may think. Many of us have already been there.

Answer 4

If you compare the difference in news coverage written by the people who actually go out to the field with the troops and the people who report on the war from Los Angeles and New Your - you will find that the most accurate reporters are the eyewitnesses.

An embed with common sense who lets the troops review his video to ensure that we do not give anything away would counter-act the negative spin the news media has put on the war.

Answer 5

There is every need to show certain operations In the media, on TV etc....
It shows the enemy what we are capable of and in the future may deter attacks against British forces. But more importantly it shows the folks at home what an outstanding job the troops in Iraq and Afganistan are doing.
You have to bear in mind that the insurgents that we are fighting live in the comunity that we are patroling, they know how we operate and function. They know our drills down to the exact detail. They know were we have camps and they know were the accommodation blocks are on those camps.
That means that the media showing 1 or 2 operations a week has no effect on the troops on the ground.
The public DO need to see what is going on over there, otherwise all of the troops will get forgotton about.
Look at the links below to see what a fine job we are carrying doing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6480000/newsid_6482000/6482019.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6480000/newsid_6480000/6480063.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6460000/newsid_6467000/6467085.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm

Swift and Bold

Answer 6

... The mainstream media have lengthy gone over the line and are literally immediately-out propagandists for the Obama campaign. ... that's carefully unfaithful. The media are owned by tremendous companies which benefit more suitable from Republican rule than having the Democrats in capacity. The media are so fearful of appearing "biased" that they push Republican propaganda hook, line and sinker. look on the Iraq warfare--the "liberal" media were repeating the Republican lie about Iraq having the "deadliest guns popular to guy". They confirmed GWB and his "challenge finished". They repeat McCain's lie that Baghdad is now a secure position to pass procuring (constructive that's--in case you position on body armor and do not concepts the vehicle bombs). The media have usually been adversarial to Obama from the initiating. They persevered to call the accepted a "close race" even at the same time as it became mathematically no longer conceivable for Clinton to seize up. very few hours after Obama's speech to 80,000 human beings they brushed him aside and grew to change into each of the interest to McCain figuring out on Palin and made it look like she became some type of genius. How is it the media's fault that the female won't be able to communicate a coherent sentence? music by potential of the radio dial--limitless Republican and conservative propaganda. And why would the Democrats pass the bailout on my own? in the journey that they did, the "liberal" media will be doing no longer some thing yet exhibiting Republicans blaming the Democrats for dropping funds on the bailout. Republicans opt to initiate accepting duty for his or her mess united statesover the previous 8 years: the warfare, the economy, the deficits and gives you up blaming the media, "liberals" and everybody else for the crap that *they* have delivered on themselves.

Answer 7

Absolutley NOT! It would give insight to any enemy. I'm not sure actual footage should be seen for decades. The public does NOT NEED to see the footage, their sick minds DESIRE to see it. Remember the old song "Dirty Laundry"!? I'll quote my favorite line from the song... "Bubble headed bleach blonde comes on at 5. She can tell you about the plane crash with a gleam in her eye..." and another from the same song, "it's interesting when people die give us dirty laundry" that's just how people are. Leave the footage for military use only!

Answer 8

I would just like to see some truth from the media.

Answer 9

no