The Mirror and the War on Iraq: Profits, Politics and Product Differentiation

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Freedman, Des (D. J.). 2004. The Mirror and the War on Iraq: Profits, Politics and Product Differentiation. In: Anita Biressi; Heather Nunn; Jonathan Rutherford and Fran Davies, eds. MediaWar (Mediactive). 3 Barefoot Publications. ISBN 978-1905007028 [Book Section]

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Abstract or Description

The third issue of Mediactive examines the media's portrayal of the Iraq war. The British and American governments have been accused of employing misinformation, twist and spin in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq. Media management has become a central component of the military's war strategy, integrating images of battle, personal anecdote and vague strategic explanation into media spectacle. How did the media represent the causes, violence and atrocities of the war and how did they seek to mobilise public opinion? Mediawar analyses the way in which issues of interpretation, meaning and representation in the coverage of war have become a constant site of political struggle. The issue looks at war reportage as entertainment, investigates political activism and alternative war news, looks at children and war coverage and considers the gendered representation of women at war. It questions the value of embedding journalists, analyses media imperialism and 24/7 news, and identifies the future roles of mediawars.

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Book Section