Lack Of Dead Bodies On TV "PR Coup"

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"As the war seemingly comes to an end with US troops in the centre of Baghdad, the propaganda war from both sides has become even more desperate," writes Charles Whelan, a former New Labour flack, for PR Week's UK edition. "The Iraqi minister for information has had a job to do made more difficult by the hour. The poor man was forced into making statements at his daily press briefing about how the brave Iraqi troops had expelled the Americans from Saddam Hussein Airport. On our split TV screens, we could simultaneously see US troops firmly in charge of the airport, and yet he defiantly claimed: 'Baghdad is safe, the infidels are committing suicide'. ... The big similarity in the war coverage over the pond is the lack of dead bodies. We are told of thousands of dead Iraqi soldiers but are never allowed to see them. It's as if there is a conspiracy between the TV companies and the governments to hide the real horror of war. The lack of dead bodies on TV has been the biggest PR coup of the war."