War / Peace

State Dept: Forget Our Invasions, Look at Our Culture!

by Diane Farsetta — September 29, 2006 - 11:26am

The U.S. State Department, which has been widely criticized for ineffectual public diplomacy, recently announced its new "Global Cultural Initiative." It's a joint effort "to educate Americans and participating nations about other cultures," reports PR Week. U.S.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub req'd), September 28, 2006

Iraq "98 Percent Off-Limits" for Press Corps

by Jonathan Rosenblum — September 27, 2006 - 9:54am

"Everyone is kind of groping around in the dark," says New York Times Baghdad correspondent Dexter Filkins on his return from reporting in Iraq. Despite employing 70 Iraqi staffers, the civil war there (Filkins doesn't hedge--"Yeah, sure" it's a civil war) has meant the Times cannot safely access stories. Its own five correspondents primarily spend their time pasting together reports by the Iraqi staff, protected by a small army of 45 security guards, armored cars, and belt-fed rooftop machine guns.

Main Source: 
Editor and Publisher, September 16, 2006 (sub req'd)

"America's Army" Boosts Army Recruiting

by Diane Farsetta — September 25, 2006 - 12:06pm

"This summer, Matt and Doug Stanbro, two brothers from Chelsea, Ala., traded in their game controllers for M-16 rifles," reports Patrik Jonsson. "They're two of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of American teenagers inspired by a 'shoot'em-up' video game to join the Army." The "America's Army" game, first released in 1992, "is proving a potent way to communicate military values directly to the messy bedrooms where teens hang out. ...

Main Source: 
Christian Science Monitor, September 19, 2006

PR Pushes Poll Numbers

by Judith Siers-Poisson — September 20, 2006 - 9:00am

President Bush's approval rating has risen to 44% in a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll conducted September 15-17, 2006. This represents his highest marks in a year. Concurrently, for the first time since December 2005, a majority of people did not say the war in Iraq was a mistake.

Main Source: 
USA Today, September 18, 2006

A View of 9/11 from North of the Border

by Judith Siers-Poisson — September 13, 2006 - 9:28am
  • Topics: Iraq, Terrorism, Health, International, Politics, War / Peace

    • I happened to be in Vancouver Sunday evening and all day Monday, so spent 9/11 north of the border. While people in the U.S. and other parts of the world only had The Path to 9/11 docudrama as a television viewing choice, I was fortunate to be able to watch two excellent documentary films about 9/11 and its aftermath aired by the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC).

    How 9-11 Changed the News

    by Diane Farsetta — September 11, 2006 - 12:18pm

    "How did 9-11 change the news?" asks the Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ). To answer the question, ADT Research's Tyndall Report analyzed network evening news shows, comparing "the four years of network newscasts prior to 2001" with "the four years since." The study reveals "increased coverage of foreign policy and global conflict ... but less coverage of domestic issues." PEJ writes, "A rise in foreign coverage may not surprise anyone.

    Main Source: 
    Project for Excellence in Journalism (U.S.), September 11, 2006

    The Blogs of War

    by Sheldon Rampton — August 14, 2006 - 5:35am

    Amid the growing media attention surrounding the Israel-Lebanon-Hezbollah conflict in the Middle East, dozens of independent blogs are providing eyewitness accounts and describing what life is like in the middle of a war. Crawford Kilian offers a rundown of a number of blogs whose views range from pro-Hezbollah to pro-Israel.

    Main Source: 
    The Tyee (Canada), August 14, 2006

    PsyOps: The Other Middle East Air War

    by Diane Farsetta — August 10, 2006 - 12:24pm

    "Cell phones and land lines across Lebanon have been ringing with automated, recorded messages -- part of a propaganda war being waged along with Israel's assault on Lebanon," reports Associated Press. "The Israeli army has refused to confirm that is is behind the phone calls.

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, August 8, 2006

    "Fiasco" Author Says Israel Allows Missile Attacks for PR Purposes

    by John Stauber — August 8, 2006 - 4:36pm

    On his CNN TV program, Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post interviewed Thomas Ricks, the Post's Pentagon reporter and author of the book Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq. Ricks told Kurtz, "One of the things that is going on, according to some U.S.

    Main Source: 
    CNN Reliable Sources, August 6, 2006
    Syndicate content