The media as a propaganda tool of Governments. Truth is the first casualty of any War. Both sides pump out leaks, saying anything and gullible reporters take it all off the spoon and report it, as fact, attributed to an anonymous source, near to the leader said today.......
Reminds me of an incident during the Iraq invasion. I like millions of others had the TV at the end of the bed watching the quite amazing coverage of the bombing being forwarded from hotel balconies across the river from the target zone. The rooms were held by the Press and TV crews hence they could get pictures from the target zone.
Anyway during a lull about 3am UK time, which would be about early morning Baghdad time, a story popped up on Skynews about a bombed out office of a senior Iraqi security officer where wonderful finds of information were found lying about on the floor of the bombed out office. An intrepid reporter and cameraman had been there and had film only but no sound, which was being sorted out. That was the 'taster.' to stay tuned!! My ears twitched. A modern camera with no sound at all????
The next bulletin has a bombed out office with papers scattered everywhere, blah blah. This sets up the scene to stay tuned. Next flash. They discover novels and manuals in English lying about. Okay fair enough.
Next flash a loose leaf folder appears, hand held to camera,with script in it. The folder was held with the binder in the left hand and the writing was going left to right!!! That did it for me. I e mailed Sky to say that in Arabic people wrote from right to left therefore the folder was at very least upside down if not a complete fake!!!
nothing. It came up again as a report, not a flash. I mailed again. We are now at about 4 15am by 430 the penny had finally dropped and the story removed!! I got no 'atta boy' from Sky.
It was rumoured later that a English broadsheet reporter for a non Murdoch owned newspaper had been bored or drunk and made it all up as a spoof to feed to the Murdoch owed Skynews. For libel reasons I can only give his unusual first name Indigo. No there ain' t too many of them. He is still at the same paper. My point? If the Press will plant stories up their rivals organs what will they do to the truth?
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