Shock and Awe Reflection Post

 

                             Rotton Tomatoes 

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 Shock and Awe:

A Lesson Not Yet Learned

    The film Shock and Awe was a glimpse into a time that is currently being repeated. As such I thought only now would be good time to examine it. The film focuses on the Knight Ridder newspaper and goals of the journalists there to spread honest news about the incoming war in Iraq.

 

    The national papers were grasping ar straws trying to link Iraq and al-Qaida. They called in "experts" who were doing the same thing as them. Spreading false information to push the government's pro-war agenda. This behavior essentially made them the government’s mouthpiece and made them the leading voice in the conversation. They of course also getting tons of audience retention by getting the story out first even if it’s later proven false.

    Meanwhile Knight Ridder was acting when journalistic integrity. They were the ones going out and finding multiple sources and fact-checking all their information. They went to great lengths to talk to all sorts of people that they knew would give them accurate information not just a quick scoop. From people inside the millitary, former journalists and trusted contacts. 

 

    This need to constant verification was a source of conflict between journalists. Johnathon Landley wanted to make sure everything was in order, while Warden Strobel thought they needed to get the out. Sure enough the other papers got to it eventually and got all the credit despite Knight Ridder's diligence. John Walcott, who was the news director, was not happy. This is a constant struggle that even modern newspapers and stations face. When do you have enough information to break a story? It's a hard question to answer as good news organizations want to deliver objective reporting with a myriad of sources while also breaking the story while it's timely and beneficial to readers. In this case they'd done almost all the hard work upfront, so I think it would've been ok to break it despite Landley's protests. 

 

    There is a natural conflict that arises between the government and journalists during times of war. Of course, the constant pressure to deliver news on time to be relevant to the reader is one of them. But further than that the narrative the government wants to be portrayed regarding their actions. In this case they wanted to convince the people that their war on Iraq was justified. They did this by trying to establish links between Al-Aaeda and Iraq. No links were ever found and news outlets eventually issued apologies later down the line. But it of course looks good if your news organization is aligned with the government and gives you perceived credibility. That's why if the government is spreading misinformation and doing things your organization doesn't stand for, it's important doesn't act as a personal megaphone for them. That's the line that separates those with journalistic integrity and those who just want a good reputation and money.