Media DemocracyMedia Democracy

How the U. S. Press System How the U. S. Press System Works…Works…

Why It Failed on the Iraq WarWhy It Failed on the Iraq War

What Citizens Can Do When It What Citizens Can Do When It FailsFails

Lance Bennett, Director

Center for Communication and Civic EngagementUniversity of Washington

www.engagedcitizen.org lbennett@u.washington.edu

Media in American Media in American DemocracyDemocracy

Ideally, public opinion:Ideally, public opinion: is independent of pressures from government & is independent of pressures from government &

businessbusiness so that public may influence government & businessso that public may influence government & business

But the leading opinion-shaping institutions -- But the leading opinion-shaping institutions -- news organizations – are often dependent: news organizations – are often dependent: on government for information on government for information on business/advertising for profits (for private media) on business/advertising for profits (for private media)

Which results inWhich results in problems for independent public problems for independent public opinion:opinion:

opinion is often shaped via public relations from opinion is often shaped via public relations from government and business elites -- because they government and business elites -- because they have best access to news media and other info. have best access to news media and other info. channelschannels

The U.S. Press System The U.S. Press System

High private ownership – commercial mediaHigh private ownership – commercial media Strong journalism norm of politically Strong journalism norm of politically

balanced (objective) reporting balanced (objective) reporting

Results: Results: official viewpoints become authoritative official viewpoints become authoritative

(objective) reference on stories(objective) reference on stories homogeneous reporting of politics across homogeneous reporting of politics across

mainstream news mainstream news

A Simple Model of the Press A Simple Model of the Press and American Democracyand American Democracy

Journalistic norm of Journalistic norm of objectivity/neutralityobjectivity/neutrality means that means that most news is shaped by government authoritiesmost news is shaped by government authorities Voices and views in the news are Voices and views in the news are INDEXEDINDEXED – referenced – to – referenced – to

the degree of conflict in government policy circles the degree of conflict in government policy circles

High conflict/opposition in governmentHigh conflict/opposition in government => more => more diverse voices & information enter the news diverse voices & information enter the news

Low conflict in government =>Low conflict in government => fewer voices and fewer voices and ideas in the newsideas in the news even if evidence from credible sources challenges even if evidence from credible sources challenges

government positions government positions even if strong public opposition exists in societyeven if strong public opposition exists in society

Range of Voices and Ideas in Range of Voices and Ideas in NewsNews

varies with government policy varies with government policy conflictconflict Diverse:Diverse: Abortion -- taxes – religion Abortion -- taxes – religion

high policy conflict in government => more high policy conflict in government => more groups & ideas represented in newsgroups & ideas represented in news

Limited:Limited: Iraq War debate in 2002-2003 Iraq War debate in 2002-2003 dominated by Bush administration claims dominated by Bush administration claims

weapons of mass destruction & 9/11 - Al Qaeda weapons of mass destruction & 9/11 - Al Qaeda connections to Saddam connections to Saddam

Democrats took a passDemocrats took a pass Result:Result: Independent information challenging Independent information challenging

these claims was not given strong emphasis in these claims was not given strong emphasis in the news the news

Even mentions of the protest Even mentions of the protest movement were linked to moments of movement were linked to moments of

elite oppositionelite opposition “ “Polls show that a substantial portion Polls show that a substantial portion

of the electorate is unconvinced of the of the electorate is unconvinced of the need for an immediate war…need for an immediate war…A grass A grass roots antiwar movement is roots antiwar movement is beginning to make itself heard.beginning to make itself heard. Some Democrats are starting to warn Some Democrats are starting to warn assertively against a “rush to war,” as assertively against a “rush to war,” as Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts put it.” put it.”

----TheThe New York TimesNew York Times, Jan 26, , Jan 26, 20032003But the Democrats decided that the war

was a poor election issue

And so, the war was told as a Hollywood story written by the Bush media team…..

….A fantasy of American triumph against the evil Saddam…

…..with the Iraqi people awaiting their liberation with flowers and democracy

WASHINGTON - The Washington Post became the latest prestigious US newspaper to question its own coverage of Iraq leading up to the US-led war, saying it underplayed stories questioning White House claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

After the war, leading papers After the war, leading papers admitted problems with their admitted problems with their

coveragecoverage

Published on Thursday, August 12, 2004 by the Agence France Presse

"The paper was not front-paging stuff," said Pentagon correspondent Thomas Ricks. "Administration assertions were on the front page. Things that

challenged the administration were on A18 on Sunday or A24 on Monday. There was an attitude among

editors: Look, we're going to war, why do we even worry about all this contrary stuff?"

In retrospect, said Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr., "we were so focused on trying to figure out what the administration was doing that we were not giving the same play to people who said it wouldn't be a good

idea to go to war and were questioning the administration's rationale. …That was a mistake on my

part."

"the voices raising questions about the war were lonely ones," Downie said. "We didn't pay enough

attention to the minority."

Washington Post Reporters and Editors Look Back

FROM THE EDITORS The Times and Iraq

Over the last year this newspaper has shone the bright light of hindsight on decisions that led the United States into Iraq. We have examined the failings of American and allied intelligence, especially on the issue of Iraq's weapons and possible Iraqi connections to international terrorists…. It is past time we turned the same light on ourselves...

… we have found a number of instances of coverage that was not as rigorous as it should have been.

In some cases, information that was controversial then, and seems questionable now, was insufficiently qualified or allowed to stand unchallenged. Looking back, we wish we had been more aggressive in re-examining the claims as new evidence emerged — or failed to emerge. Published: May 26, 2004

The New York Times Looks Back

Despite this self-criticism…Despite this self-criticism…indexing predicts that the same indexing predicts that the same news pattern will happen again news pattern will happen again

…when the same conditions exist …when the same conditions exist in governmentin government NEXT CASE: NEXT CASE:

The treatment of prisoners in IraqThe treatment of prisoners in Iraq There was strong evidence that the Bush There was strong evidence that the Bush

administration developed an informal policy of administration developed an informal policy of torture – that was applied in Afghanistan, Iraq, torture – that was applied in Afghanistan, Iraq, Cuba – a policy that:Cuba – a policy that: violated international and national lawsviolated international and national laws was inflicted on innocent civilians wrongly arrested was inflicted on innocent civilians wrongly arrested created an international image disaster –created an international image disaster –

undermining claims to democracy--inviting undermining claims to democracy--inviting comparisons to Saddamcomparisons to Saddam

With all the photos, memos, With all the photos, memos, human rights reports…. How human rights reports…. How did the U.S. press frame the did the U.S. press frame the

story?story?A:A: based on administration claims that Abu Ghraib was an based on administration claims that Abu Ghraib was an unfortunate case of unfortunate case of abuseabuse at low levels of command at low levels of command

ORORB:B: based on evidence that based on evidence that torturetorture practices were authorized practices were authorized

- (with a legal rationale developed by the White House - (with a legal rationale developed by the White House and adapted by the Defense Department for use in and adapted by the Defense Department for use in prisons) prisons)

Which frame was dominant?Which frame was dominant? Key condition:Key condition: In an election year, the Democrats decided In an election year, the Democrats decided

not to accuse the administration of supporting torturenot to accuse the administration of supporting torture Prediction:Prediction: Press reports would emphasize abuse – and Press reports would emphasize abuse – and

minimize the evidence of tortureminimize the evidence of torture Test:Test: – content analysis of the newspaper that led the – content analysis of the newspaper that led the

story – Washington Post – and 10 other national papers story – Washington Post – and 10 other national papers

Primary news frames used to describe Abu Ghraib. Washington Post, April 1, 2004 –

September 29, 2004

Abuse Torture Mistreatment Scandal

News (n = 242) 81% (188)

3% (9)

3% (7)

12% (29)

Editorials (n = 52) 61% (32)

17% (9)

3% (2)

13% (7)

These data are based on the first label used in each article. Numbers in parentheses are the counts for each cell;

percentages are not rounded.

The first or the second frame. Washington Post, April 1, 2004 – September 29, 2004

Abuse Torture Mistreatment Scandal

News (n = 242) 91% (222)

11% (28)

16% (40)

33% (80)

Editorials (n = 52)

82% (43)

30% (16)

13% (7)

36% (19)

These labels were used as either the first or second label in each article. Numbers in parentheses are the counts for each cell; percentages are not

rounded.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

4/1

/2004

4/1

5/2

004

4/2

9/2

004

5/1

3/2

004

5/2

7/2

004

6/1

0/2

004

6/2

4/2

004

7/8

/2004

7/2

2/2

004

8/5

/2004

8/1

9/2

004

9/2

/2004

9/1

6/2

004

9/3

0/2

004

10/1

4/2

004

10/2

8/2

004

11/1

1/2

004

11/2

5/2

004

12/9

/2004

12/2

3/2

004

1/6

/2005

All Labels

No torture

Other + Torture

Torture only

News and Editorial (opinion) Frames: “abuse,” “torture” and other names for what happened at Abu

Ghraib. National newspaper sample, April 1, 2004 – January 19, 2005

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

4/1

/2004

4/1

5/2

004

4/2

9/2

004

5/1

3/2

004

5/2

7/2

004

6/1

0/2

004

6/2

4/2

004

7/8

/2004

7/2

2/2

004

8/5

/2004

8/1

9/2

004

9/2

/2004

9/1

6/2

004

9/3

0/2

004

10/1

4/2

004

10/2

8/2

004

11/1

1/2

004

11/2

5/2

004

12/9

/2004

12/2

3/2

004

1/6

/2005

All Labels

No torture

Other + Torture

Torture only

News Story Frames: “abuse,” “torture” and other names for what happened at Abu Ghraib.

National newspaper sample, April 1, 2004 – January 19, 2005

Torture did become a news Torture did become a news frame in one chapter of the frame in one chapter of the

story…story… The White House memos: The White House memos:

that defined torture narrowly as acts leading to death or organ failure that defined torture narrowly as acts leading to death or organ failure – –

and said that terrorism made the Geneva convention obsolete and said that terrorism made the Geneva convention obsolete The White House SPIN: the memos were only ideas -- not put The White House SPIN: the memos were only ideas -- not put

into practice into practice later investigations linked them to interrogation procedures in later investigations linked them to interrogation procedures in

Cuba/Iraq Cuba/Iraq

The Senate confirmation hearings for White House legal The Senate confirmation hearings for White House legal counsel Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General raised counsel Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General raised questions about his role in the group that developed the questions about his role in the group that developed the memosmemos

Both Republicans and Democrats wanted Gonzales to say Both Republicans and Democrats wanted Gonzales to say that he did not support torture – that he did not support torture – he said he did not support torture – he is now the US Attorney he said he did not support torture – he is now the US Attorney

GeneralGeneralBUT, when news reports explained why this mattered, Abu Ghraib was BUT, when news reports explained why this mattered, Abu Ghraib was

mentioned as involving the mentioned as involving the ABUSEABUSE of prisoners of prisoners

ConclusionsConclusions Leading US news organizations cannot Leading US news organizations cannot

sustain critical reporting without sustain critical reporting without support from within governmentsupport from within government

If government sources for critical If government sources for critical stories do not exist, government is left stories do not exist, government is left to police itselfto police itself

When the US democracy most needs an When the US democracy most needs an independent, critical public voice, the independent, critical public voice, the American press often cannot provide it American press often cannot provide it

What Citizens Can DoWhat Citizens Can Do

Develop better informationDevelop better information

Be the media – help produce Be the media – help produce information information

Join a news/action network Join a news/action network

Support the media reform movementSupport the media reform movement

1. Develop better 1. Develop better informationinformation

Aggregate the world of news on your desktop Aggregate the world of news on your desktop download a download a news aggregator

Blogs got you down?Blogs got you down? tame the blogosphere tame the blogosphere aggregate them too!

Get inside the spin Get inside the spin discover journalism about journalism (discover journalism about journalism (

mediachannel.org)) Chart events along with other citizensChart events along with other citizens

Center for Media and Democracy (Center for Media and Democracy (source watch) )

2. Be the media – produce 2. Be the media – produce informationinformation

Citizen journalism Citizen journalism Join Join sourcewatch and help construct the and help construct the

big picture big picture Read Read common times and create your and create your

own news channel with your political own news channel with your political networknetwork

Watch One World TV – become a reporterWatch One World TV – become a reporter Read more about citizen journalism and Read more about citizen journalism and

see if you think it makes sensesee if you think it makes sense

3. Join news/action networks3. Join news/action networks

Moveon.orgMoveon.org Free RepublicFree Republic BBC Action Network moreBBC Action Network more Chuck MuthChuck Muth American Family AssociationAmerican Family Association

4. Support the media reform 4. Support the media reform movementmovement

Freepress.netFreepress.net

Reclaimthemedia.orgReclaimthemedia.org

Support CCCE Support CCCE (www.engagedcitizen.org)(www.engagedcitizen.org)

Center for Communication & Center for Communication & Civic EngagementCivic Engagement

Lance Bennett, DirectorLance Bennett, Director

www.engagedcitizen.org www.engagedcitizen.org

Information ~ Technology ~ Community

@