Renowned war reporter John Pilger questions the role of the media in war. The War You Don't See asks whether mainstream news has become an integral part of war-making.
Renowned war reporter John Pilger questions the role of the media in war. The War You Don’t See asks whether mainstream news has become an integral part of war-making.
Focusing on the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, Pilger reflects on the history of the relationship between the media and government in times of conflict, stretching back to World War I, and explores the impact on the information fed to the public and the modern day practice of public relations in the guise of ‘embedding’ journalists with the military.
Featuring interviews with senior figures at major UK broadcasters, the BBC and ITV, and high profile journalists on both sides of the Atlantic, including Rageh Omaar and Dan Rather, the film investigates the reporting of government claims that Iraq harboured weapons of mass destruction.
The War You Don’t See also looks at the balance of the media’s reporting on the hostilities between Palestinians and Israelis, with particular focus on mainstream broadcasters’ coverageoftheIsraeliattackontheaidflotillainGazaearlierthisyear. BoththeBBCandITV are asked about the influence of Israeli government efforts to shape the reporting of such incidents on their coverage.