War news and nationalism

Differing assumptions

Government: War an instrument of domestic or foreign policy – survival of nation/state/society/authority may be at stake.

Public support Public must be prepared to support (or at least not actively oppose) the war effort and necessary sacrifices in lives and property. (Recruiting troops, taxes, rationing food and other resources, losses)

National security War strategies, tactics, plans must be kept from enemy; Otherwise would threaten victory, lives of troops.

Communications a weapon of war: Information must be carefully controlled to protect war effort. News media a potential distraction, leaks could betray war effort.

News media: Public needs to know as much as possible about the war effort, including other points of view: Greater diversity of sources and viewpoints could lead to expanded range of information, citizen opinion on whether war effort successful and/or worthwhile.

Challenges: Domestic information sources about war largely limited to ruling authority conducting the war (government). Access to information, sites of war likely to be limited, except under restrictive conditions.

Other pressures: News media also constrained by public’s patriotism/nationalism/hopefulness – dislike for negative or offensive news, distrust of media organizations.

Journalism factors shaping war news

National history and tradition of press freedom

Values, cultural outlook of journalists

Organization, orientation of news organizations

Available media technologies to gather and distribute news

Ability of public to receive news, and in what form?

Likely outcomes

War news more likely to reflect home nation’s foreign policy and outlook of political authority

War news less likely to emphasize other viewpoints on foreign policy, domestically or that of other nations