h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can we discuss the reportage of the War?

I am finding the minute by minute continuous reporting of - well absolutely nothing - surreal in the extreme. I have been watching and ITV reporter talking about having to put her gas-mask on. The big news on ITV!

It was fascinating how the nature of television affected the previous Gulf War, and I remain fascinated how the nature of the Internet and indeed Television will affect this one.

Ben

The above post was about reporting the War, not about the War itself. I apologise to the community if it turns out I have started a thread which will be removed.

Ben

an hour in and the post is still there so can we talk?

CH

More importantly can you call it reporting, when you will only see what the commanders of either side want you to see? Would propaganda me more accurate? Until later...
BCNU - Crescent

indeed, and a collection of pundits in the studio.

Have you notice Mandelson has made a return, cropping up in TV studios, once even in the same room as Portillo - and the BBC missed a chance to match make

CH

I ended up watching Batman cartoons this morning after half an hour of hearing the same thing reported again and again it was anything but the war (notice all of the stations call it the Iraq War now not the Iraq crisis).

The war itself might be interesting but the excessive reporting of it is just DULL

On the BBC news last night, first radio four, then BBC world service, once it had switched over, I listened to the same news report again and again, the same field reporter had an vaccine against anthrax injection at least four times... poor thing... guess it was recorded... the same speal, from teh same people repeated... the only light' relief was in the form of the farmer who drove his tractor into a fountain at the White house, I think... though they didn't exactly explain what he was protesting about... something to do with tobacco farming I think...

About the same over here in the Netherlands.

A newsbulletin of about 10-15 minutes, repeated over and over again, only on the whole hours 'refreshed', so with about 5% news in it.

And of course the Dutch cabinet formation is just as important.

Hi guys

We would prefer it if you continued to discuss the h2g2 policy on Iraq not the conflict itself. It is hard to talk about the reporting of the war without talking about events which have and or are taking place.

We have been ask to remove all quotes about newscasters, war reporting services, BBC news journalists, army staff etc should be removed because unverified facts or confidential information might put lives in jeopardy.

Please excuse the terrible grammar in that second paragraph.

Thanks Abi - we'll be quiet now.

B

Don't know.
We are not discussing the war itself, but the way the news about the war is brought to us.

Oh I'm going back to my avoidance of the press coverage bunker.

Incog.

Abi, does this mean we are not allowed to discuss the media now? I don't understand how commenting on the quality, quantity, and variety of news we are currently getting can possibly put lives in jeopardy

Or are you saying that we cannot quote the newscasters because they may be giving us unverified facts that, if repeated here, could cause a problem?

I completely understand the BBC's position as regards discussion of the war itself, but I don't understand how that extends to the topic raised in this thread.

Not trying to cause trouble here, just looking for a bit of clarification.

I understood this thread as a one to critizise media on what it provides in moments like this, and I don't think this has to be moderated.

In general I will have a strong look this time; I still remember 1991, when CNN broadcasted only pictures which looked like video game sequences - no living people you saw there, only houses, which where supposed industrial plants of the weapon kind... it felt like a nightmare and very very unreal.

I hope that this time - even if it sounds cynical - we will see pictures of what really happens... that there are people living. And people are no "Kollateralschaden".

This post has been removed.

regarding reporting of the war:

you may want to go over to http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/journal.asp and look at the journal entry for today which begins "I turned on the news."

*rushes over, because it's Neil Gaiman*

*rushes back* I remember Sandman # 50 very well and it's a very beautiful story

It was an interesting journal
A link for the DNA movie is there and other fun stuff.