This book takes a fresh look at the history of war reporting to understand how new technology, new ways of waging war and new media conditions are changing the role and work of today’s war correspondent.
Focussing on the mechanics of war reporting and the logistical and institutional pressures on correspondents, the book further examines the role of war propaganda, accreditation and news management in shaping the evolution of the specialism. Previously neglected conflicts and correspondents are reclaimed and wars considered as key moments in the history of war reporting such as the Crimean War (1854-56) and the Great War (1914-18) are re-evaluated.
The use of objectivity as the yardstick by which to assess the performance of war correspondents is questioned. The emphasis is instead placed on war as a messy business which confronts reporters and photographers with conditions that challenge the norms of professional practice. References to the ‘demise of the war correspondent’ have accompanied the growth of the specialism since the days of William Howard Russell, the so-called father of war reporting. This highlights the fragile nature of this sub-genre of journalism and emphasises that continuity as much as change characterises the work of the war correspondent.
A thematically organised, historically rich introduction, this book is ideal for students of journalism, media and communication.
Author(s): Kevin Williams
Edition: 1
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 240
City: Abingdon
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction: a new history of war reporting
Notes
Chapter 1 The war correspondent: the changing identity of a sub-genre of journalism
End of the war correspondent
Beginnings
The special correspondent
Changing nature of war
Technological change
Institutional arrangements
Shifting occupational culture
Changing cultural assumptions
Pecking orders
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 2 The Crimean War (1854–6): the origins of a specialism
Modern warfare
Russell and The Times
Russell’s talents
The Crimean press corps
Illustrated reporting
The press and public opinion
Logistical and political constraints
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 3 The ‘golden age of war reporting’ (1856–1903): in the service of empire and nation
Imperial adventures
The American Civil War
Franco-Prussian War
Visualising war
Russo-Japanese War
Boer War
Boer War propaganda
Popular entertainment, war and the war correspondent
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 4 The Great Wars (1905–19): setting the terms of trade of war reporting
Preparing for the Great War
Managing the news
Inside the press corps
Images of war
The Great War
Prior to May 1915
Band of brothers, 1915–17
Agents of propaganda, 1917–18
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 5 Wars between the world wars (1919–39): subjective journalism and the ‘I’ generation
Legacy of the Great War
War and revolution
Reportage
Taking sides
Correspondents and editors
Making sense of events
Realities of war
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 6 The Great Patriotic War (1939–45): correspondents on team?
War of national survival
The phoney war
Blitzkrieg
Winning the war
Theatres of war
Types of war correspondents
Our boys
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 7 The Korean War (1951–4) and Vietnam (1963–73): the power of pictures?
Korean post-war accommodations
Press corps
Television war reporting
Reporting casualties
Body counts
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 8 The Gulf Wars (1991–2003): selling war
Kicking the Vietnam syndrome
Live and direct
Embedding
Unilaterals
Casualties
Selling war
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 9 War in the Balkans (1991–9): moral witnessing and the journalism of attachment
Journalism of attachment
Reporting the Balkans
Intervention
Feminisation
Ignoring history
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter 10 Post-9/11 conf licts (2010–present): war reporting without war reporters
Complexity of contemporary war reporting
Syria
Fixers
Globalisation of war reporting
Trauma
Conclusion
Notes
Conclusion
Notes
Selected bibliography
Index
