War and the Media: Propaganda and Persuasion in the Gulf War [Paperback]

Philip M. Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1998

The Gulf War of 1991 was the highest profile media war in history. Never before had so many journalists attempted to cover a war from both sides of the conflict. This book traces the role of the media in the Gulf War and examines the attempts by both the coalition and Iraq to influence public opinion through propaganda and persuasion. Philp Taylor asks how much the public was being told and how much was held back. Analyzing the key news stories of the conflict he looks at the efforts of the American-led coalition to persuade television audiences and newspaper readers to take a "right view" of what was happening and of the Iraqi government's propaganda campaigns concerning civilian damage and the "Mother of all Battles."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This book by a British communications specialist emphasizes the British media more than they deserve, given America's predominant role in the war. Relying mainly on secondary sources rather than on interviews with media and military representatives, Taylor dryly documents how the Gulf war was more hidden than revealed by the media. He analyzes allied media management, including the pool system for reporters, and Saddam Hussein's failure to exploit the presence of the media. Taylor offers numerous examples of media mistakes, including the erroneous representation of oil-drenched birds as victims of the Iraqi oil spill and journalists' inability to translate military jargon about bombing sorties. Perhaps most useful are case studies of controversial instances of coverage, including the Iraqi takeover of a Saudi town and the bombing of Iraqi civilians at what might have been a bunker. This book leaves numerous holes, little exploring, for instance, why so few pictures of Iraqi casualties were shown in the West. Taylor's conclusions about the unanimity of news coverage and the debate over the right to know versus the need to know simply reprise often-stated criticisms.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“The book is a good and useful summary of British and American media coverage of the Gulf War.” —Intelligence and National Security

“A well written and well documented book that will be a useful reference for scholars and journalists who want to examine the role of the media in what turned into the highest profile media war in history.” —Journal of Peace Research

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Manchester University Press; Revised edition (October 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0719055504
• ISBN-13: 978-0719055508
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,991,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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