title: The Future of International Media Coverage of Military Operations
Creators: name: Weiland, John
Publisher: name: Griffith University
Year: 2003
Subjects: subject: War reporting
subject: media coverage of war
subject: military security
subject: public's right to know

description: Given the nature of modem warfare and the impact that technology has in contemporary war reporting, the primary objective of this thesis is to identify the most likely means by which the international media will cover future military operations. Initial research concentrates on the cultural and systemic ethos of the military and media professions and examines whether any differences have an adverse impact on how they operate during periods of armed conflict. A brief review of the history of war reporting is undertaken for several purposes; firstly, to discover if any differences between the professions have had a historical basis and, secondly, to ascertain whether there is any historical evidence of the media compromising military operations when covering operations during armed conflict. It was found that one of the principle reasons why the military and the meha have been traditional adversaries is that the military sees secrecy as vital for the successful conduct of its operations. The media, on the other hand, seeks complete disclosure. In what is considered to be the first of its type undertaken in Australia, a comprehensive survey was conducted to identify how each profession viewed the other. Research concentrated on the US and Australian models, examining how modern technology has made it more difficult for the dtary to control the media than in past conflicts. Research further identified that in the context of modern armed conflict, the military and the media have predominantly different and frequently competing interests. It was also found that the protection and advancement of their interests are affected by technological changes which are redefining the nature of modern warfare, and the means and capacity of the media to report it. The way the media gathers news during conflict was shown to have changed dramatically over the past ten years, particularly with its use of technology in transmitting news live from a battlefield back to a parent media organisation. The military was further seen as dramatically changing the manner in which it conducts warfare, including the introduction of initiatives aimed at neutralising the media's impact on operational security. Somewhat alarmingly, these initiatives not only minimise possible compromises of security but overall media criticism as well. Research also found that the tensions currently existing between the military and media can be resolved by both parties agreeing to a more effective way of reconciling their differences. However, it was found that any well meaning initiatives by the military and the media to work closer together during periods of conflict will be difficult to achieve if the ever-present political manipulation of news is not addressed. The thesis concludes by recommending changes to current military and media doctrine in order that future conflicts may be covered in a manner that fulfils the 'public's right to know,' while at the same time, allows the military to conduct operations without fear that security may be compromised by the subsequent media coverage.