Jannie Botes Jannie Botes - Television and Conflict Botes, Jannie. Conflict Resolution Notes. Television news programs sometimes directly influence the dynamics and resolution of a social conflict. This article examines the relationships between television news and conflict. It has been acknowledged that news is basically about conflict.
Journalists reporting on news intervene into the conflict.
They analyze the conflict, attempt to clarify misinformation and inform the parties about the opposite side's position on the issues. The question is whether or not journalists can avoid this role. Technological inventions in television such as satellite communication make it possible to bring together conflicting parties in a much faster way than was previously possible. For example, during the Gulf War President Bush and President Saddam Hussein used CNN to monitor and respond to each other's statements. Comparing the role of the media and a mediator in conflict reveals similarities and differences between them.