Beyond the Front Lines

The Iraq War of 2003 featured a heavy reliance by the media on journalists 'embedded' within military units and providing breathless frontline coverage of often confused events. Philip Seib decries this arrangement as deeply flawed and suggests ways in which journalists can do a better job.

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The recent war with Iraq had the greatest impact on journalism since the Vietnam War. And news reports of the war often a series of breathless stories from embedded reporters reflect a long and deeply flawed effort by American news organizations to provide effective war coverage. Before the next war arrives, how the news media cover war should be wisely scrutinized. The questions explored in this book include: Is the relationship between news organizations and the Pentagon too cozy? Were embedded journalists' reports over used and was context sacrificed in favour of drama? Has Al Jazeera's impact been underestimated, and is the role of the Internet fully understood? Has public diplomacy become mired in clumsy propaganda? Beyond the Front Lines examines all these issues, suggests ways journalists might carry out their job better, and redefines the role of the news media in a high tech, globalized, and dangerous world.