International Conflict and the Media

ACTIVITY 22: What is the Role of Reporters in War?

Introduction

The United States Constitution guarantees freedom of the press. During war, this freedom hasoften been restricted by the United States government. This activity helps students begin to seethe variety of potential positions on the complex question of what should be the role of the newsmedia during conflict. The object of this activity is not to convince students that any particularposition is correct. It is rather to help them begin to understand the arguments, many of which willcome up again in subsequent activities.

Student Objectives

• To understand the complex relationships that exist between the news media and thegovernment during periods of international conflict.
• To analyze and evaluate different positions related to the news media and international conflict.
• To understand that correspondents who hold these positions will offered different perspectivesupon events and issues that arise during an international conflict.

Time

1 class period

Materials

Copies of Reading 22A -- one role for each group; copies of Reading 22B for each student

Recommended Procedures

1. Introduce the activity by discussing the Constitutional right of a free press. If you have usedActivity 2, you might remind the students of some of the issues raised in that activity.
2. Divide the class into six groups. Distribute copies of Reading 22A -- one position to eachgroup. Ask the students to read the position, and discuss in thier groups what the positionmeans. Visit each group and ask what they think the position means. Ask each group to selecta spokesperson to present the position to the entire class.
3. Pull the class back together and ask each spokesperson to report on its position. Have the classdiscuss the different positions offered. After sufficient discussion, ask the students howcorrespondents who believed those positions might report upon different events during aninternational conflict. Finally, ask the students to analyze the strengths and weakness of each ofthose positions.
4. Distribute Reading 22B. After the students have read it, ask them to consider:

What do they believe is the proper balance between the people's right to know and nationalsecurity during wartime?

What if the Gulf War had gone on for years rather than just days? Should the censorshiphave continued?

What if American casualties had been much higher?

Return to the Contents page for International Conflict and the Media.

Go to Activity 23.

Go to the Bibliography.