Feature Article

The Most Threatening Weapon of Mass Destruction: The Media

By Tom Beattie

Nuclear Warheads, Hydrogen Bombs, and the Media?

No, this is not a typo or a “what word doesn’t fit” test. These words all share one characteristic: they are weapons for governments.

Most people know of the different roles of media, such as educator and political socializer, but not many know that the media is a legitimate tool of war. In times of crisis the government can call upon the media to mobilize the country and rally the people to become “patriotic” by supporting almost all of the actions taken by the government. Robert W. McChesney, author of September 11 and the Structural Limitations of U.S. Journalism discusses this “cheerleader” role when he describes the media portraying the events of September 11 as, “a benevolent, democratic, and peace-loving nation was brutally attacked by insane evil terrorists who hated the United States for its freedoms and affluent way of life.”  This development of a national enemy and a national point of view by the media allows the government to increase its spending and build up the military. Also, this public mobilization can result in the beginning of a war, which is exactly what happened in the case of the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Once the hostilities openly commence, the media begins its true actions as a tool of war. The government increases its “relationship” with the media (meaning it controls what is and is not reported) and invokes certain censorship restrictions on news organizations. For instance, all stories written about the war in Iraq must be submitted to a military review before published. Yet, instead of the press being outraged at their amendment rights being violated as we would expect them to be; they quietly accept and become a government lap dog. Specifically, the media turn to propaganda to influence the home front in support of the government. Robert W. McChesney provides another great example when he describes CNN broadcasting two different types of coverage on the Iraq War, a liberal international one and a “sugarcoated” American one. This is done so the American people will not receive liberal coverage of the War and will be continually reminded that “the war on terrorism is a good war”. 

The military also employs their own media resources as psychological weapons during war, otherwise known as PSYOPS. These PSYOPS operations are accomplished through tactics such as leaflet dispersal, radio broadcasts, false news stories, and even cell phone calls aimed at the enemy. They rely completely on secrecy and disinformation. Although not a new endeavor, PSYOPS messages are designed to infiltrate the enemy and cause upheaval and confusion on the opposing side. In fact, in the Gulf War and the Iraq invasion the United States used “Radio Iraq” and “bullshit bombs” (dropping leaflets from planes) to convince Iraqi soldiers that resistance is futile. Although the PSYOPS role of media is a clear tool of war that many accept as valuable to obtaining victory, the techniques are often disguised as ‘real’ media, blurring some uncomfortable boundaries.