How the British Media’s National Bias Helps Terrorist Propaganda and Recruitment
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009One of the claims of media critics in the UK is that the national bias of the media helps the Government and security forces.
However, this can also be counter-productive, as my research and recent news events highlight.
Kosovo Conflict
While I researched the Kosovo Conflict I found that the media coverage of British and Nato forces was mostly positive, but when they caused civilian casualties they were covered and analysed much more than similar Serb ‘collateral damage’.
John Charles de Menezes and Edwin Dyer
I have found the same true with recent events in the war with Al Quaeda.
When British police shot the innocent John Charles de Menezes in London after the 7/7 bombings of 2005 there was massive media coverage that lasted for days, and there was further in-depth coverage for the inquest and verdict.
However, when Al Quaeda beheaded innocent kidnapped British hostage Edwin Dyer in North Africa last week there was only brief mentions on the news that day, and it was gone from the coverage the next day.
It did not even receive as much coverage as alleged crimes by British troops while serving abroad, which are much more likely to receive headline news and analysis.