Media and Armed Conflicts: An Overview

Being newsworthy, conflicts attract much of the media attention. The interaction between the media (print or electronic) and the armed conflicts has taken multiple forms in history, and different journalists or news organizations have approached different armed conflicts differently. In the backdrop of the constant debate over morality and objectivity in journalism, this study investigates the evolving academic debate around the relationship of media and armed conflicts, especially with the advent of new communication platforms. The digital platforms that allow the sharing of multimedia content, including social networking and microblogging websites, facilitate disseminating the news content and serve as essential tools for newsgathering. The instantaneous nature of these platforms and unlimited outreach make them attractive tools to be used by traditional news organizations. They gain even more importance in the conflict zones — where it is difficult for them to have their correspondents on the ground. Therefore, the present paper outlines new technologies by the traditional news organizations that have reshaped the relationship between conflict and media. It also discusses the role of news media in shaping public opinion and policy.