Embedded Journalism in the Military and in Politics

Haley Dake
hd883312@ohio.edu

Embeds and the Military 

Military reporting can easily be considered on of the most influential kinds of media in our country today. The national opinion weighs heavily on those of us you report on the front line. Our tone, and the information we choose to give and also withhold can be responsible for the way the public feels about war.

Analysts have looked at the reporting surrounding the war in Afghanistan, and have noticed a negative trend in the stories. Though originally the war was being reported unbiasedly, as the number of deaths increased the tone seemed to take a turn. In the beginning years of the war we saw a surprisingly small amount of stories released, but the years at which the death rates sky rocketed, more and more stories were released.

The strong focus on only the negative side of the war efforts had a big effect on the public's opinion of the government at that time. Many presidential candidates during this time ran on the campaign of bringing our troops home, and those such candidates were very popular. Its not right for journalists to report only the negative, even if the war was unfavorable. But it is also not right for us to only report the positive, and skew public opinion to agree with the government.

Embeds and Politics

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Journalists that take on the role to be embedded in a political campaign face a similar type of conflict to those who work along side the military. Where do we walk the line between reporting the truth and making a candidate look good? Are we working for that candidate or are we simply a reporter on the scene? It is easy to lose your way between these two distinct sides. As a journalist there is nothing more exciting than being able to report a first hand account, or have an inside story. But we also have a responsibility to take a step back and reflect on what our story actually says.

These blurred lines between what is right and wrong in being an embedded journalist in politics is not something I believe will ever go away. Our nation is built on over 200 years of a strongly divided political system, and though it is our job to be the unbiased voice, it is almost impossible not to favor one side or another.

Let's Talk About Ethics

Our ethical codes are what will save us when we are faced with the challenge of embedded journalism. Whether you are on the front line or on the campaign trail, you must remember to act independently. Though we don't usually look at the military as belonging to a big business, it is. And its no secret that the politicians we may be covering work for the biggest business in the nation.

The government has become a much stronger force in the media than it should have ever been. If we let it control what the media reports, the public will be ill-informed and at risk of being manipulated. It is an extreme and radical thought to try and break ties with the governing force of our country, and that's not what I'm suggesting. Instead I'm calling for a better understanding of what it means to be independent according to our codes.