BOND - EMBEDDING AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS, SAYS PENTAGON

The decision by the Pentagon to embed journalists with troops participating in the U.S. invasion of Iraq paid off for both the military and the news media, according to a military study obtained by Editor & Publisher. The trade publication said that it was surprised to learn that commanders were "often asked" by the embedded reporters to review a story or look at their videos before they were transmitted in order to guarantee "accuracy." In its report E&P observed that the study "includes remarkably few criticisms from bureau chiefs and reporters. All of them, at least in this report, state flatly that traveling with, and being protected by, the soldiers did not in any way compromise their reporting (although that would seem to be an unknowable)." The report summarizes: "Bonding did not hinder their ability to do what they were sent to do -- report the truth.'"

27/01/2006