1. R I A Z U L I S L A M
I N T E R N A T I O N A L M E D I A S T U D I E S
B O N N - R H E I N - S I E G U N I V E R S I T Y O F A P P L I E D
S C I E N C E S / D W A K A D E M I E
Media Coverage of Syria Conflict
Elite VS People Orientation
2. Peace Journalism
Originated from peace studies
First coined during 1960s
Proponent Johan Galtung from Norway
Prominent researchers: Wilhelm Kempf, Jake Lynch,
Nadine Bilke, Rune Ottosen
Advocates media to adopt people oriented reporting
instead of elite oriented reporting
Critical to military solution of any conflict
3. Peace Journalism VS War Journalism
Peace Journalism War Journalism
Peace oriented
‘win, win’ orientation
Humanization of all sides
Truth oriented
Expose untruths on all sides
Solution oriented
Peace= non-violence + creativity
Highlight peace initiatives, also to
prevent more war
People oriented
Violence oriented
Zero-sum orientation
Dehumanization of ‘them’
Propaganda oriented
Expose ‘their’ untruths
Victory oriented
Peace= victory+ ceasefire
Conceal peace initiatives, before victory
is at hand
Elite oriented
4. People VS Elite Oriented Coverage
People Oriented Elite Oriented
Focus on violence/sufferings of all sides
Give name to all evil-doers
Focus on people peace-makers
Giving voice to the voiceless
Focus on ‘their’ violence and suffering
on ‘us’
Give name of ‘their’ evil-doers
Focus on elite peace-makers
Being elite mouthpiece
5. Syria Conflict and Media Coverage
1300 Dead in chemical gas
attack, among them many
children
Blame game between Assad and
rebels
USA, France and Britain
Threatened of military strike
Another Iraq was looming
Germany was against military
action
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=ilanR5_YeEo
8. western powers as active agent in top headlines
Elite vs Non-elite voice
Big powers Assad Govt. Rebels/P
eople
Total Reports
FAZ
Independent
IHT
8
5
12
0
1
0
1
1
2
61
41
61
Time frame: 18 days from 22th August till 11th September of 2013.
9. Anti War Campaign
Number of
Reports
Total
Number of
Reports
Percentage
FAZ
Independent
IHT
4
7
6
61
41
61
6.55%
1707%
9.83%
10. Povoking words in
headlines
Non provoking words in
headlines
FAZ
Independe
nt
IHT
13
19
15
21.31%
31.15%
36.58%
FAZ
Independe
nt
IHT
18
8
11
29.51%
13.11%
26.83%
19. Conclusion
The media coverage was, to a large extent, elite
oriented.
Media coverage failed to bring peace or alternative
discourse.
Media tend to use provocative words in conflict
reporting rather than neutral or peace oriented
words.
Media changed their standing in consistent with the
change of political situation.
20. Reference
Galtung, Johan. "Peace Journalism: What, Why, Who, How, When, Where?" Kempft,
Wilhelm. The Peace Journalism Controversy. Irena regener, 2008. Berlin.
Human rights Watch video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilanR5_YeEo, accessed
on 17.04.2015
Kempf, Wilhelm. "Conflict Prevention and the Media." Kempf, Wilhelm. Readings in
Peace Journalism. Berlin: Irena regener, 2010.
Lynch, Jake and Annabel McGoldrick. Peace Journalism. London: Hawthorn Press,
2005.
Lynch, Jake (2014): The Global Standard for Reporting Conflict. Routledge
Galtung was one of the founders of Norway’s peace research institute.
According to Lynch and McGoldrick, peace journalism is when editors and reporters make choices- of what stories to report and about how to report them- that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non-violent responses to conflict.
Galtung, Johan (2008): Peace Journalism: What, Why, Who, How, When, Where? In: Kempf, W (2008) (Ed.): the Peace Journalism Controversy. Berlin. Irena regener. P. 18-20
Lynch, Jake (2014): The Global Standard for Reporting Conflict. Routledge. P. 41
On 21 August, 2013 the opposition group published a video of poisonous gas attack on civilians in Ghuta area near Damascus.
Look at the headline: What you see? As if Assad is liable for the massacre. Blame game of media.
As the preparation of strike USA ordered their naval force to move to Syria.
Top headlines of three weeks. Big powers include Russia
Western powers shown as the decision maker of Syrian fate. Even the UN was sidelined in the main stories. Rebels or opposition were almost absent and Assad govt. was presented as nobody.
Anti war rally took place in different cities, but those voice was hardly heard in the media coverage.
The UN peace negotiator Lakhder Brahimi was working since September 2012 as a mediator between Syrian government and rebels. During the crisis he was totally sidelined in the media coverage. There was hardly any news on the peace initiative by UN even by any local organization.
The inspection of UN team in Ghouta area did not get much attention to the media, unless their comments supported the western narration.
the newspapers’ headlines were full of provoking words like ‘war (Krieg)’, ‘attack (Angriff)’, ‘strike (Schlag)’, ‘intervention (Eingreifen)’, ‘threat (drohung)’ and ‘warning (Warnung)’.
the presence of the de-escalating or neutral words like ‘peace (Frieden)’, talk (Diskussion), diplomacy (Diplomatie)’ and ‘hold back (zurückhalten)’ were relatively much less frequent in the headlines
During the first week the media tend to focus on war and military strike.
The headlines show that the Western power is going to decide the fate of Syria, and it will be military way. And It will happen.
Newspapers were busy to show the military positions and their capabilities, it reminds us of Iraq War.
On 29th August British House of Commons voted against any kind of military strike against Syria. This decision suddenly changed the whole scenery and the media tone.
From the next days media tend to show the other side of the possible military strike.
At that time Gernamy was heading to their national poll which was supposed to be held in weeks. So the German media was more focused on their election, but it was clear the Syrian conflict and ongoing crisis was getting a lot of attention in FAZ.
Media was in many cases the mouth piece of elite countries.
