April 11, 2008

Framing—interpretive schema for analyzing news coverage, what is the nature of the story being told, going beyond simple facts, what is the narrative Indexing—helps to explain how the media, without direction from government, tends to favor policy positions held by government and newsmaking elites…ex. The Surge Agenda Setting—theory to explain public opinion and knowledge

 Prior US/Iraq relationship—Rumsfeld meets with Saddam in December 1983  Proximate Cause—Iraq invades Kuwait or Iraq claims Kuwait is stealing Iraqi oil  Justification for invasion—stabilize oil, stop butchery, defend the peace-loving Kuwaitis  Air campaign precedes ground war—Iraqi Air Force escapes to Iran  We stop short of finishing off the Republican Guard on the road to Baghdad, Highway of Death

 August 1990—Iraq invades Kuwait, immediate UN condemnation  December 1990—Sadam declares Israel is the first target if war breaks out  January 16, 1991—Desert Storm begins  January 17, 1991—First SCUD hits Israel  January 19, 1991—US sends Patriot missiles to Israel  February 22-25—Iraq set Kuwait oil fields ablaze in retreat Feb 28—it’s over!

 Briefness of the Fight  Dominance of air war more difficult to cover  Coverage is consciously managed by a system of pool coverage, most reporters cover the war from Saudi Arabia  Motives for censorship include:  high percentage of friendly fire incidents: 23% of the dead and 15% of the wounded caused by “friendly fire” (especially true early in combat) and a vow not to repeat the mistakes of Vietnam

 Devastating critique of pool reporting and the spinelessness of major news organizations in opposing it  Hill and Knowlton, planted Congressional testimony, and the myth of trashed incubators  The myth of smart munitions (so you shouldn’t worry about civilian deaths)

 Why scale exam results? Criterion referenced versus norm referenced grading  Validity issues for new exams  A63-69C  88A-58-61C-  84B+52-54D  79-80B47 and below F  74-76B-  72-73C+