Where’s the good news from Iraq?
Posted by Bob HunterI recently received an e-mail asking a question everyone in the media has heard repeatedly — Why don’t you publish more news about the good things going on in Iraq? This missive came with a group of photos of smiling U.S. soldiers with smiling kids.
I think there are three basic reasons there are not more good news stories in the local media:
1. There’s not that much good news to report. Yes, there are success stories and pockets of the country where things are going better, but the truth is that it remains a country torn apart. You hear that not just from journalists, but from the troops themselves. There have been some notable good news stories that ended poorly — new schools started and school kids later killed, water treatment plants built and then destroyed by insurgents. I’ve asked our wire editors to keep an eye out for “good news,” but they say they see little of it.
2. We have little control over the war coverage. The reporters on the ground in Iraq are primarily from wire services or major media outlets. They are often unable to get outside the U.S. protected Green Zone, because it’s too dangerous. So if a school or an electrical plant opens, there’s often little or no media there to witness it. Are the reporters on the ground biased against the war? I can’t judge that, but from what I read and hear, it seems they’re just trying to tell us what’s going on, the good and the bad.
3. The military makes it hard to tell the good stories. As strange as that seems, it’s true. We have twice had good stories set up with local soldiers, only to be told that they found out they could not speak to the media. So the stories we could tell from the people who are on the front lines are blocked by the very military that says the media are not telling the whole story. Seems like they’re shooting themselves in the foot.
As I mentioned, the e-mail I received came with photos. But they were pictures of soldiers with no IDs, so we have no idea if they’re from Medford or Oshkosh. If you know of any local people who are serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, please let us know, because we do want to tell their stories. We can’t send a reporter to Baghdad, but when the troops come home, we will meet them anytime, anywhere to let them tell their stories.
March 24th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Really?? No good news at all?
Bob, obviously you are not reading your own Forums. We have had good news reported from Troops serving over there posted on the Forums. The detractors here snidely proclaim them to be part of a propaganda effort. They do not make it sound all grand and glorious, but they do show positive results and we hear things from them we do not hear from the Media.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Bull. there is plent of good news to report. The media is so bent of getting rid of Bush (all right already we do not have a President for Life in this country) that they will use every chance to bury a good story and splash a bad one. We need all of it…the American public really does have enough brain cells working to decide on our own.
March 27th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
I sent you the pictures of the GI’s and the good deeds they are doing. My question to you, is why does the GI have to be one from our area? Any GI will do in this case. If they are doing good deeds, no matter where they are from should be news worthy. We hear and read enough of all the bad stuff printed in the media. So print the good stuff you receive as well It won’t hurt your business to give us a bit of good news for a change in place of all the garbage generated daily. The most we see is negative politics slamming our President. I would be real interesting to see any of the critiques trying to hold down that terrible job and make everyone happy. I am thankful we have a President that can stand up to the constant garbage spoken about him daily in the biased news media which is very obviously bent towards the Liberal side of the fence. There has never been a two way street, especiallly in this paper. This is very sad that our country has arrived at this, where both sides can not be heard. So if you want to be a bit fair about your new media, tell both sides. The good stories and the bad, it won’t hurt you a bit. Like I stated in the e-mail, it is time to see some good news for a change. So give it a shot. Please Thank you for listening. Bob Faulkner
March 27th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
In the above message I hit the wrong keys The word should be Critics not Critiques It would be interesting to see any one of the Critics hold down the job of the President and get it right. It is very sad it has to be politics all the time and even worse to see it in the news papers every day. It gets very sickening after a while to the point, I just go to the internet and forget the biased news papers. At least on the internet a person can find both sides of the story. So if you are looking for balance news, shop around on the internet. It is better coverage and less biased. Bob
April 1st, 2007 at 10:49 am
Sir, I was born and raised in Medford and have served in the U.S. Army now for 18 years. In the last four years I have deployed twice and served two tours in Iraq. As an American Soldier I am the last that person that would wish for war. But, one must ask if the rights we enjoy at home are just ours to enjoy. Or, are they basic human rights that all people should enjoy. It is easy to stay in the rogue valley and protest when you have never experienced a life where fear dictates every moment of the day. Where you are killed because of your religion or race. Oh, and lets not forget about the rights of women in Iraq under the Islam religion. These are not situations they ask for but were born into. There are not many good news stories from Iraq because it is a difficult mission. It is a power struggle between evil and good that has always existed. We may not succeed in Iraq but ultimately it is up to the people of that country to fight for what they believe in.