The Power of Pictures and Words

From my observation of previous posts, I found a particular view that I found interesting. This view, which is held in common by many people, is that reports of the war are being twisted by the media to affect the public’s opinion of the war. Hearing news directly from those who are in Iraq can be a much more reliable source. Most of the news that we usually hear is passed over to a writer who has never even been in Iraq. Therefore, the stories can easily be bent to change the public’s perception. Even when we do hear report from people who have been to Iraq, the news can sometimes be very blurry. Some people look on the bright side and say that the situation has greatly improved. Others do not see that hope and are fearful of what is come.
This whole effect can make Americans a bit confused. Americans sometimes aren’t quite sure what the status of the war really is. This goes to show that the media can have a huge impact on the way the public thinks. If the media were to have a common theme of being optimistic and reporting all of the “good news,” then there may be more people supporting the war. As for now, most of the reports seem to be about violence, which is not good for gaining public support.