It’s no real secret that the media doesn’t exactly show the public all images from war. But it’s also a known fact that those specific images can end up changing public opinion about conflicts that we enter. A documentary that came out in 2013 called “The War You Don’t See” tries to explore those images and the media’s role in telling the public about what happens in conflicts.
The documentary really hits home in today’s world where we read about the news involving all of the conflicts currently going on in the Middle East.
The War You Don’t See from John Pilger on Vimeo.
Of course you’re all going to wonder why the media doesn’t show incredibly graphic images not only of war but also of disputes that happen locally. The answer: for years many people just have never wanted to see those kinds of images. To that end, readers and subscribers complain, threaten to stop coming back to the news source, and that cripples the finances. When the finances get cripples, journalists and photographers can’t be paid.
These days though, I’d argue that there are lots of folks who would want to see those photos. With the dawn of the internet, warnings can be given and disclaimers can be put over specific images using coding where the image will only be revealed if it is clicked on. If someone genuinely doesn’t want to see a graphic image from a war, they don’t have it. However, they help to send a message about what’s actually going on.
