Digby on the Brian Williams story
How Is This "Mistake" Different?
Journalists and "journalists" get called out all the time by groups like Media Matters and comedians like Stewart and Colbert. Sometimes the media address their "mistakes," often the critics are ignored.
What is different about this story is that it forced Williams (and NBC) to acknowledge his lie. The reason it wasn't ignored is because it came from another serious media player, Stars and Stripes. Especially interesting is that this player might not have run the story at a different time under a different administration.
I want to encourage more of this kind of work, especially if it is used to improve the quality of our media. What will it take?
Why Was this False Narrative Encouraged For So Long?
Some have asked, "Why wasn't this corrected sooner?" That's easy to answer, William's fabricated close call with a RPG on a chopper was part of the narrative about the war that the media created for itself and for Americans at home.
They were assisted by the military brass who knew a good story when they heard it, therefore they didn't take steps to correct the record. As they say, "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story."
The lie about William's getting shot down reinforced several ideas and narratives.
1) Iraq is a scary place and needs control. Reporters need to be embedded with "the troops" for their own protection. The green zone briefing tent gives the media what they need to know. Shorthand for staying put? "Remember what happened to Brian Williams."
2) We need to fight these people, they are fighting us.
"They aren't throwing flowers and sweets at us you peace-loving hippies! They SHOT AT BRIAN WILLIAMS! Of COURSE we had to kill everyone in the area!"
3) People with "skin in the game" sell the war better. Some in the military knew it was a lie, but why spoil Williams' great story? "Let the baby have his bottle."
4) Excitement! Ratings! Stories about people trying to kill rich innocent journalists are exciting! People at home can feel better about killing Iraq's when America's Favorite 30 Rock guest star is almost killed.
Getting the perspectives of the poor innocent Iraqis is boring and makes people at home feel bad. I'm falling asleep just typing that sentence.
5) The biggest relate-able celebrity is always used to pitch the story. Want to tell a story about the massive tsunami in another country? Tell the story of the white supermodel caught in it.
6) Use the "missing white woman" story for war. The decision by NBC and Williams to co-opt a real person's experience was useful to get the public's attention and empathy using someone they could relate to.
NBC and Williams might even have justified the lie saying it was representative of others' real story that wouldn't get covered without celebrity.
Who Kept This Narrative Going?
That the truth got out at all is rather astonishing, and I'm glad it did. Imagine if this encouraged other people to come forward to tell real war stories vs. the narrative myth created for positive public consumption?
http://digbysblog.blogspot.dk/2015/02/brian-williams-rpg-mistake-in-iraq-was.html