NBC calls Iraq conflict 'civil war'

[ProSense]

What tipped it for them, was it: This? This? This? This? This?

NBC calls Iraq conflict 'civil war'

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer 43 minutes ago

NEW YORK - NBC News on Monday began referring to the Iraq conflict as a civil war, adopting a phrase that President Bush and many other news organizations have avoided.

Matt Lauer said on the "Today" show that "after careful consideration, NBC News has decided that a change in terminology is warranted, that the situation is Iraq with armed militarized factions fighting for their own political agendas can now be characterized as civil war."

The network's cable news outlet, MSNBC, drummed the point home repeatedly by using the phrase "Iraq: The Civil War" on the screen.

There are different criteria for defining a civil war. Webster's New World College Dictionary defines it simply as "war between geographical sections or political factions of the same nation." Some political scientists use a threshold of 1,000 dead, which the current conflict has long since passed.

more...

[NewJeffCT]

1. well, at least they are the first of the so-called "liberal" MSM

I haven't heard of CBS, ABC, CNN or Fox calling it that yet, unless I missed it.

[neoblues]

2. Surprised they don't call it a "Civil Police Action"...

After all, wasn't Vietnam just a "Police Action"...

[wtmusic]

3. CNN calls Iraq "Civil War?"

(question mark)

Wake up Wolfie.

[VOX]

4. This is a significant turning point in the media's framing of the Iraq conflict...

Interesting to see how long it will take the rest of the corporate media to follow NBC's lead (and if they do).

[FormerDittoHead]

5. Kudos NBC, for taking this baby step away from the right wing talking points toward the truth...

Although I should say it's not exactly an "Edward R. Murrow moment"...

[Doctor_J]

6. On the radio hourly 5-min newscast tonight,

in between Christmas music sets, our local station appended "amid White house protests". This could get interesting.

[Mojorabbit]

7. CBS blog

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2006/11/27/publiceye/entry2210354.shtml
But according to Linda Mason, Senior Vice President, Standards and Special Projects, CBS News does not presently see any reason to refer to the situation as a civil war. She said that any decision to do so would come from the network as a whole, not any individual program.

"We're just covering the war, and I think we're doing a good job," said Mason. "We don't see a need to characterize it one way or another right now." Mason noted that "that could change."