Date of Award

1998

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Mass Communication

Department

Business

First Advisor

Michael Castro

Second Advisor

Phillip Hamilton

Third Advisor

Charlene Engleking

Abstract

Coverage of war is a very high priority for the press, because of the publics desire to know; therefore the press places high value in obtaining important information. Usually, exclusive news about battles is the intelligence that the enemy needs to know. Since the beginning of war, conflicts between freedom of the press and national security have been prominent. Although The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects people's right to know, it does not deny the importance of national security.

This thesis will discuss freedom of the press and national security and explore war's effect on the press, specifically during the Vietnam War and the Gulf War, focusing most on the near collapse in the relationship between the press and the governmental during the Vietnam War. This thesis also will recount how journalists reported the Vietnam War during its different phases, and how the American people moved from supporting the war to becoming anti-war. Based on the Vietnam War experience, the U.S. military carried out censorship of the press during the Gulf War. These new ways of censoring the press not only prevented the media from divulging military secrets but also used the media to give the enemy erroneous information to achieve military goals.

Whether discussing the Vietnam War or the Gulf War, the press not only provided documentary coverage, but also influenced the degree of public support for and the government's policy toward the war. The rapid media development of communication equipment especially improved day by day coverage. In future wars, some battles will belong more to the media war than military war. However, the affect of media in the Vietnam War and the censorship of the press experienced in the Gulf War will shape the direction each country must take in the future wars.

With the rapid development of satellite communication, the immediate press report not only affects analysis and manipulation of intelligence but also can disadvantageously influence the leadership on the battlefield. These implications will become the focus of journalists and military policy makers in future wars.

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