Popular Culture Review Vol. 8, No. 2, August 1997 | Page 133

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leave such efforts to those who have more confidence in
their own judgement than I have in mine. (Sperber,
141)
This is not to say there are no valid concerns about live
coverage. There are legitimate dangers, and we saw examples of
them in the Persian Gulf War. One risk is giving the viewer
misinformation and rumor, such as the gas bombs which did not strike
Israel, but were reported. There is the danger of being used, as in
telecasting an interview with a fanatic who may be jeopardizing the
lives of hostages or news reporters. A newsperson may overreact or
exaggerate, even unintentionally, to unfolding events such as an
incoming missile attack. Real time reports may be one dimensional,
showing only one side of a story. Correspondents and anchor people
should qualify their reports as much as possible, explaining that
theirs are individual perspectives of a story which has a larger
context. As long as there are different methods of reporting, real time
coverage can be an important, unique means of providing information.
We need more facts, not fewer, in time of armed conflict.
The biggest danger to live coverage is that such reporting can
get someone killed. One CNN reporter from the Persian Gulf War,
Charles Jaco, said in a personal interview that reporters who are
stationed near troops have their own lives at stake, as well as those
of the soldiers. Jaco added that relations between military personnel
in the field and correspondents were cordial. The friction developed
because of orders issued from such distant locations as the Pentagon.
As for misinformation, what about the reports of a U.S. amphibious
attack? Jaco said that reporters knew this was a false report, b u t .
they did not divulge any secrets. Jaco has a positive viewpoint of
teal time coverage: "I think live reporting is exceptionally valuable,
because people want it, people expect it now, which has been the
good thing about this. They want to see the raw thing itself,
unvarnished, and make up their own minds. And that's the thing
about live reporting: if you don't have time for interpretation or
reflection, maybe that's not always such a bad thing. The audience
can do it for itself. So I find there's a good deal of value to it." (Jaco,
April 5,1994)
We must consider information involving military personnel
from several nations, even opposing armies. Is news "foreign" now