“This is the slaughter known as the first world war” says John Pilger in tones of barely contained rage as we see black and white photographs of victims. This opening sequence sets the tone for an uncompromising documentary about the true horror of war and the lies that are propagated in its name.
The film was first shown on ITV in December 2010 but was banned from being shown in the US by the Lannan Foundation.
The question at the heart of this film is that in times of conflict: What is the role of the media?
Are journalists there to help government public relations officials communicate their ‘facts’ without question or are they there to provide balanced reporting based on known facts.
In modern warfare, the so-called imbedded journalists are employed to give a front line perspective on warfare. In the safety of our living rooms, this has the look of witnessing the action as it is happening; the ultimate reality TV.
However, what these journalists are allowed to report is carefully monitored and controlled by military forces. This, they will argue, is in the name of national security but it also means that there are confrontations and situations that will never be seen. Only scenes that show the ‘good guys’ in a good light and the ‘enemy’ as the personification of evil will be broadcast. Strenuous efforts are made to ensure a block of the kind of unfiltered films that Wikileaks have released. Continue reading
