Embedded Reporters

The media had been disappointed with the access allowed for reporters during the 1991 Gulf War and 2001 invasion of Afghanistan so embedded reporters were allowed by the U.S. military to travel with troops during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The military decided to allow this to aid in “information warfare” and to get their own story told in hopes of garnering more support. I think this was very appropriate. Reporters wanted to go and report what was happening and they were willing to be trained and take the risks. They probably saw it as part of their job just as the soldiers did. (http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_world_story_skin/148827 War reporters get battle training)

In March of 2003 with the invasion of Iraq there were around 570 to 750 embedded reporters. However, by April 2003 the number of embedded reporters began to fall to around 100 and in 2005 there were 48 embedded reports in Iraq. The financial strains have caused media outlets to pull their staff from Iraq. Sig Christenson. a senior military writer for the San Antonio-Express News and president of Military Reporters & Editors says that “those few journalists who remain embedded in Iraq bring a perspective and context to the conflict that is important to convey to the audience back home. “Everything you live as a military writer, you bring back to your work,” he says. (http://www.journalism.org/node/2596 The Vanishing Embedded Reporter in Iraq)