Embedded Journalism

In 2003, with start of the war in Iraq, the U.S. military started a policy of “embedding” journalist, including photojournalist, in military battalions. With this program, journalists who wish to cover the war and travel with the American military could sign a contract with the military, which includes restrictions on what they can write about and what photographs they can transmit, and then be allowed to travel with a battalion.

This program allowed many journalists safer front-line access than going alone, however, because of the restrictions placed in the contracts, the same types of images coming from embedded photojournalists do not show many of the brutalities of war that were shown by photojournalists in Vietnam.

This program, which is viewed by many as a sly way for the government to censor the photographs and coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is controversial but does allow many to see a slice of war that they otherwise may not see.

PBS.org. “NewsHour Extra: Pros and Cons of Embedded Journalism.” Accessed July 17, 2011. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june03/embed_3-27.html

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Embedded Journalism: The Good – and Bad.” Accessed July 17, 2011. http://journalism.unl.edu/cojmc/alumni/jnews/0304_winter/komarow.shtml