Structuring the hierarchy of dissent

Abstract

What role do the media in a liberal democracy play when their nation is at war? Wars present a potential contradiction for journalism. On the one hand, the press presents itself as an independent critic, an objective narrator, a neutral form. On the other hand, most news media are embedded organizationally within the framework of particular nation‐states. Their routine reliance on powerful, official sources yields news that often amplifies the dominant definitions of political issues. Audiences themselves expect news that puts their own nation in a favorable light. During crises, perceived threats to national interests against a backdrop of escalating risks may generate strong pressure on the media to acquiesce in the national government's response. Does it matter? Do mass media influence the prospects for international peace? Surely, the days when a press baron such as William Randolph Hearst could incite the 1898 Spanish‐American War by concocting tales of atrocities are behind us. Or are they? Media ac...