MEDIA WORKERS AGAINST WAR SCOTLAND - LAUNCH MEETING
21 APRIL 12.30-1400 @ SACC CONFERENCE, STUC HQ, 333 WOODLANDS RD., GLASGOW G3
It doesn't matter what kind of journalist you are; we all want to report the facts truthfully and comprehensively. That means explaining context, including alternative views, questioning and challenging official statements and policies, and above all, opposing what's morally wrong and illegal.
The incendiary and irresponsible reporting of the British naval personnel abduction last week was a disgrace to the profession and the issue of flawed and biased coverage is becoming ever-more problematic. The media was prone to supine and lazy journalism in the build up to both wars in the Gulf. Politicians and lobbyists must no longer be allowed to bully a weakened and pliable media to sell a misguided war on terror by perpetuating armed aggression in Iran and Afghanistan.
Although journalists should not indulge in politics outside the comment pages, we must stand up for human rights at all times. That is why we are organising Media Workers Against the War Scotland to oppose the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and to warn against attacking Iran, through fair reporting and better scrutiny of government policy and military conduct. If we can organise in media workplaces to give media staff confidence in standing up to their editors and managers to insist on ethical standards of fair and balanced reporting, then we have made a start in telling the unvarnished truth.
DEBATE THE ISSUES ON APRIL 21
Speakers:
Professor John Eldridge is a member of the Glasgow University Media Group, the foremost centre for media research and analysis in the UK. He has written extensively on media and communications methodology and in particular on the way the media is used in war coverage to build support for, and to normalise, state aggression.
Reviews:
"The Glasgow Media Unit may have been the scourge of the Establishment. But its methodical approach to research won admirers - and imitators - on all sides." - The Sunday Times
"No one has done more to expose this conspiracy of cosiness through more then 20 years than the Glasgow Media Group... The Glasgow Group have got their hands dirty with a nuts-and-bolts dismantling of the manufacture of consent, taking apart news coverage image by image, word by word." - The Scotsman
Neil MacKay is a journalist and author who writes for Glasgow's Sunday Herald newspaper. In The War on Truth, he reveals how the media manipulated western support for the Iraq war; how the allies used WMD against the people of Iraq; how spying units were set up by the British and Americans to lie about the threat from Saddam; how the invasion of Iraq was dreamed up by the Bush team long before they took over the White House; and how the US and UK tried to destroy whistleblowers who attempted to expose the lies. In August 1999, MacKay reported insider CIA allegations that the al-Qaeda network was planning to attack the US with planes.
Dave Crouch is the chair of Media Workers Against War and has been instrumental in organising its successful campaign from London. MWAW has protested, leafleted and debated with the major media organisations including the BBC, ITN, BSkyB, CNN and other broadcasters and with newspaper editors and politicians. There is a strong membership with regular monthly meetings, running several current campaigns against misinformation and flawed news coverage in all media outlets. Among recent speakers at MWAW meetings have been Yasmin Alibhai Brown, Gary Younge, Craig Murray, Yvonne Ridley and NUJ president Jeremy Dear.
Media Workers Against the War launch meeting is being held at the annual conference of Scotland Against Criminalising Communities, in the STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3, Saturday 21 April at 1230-1400.
www.mwaw.net
Best wishes,
Bruce Whitehead
Email:
brucek3@aol.com
Phone: 0131 331 4799 or 07944 928 702 (Mobile)
21 APRIL 12.30-1400 @ SACC CONFERENCE, STUC HQ, 333 WOODLANDS RD., GLASGOW G3
It doesn't matter what kind of journalist you are; we all want to report the facts truthfully and comprehensively. That means explaining context, including alternative views, questioning and challenging official statements and policies, and above all, opposing what's morally wrong and illegal.
The incendiary and irresponsible reporting of the British naval personnel abduction last week was a disgrace to the profession and the issue of flawed and biased coverage is becoming ever-more problematic. The media was prone to supine and lazy journalism in the build up to both wars in the Gulf. Politicians and lobbyists must no longer be allowed to bully a weakened and pliable media to sell a misguided war on terror by perpetuating armed aggression in Iran and Afghanistan.
Although journalists should not indulge in politics outside the comment pages, we must stand up for human rights at all times. That is why we are organising Media Workers Against the War Scotland to oppose the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and to warn against attacking Iran, through fair reporting and better scrutiny of government policy and military conduct. If we can organise in media workplaces to give media staff confidence in standing up to their editors and managers to insist on ethical standards of fair and balanced reporting, then we have made a start in telling the unvarnished truth.
DEBATE THE ISSUES ON APRIL 21
Speakers:
Professor John Eldridge is a member of the Glasgow University Media Group, the foremost centre for media research and analysis in the UK. He has written extensively on media and communications methodology and in particular on the way the media is used in war coverage to build support for, and to normalise, state aggression.
Reviews:
"The Glasgow Media Unit may have been the scourge of the Establishment. But its methodical approach to research won admirers - and imitators - on all sides." - The Sunday Times
"No one has done more to expose this conspiracy of cosiness through more then 20 years than the Glasgow Media Group... The Glasgow Group have got their hands dirty with a nuts-and-bolts dismantling of the manufacture of consent, taking apart news coverage image by image, word by word." - The Scotsman
Neil MacKay is a journalist and author who writes for Glasgow's Sunday Herald newspaper. In The War on Truth, he reveals how the media manipulated western support for the Iraq war; how the allies used WMD against the people of Iraq; how spying units were set up by the British and Americans to lie about the threat from Saddam; how the invasion of Iraq was dreamed up by the Bush team long before they took over the White House; and how the US and UK tried to destroy whistleblowers who attempted to expose the lies. In August 1999, MacKay reported insider CIA allegations that the al-Qaeda network was planning to attack the US with planes.
Dave Crouch is the chair of Media Workers Against War and has been instrumental in organising its successful campaign from London. MWAW has protested, leafleted and debated with the major media organisations including the BBC, ITN, BSkyB, CNN and other broadcasters and with newspaper editors and politicians. There is a strong membership with regular monthly meetings, running several current campaigns against misinformation and flawed news coverage in all media outlets. Among recent speakers at MWAW meetings have been Yasmin Alibhai Brown, Gary Younge, Craig Murray, Yvonne Ridley and NUJ president Jeremy Dear.
Media Workers Against the War launch meeting is being held at the annual conference of Scotland Against Criminalising Communities, in the STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3, Saturday 21 April at 1230-1400.
www.mwaw.net
Best wishes,
Bruce Whitehead
Email:
brucek3@aol.com Phone: 0131 331 4799 or 07944 928 702 (Mobile)
