• The post you are reporting:
   
  I have seen this programme and yes in terms of presenting a serious matter in terms of entertainment, it does a very good job. It is however painfully clear the subtext of this and other reports presented to the general public. First of all we have to look at the program in context: it is a factual programme that promotes a specific view of a subject for the purpose of entertainment. Sky One, and Rupert Murdoch for that fact, are not in the business of making educational material. We have to accept the fact that what is being presented to us is a rather edited view of reality and as a result should not be presented to young people as unbiased fact.
  
  I fully support our troops and young people should be made aware of the work they are doing and why. They should also be allowed to question this objectively. We don't have to look too far into the past to see propaganda used in the first and Second World Wars to aid morale and war spirit. These techniques have become even more sophisticated in our media age. The powerful moving imagery from the bombing of pearl harbour was undoubtedly a tool in the calling to arms of the USA. We are now in a position where the MoD and the media have created a rather slick symbiotic relationship, where the true events are not always presented. I'm certainly not suggesting any kind of sinister conspiracies, but would not completely believe the mass media coverage of many events. I think I have mentioned before my good friend who is an ex-Royal Marine Commando and how the first hand events of the Falklands differ from the media and now 'historical' records. I think the MoD specified an exclusive 18 hand picked reporters to cover the whole Falklands Conflict.
  
  I do think awareness is very important and our thoughts should be with our troops, they are fine people. I would just be wary of swallowing everything we are told. An old school friend works in the department of health and we had a conversation a few weeks ago about how information is filtered into the public domain, I should imagine the MoD works in a similar way. It is a responsible approach and our governments are not out to lie to us, however we must not lose the ability to be analytical and questioning. Ross Kemp after all is a trained actor!

Report Post

Your Name

Reason