It is simply amazing that all the countries now "get it" that war happens primarily on TV (this vs this; many other examples are around). It is also amazing that there is NO way to know where "media reporting" ends and "psyops" begin. So, a burning tank with no clear markings that you see on TV might be:
- Tank belonging to warring side A
- Tank belonging to warring side B
- Just a tank that was passing by and got hit by mistake :-)
- Something that looks like a burning tank
- An archive shot that reporter added for visual impact
Same applies to the "primary weapon" of a modern TV war: "evidence of atrocities of the opposing side."
What's the truth? Who knows... progress brought us "TV wars," is this the first "YouTube war"? But if we cannot believe the media coverage, how can we believe a random video online? Well ... maybe the same way we often believe Wikipedia over Britannica.
In any case, if there was a better time to turn off the TV (and tune off the web news...), it would be now. Also, time to get the dust off my copy of Toffler?
Rant mode off :-)
UPDATE: fun article on that very subject (media vs psyops) - "Debating Domestic Proganda: Part I"
UPDATE: "A column of Russian military vehicles, including tanks and armored vehicles, was reported to be moving toward Tbilisi with a journalist from U.S. media giant CNN riding along and reporting live for U.S. television. [...] The fact that Russia now has U.S. journalists embedded with its military to report every move being made is key. " (source)
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