Journalists, Embedded

History of Embedded Journalists

War reporting has occurred throughout American history, from coverage of the fight for American independence by amateur journalists to photographers documenting developments of the Civil War. But in the 20th century the concept took on new dimensions. The development of communication technology from the telegraph to the radio allowed for information to be disseminated more quickly, and the public’s interest in developments grew. Today, television and the Internet provide the user with almost instantaneous information on the events of a conflict, with details such as the progress of an offensive and recent casualty figures, often with photographs of those involved.

The term embedded journalist was first officially used during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. After massive criticism of DOD media policy during the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the DOD implemented the policy to rectify previous failures at keeping the public informed.

Although DOD media policy evolved with each conflict, it experienced its greatest advances in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Perceived media biases and their unintended effects on the development and outcome of the war prompted major revisions in how the American military interacted with the media and the American public. The DOD enacted several new access policies, including the creation of media pools, wherein journalists or photographers input their information, which is then made available to all accredited members of the press. The responsibility for coverage was determined on a rotating basis to ensure equal access and equal distribution of the costs and risks associated with sending a reporter and crew to cover a war.

The DOD’s media policy was put to its first real test with the start of the air campaign against Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi army as part of Operation Desert Storm. The military proved unable to adequately handle the information needs and requirements of embedded and media-pool journalists traveling with units. There were not enough public affairs officers to monitor the interaction between members of the military and the press; the technological capacity to allow journalists to file their stories in a timely manner was insufficient. The press was loath to follow precautions established for operational security (OPSEC); overall, they exhibited a lack of military knowledge and failed to respect other guidelines for their own security in a live combat zone. The media policy proved ineffective and maladapted to the situation, while the press was not prepared for the realities of the situation. The DOD and the media would [Page 735]experience a chill in relations following the failures of the war, which would only be exacerbated by the landing of marines in Somalia amid the floodlights of live camera crews.

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