Overview

How and why journalists and broadcasters filter information.

Draft an article based on despatches from the front line.

Learning aims

• Reasons why the media filters news about war

Icebreaker

Start by reading or handing out some reports sent from HMS Ark Royal.
Click on the titles below to go to the page

Ask the class:

• What restrictions was Matthew operating under?

• Why had these been imposed?

If you have time the link below gives a summary of reporting restrictions written for KS3.

Do students feel the TV coverage they saw followed these principles?

Main activity

Report on a conflict

Redraft the following imaginary despatch from a journalist on a front line. Consider what might need changing and why.

As a group run through the Major's mistakes, how many did they identify?

[A] Reveals military secrets.

[B] Reveals the identity of casualties before families have been notified.

[C] Withholds information because it is damaging to his government.

[D] Reports a rumour he can't back up.

[E] Xenophobic / racist comment.

[F] Propaganda / misinformation

Overall tone The reporting feels gung-ho and flippant, whilst the reality of combat is that people are being killed.

Extension activity
Produce the final copy of the magazine article.

Plenary
Points [C] and [F] of the Major's piece are the most controversial. How much do the group think that journalists should 'help' their own side in a war?

Is this a question for which there is a right or wrong answer?

Why is truth the first casualty of war?

Teachers' Background

Click at the top right of the page for the BBC Producer Guidelines on War.