Magnum Photographers Join The Spin?

This summer I have been reading a book called "The Exception To The Rulers" by Amy Goodman, the same radio host and journalist that has spawned the phenomenal independent radio broadcast Democracy Now! At large this book focus's on how the American Government has been using extremely selective media strategies to lull citizens into supporting a war that will benefit a very select and wealthy elite whom are affiliated with the Bush administration. In part Mrs. Goodman delineates the strategies that have been used in the media coverage of the 2nd Gulf War. She shows us the grim picture of how the business of mass media has buddied itself with the military effort via embedded journalists to show the American people exactly what the military wants. This is a new tactic in war time journalism, never before have journalists been sponsored by individual army units. Making journalists entirely dependent on their aid and protection. How is that for fair and balanced coverage! Even in the first Gulf War, journalists were not even allowed into conflict area's and were locked away from the real fighting . This time photojournalists are allowed access to conflict zones but only the military sponsored ones are safe. Independent and international news corrospondents have become US military targets. This was signified when  attacks were made on a hotel that stationed independent journalists by an American tank early on in the conflict. Perhaps the army realized the power of non biased journalistic coverage, the same reportage that made the American people turn against the Vietnam War. 

For me, this is a huge red flag for the world of independent photojournalists. I feel that many people working in this field have just rolled over and accepted their roll in the business of media and marketing. I went to magnum photographers in search for journalistic honesty and inspiration to counteract my feelings of betrayal with the photographic status quo. I was shocked to find that when I entered a search for Iraq in the magnum images web site that some of the first images to appear were the famous destruction of the Saddam statue, which happened to be one of the biggest PR photo shoots of the war. These images are on par with the propaganda that was used to boost moral for the American people and military personnel when George W. Bush landed aboard an Military air craft carrier and was photographed in full fighter pilot gear giving the big thumbs up for America at War. Now this just raises qustions in my mind about photographers whom I had admired since my introduction to the world of photography and journalism. Covering issues of Middle Eastern Conflict are photographers such as Abbas, Ilkka Uimonen, Alex Majoli & Christopher Anderson , all of whom are phenomenal photojournalists who demand the utmost respect and esteem in journalistic excellence. Although, while I scroll through the image search I keep getting a unnerving feeling that the many photographs that I am viewing had been taken while following a particular military unit, a technique in media censorship that has been in testing since around the Reagan era which trains journalists obedience and reliance to the military body guards. As a result the reportage of the war is exclusively from the stand point of the US military. Can anyone show me where I can find a photojournalist who is not under the thumb of the United States Military?