Live from Baghdad
Live from Baghdad is a television movie produced in 2002 by HOBS Films. It was directed by Mick Jackson and written by Robert Wiener (based on the book of the same title by Wiener). The film begins on August 2, 1990 with Iraqi forces and tanks rolling into Kuwait City. In Atlanta CNN picks Robert Wiener and his crew go to Baghdad and cover the invasion.
First of all, the movie focuses on the news media’s (primarily CNN’s) coverage of the war. Fundamentally an action - drama, this movie is concerning with the ethics and implications of 24-hour journalism in the days of war. Basically, the movie shows us more than one news company such as ABC, CBS. If we evaluate that movie Wiener‘s crew and their rivals, we have to mention about relations between each other. Wiener’s crew must be brave and prudent because war situations can be dangerously. The important point is that, Wiener takes the chance of war situations and he is stable for coverage of the war. Actually, there is a competition between news channel and also their crew in the movie. What kind of competition? The aim of the biggest of Wiener is that, an interview with the president of Iraq Saddam Hussein. By the way, Wiener and his crew are very careful act when they cover a new because a staff follows up from the Ministry of Information Iraq. One night, Wiener, Ingrid and their rivals meet at hotel’s pub and other rivals despise their news story so this case shows us, there is a competition between CNN and other news channels during the war. Therefore main purpose of the effectiveness news must be interest things of audiences. On the other hand, Wiener is a good journalist how I know? Because he could stable and he did not give up about an interview with Saddam. In terms of me, Wiener and Minister of Information Naji Al Hadithi become as a friend and this point is very important because establish good relations with minister to provide many advantages to them. In addition, when CNN crew becomes news other colleagues called as a “CNN- The voice of Iraq”. This is the good example of how they relationship between CNN and other rivals throughout in the Baghdad. CNN crews did not cover and ignored some cases to an interview with Saddam and this is another important things. In that movie, getting closer to time of war some channels (ABC, CBS almost BBC, ITN) make a decision to go away from Baghdad. However, Wiener talks with Ed Turner and he decides to stay in Baghdad but he does not pressure other friend about this topic because this is very personal. While the team cracks up American aircrafts attack to Baghdad.
According to me, crew teamwork is very significant thing and CNN crew has very sense line especially between Wiener and Ingrid because they are good friend for a long time and they have been worked together a long time.
If we make critical ethical issues in terms of journalistic approach, the movie can be criticized in many ways. Firstly, Iraqi soldiers are shown many places in the movie however we could not see American soldiers more than once as if; Baghdad has been bombed by someone else because in Kuwait, we can see many bad things such as dead people, some injured people by Iraqi soldier but in Baghdad that condition is changed. After the war, we could not see any dead people or injured people. This is the one-sided perspective and this is not ethical behavior for journalistic approach. Moreover, CNN crew had an interview with someone who is named Bob Vinton, suddenly this interview drew attention and he was a wanted person because he is American citizen. After the interview, he is taken away by Iraqi soldiers and this case is very significant thing because all journalists should be considered people’s life in danger. In the end of movie, Wiener reach own goal so he has been covered news story but that news story was not wanted his goal because he and his crew were not block with their news story.
To sum up, Live From Baghdad movie is very impress for all journalist which is telling a group of CNN reporters wrestle with journalistic ethics and the life and death perils of reporting during the war.