Media Coverage Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was considered to be a turning point in America’s view of foreign affairs and problems. Not only was the war the first war to be televised and show to American audiences, but it was also one of the most controversial, due to the images and news being broadcasted. Media coverage of the Vietnam War sparked the attention of many viewers who were never used to the kind of imagery shown on the news stations during the war. The media coverage of the Vietnam War induced different reactions from the people who viewed it. Those main feelings were feelings of horror, terror, unease, and even sadness for those caught in the carnage of the war. While the fact that there was no censorship of the news and images only helped to increase those

What was considered Media Coverage?
Media coverage scales down to the news/media that was filmed and watched through electronic devices like the television or radio. The coverage was based mainly on events like the different battles and the traveling in between the battles, as well as specific events that were considered to be important to the war, such as events like the Tet Offensive and siege’s at Khe Sanh and Pleiku. What was broadcasted from the war were some of the first things to be shown on the new electronic device like the television. It was a whole new way to get information and news at the time. Media broadcastings of the war became a new way to preserve America’s history other than in writing on documents or old newspapers. Information that was shown were things like the various death tolls from battles and events and imagery of those battles. While

According to Media’s Role in the Vietnam War, in the 1950’s there were only 9% of homes had televisions, later on the numbers rose to 93% in 1966. While the website goes on to state how a survey in 1964 recorded that 58% of the U.S. respondents got “most” of their news from television. The dramatic rise of televisions during the time of the war helped grow the number of people watching the war broadcasts. Coupled with Vietnam in HD episode 3, stating how people at the time were baffled at the images they were witnessing. After everyday life people would tune in to their televisions to get their news, however most if not all of the news stations at the time of the war only broadcasted news or images of the war. People who have never seen images of war saw men killed, disfigured, and possibly dying right on their home television screens. The article How the Media Shapes Public Opinion of War pointed to a photo South Vietnamese general executing a Vietcong prisoner for the main reason Americans started to doubt their allies. While the media given from the news stations were considered more trustworthy than the information given from the government to some. The YouTube video Vietnam in HD episode 3 went on to say how everywhere you go people would talk about the war as well. It was understandable that people would get sick of the constant importance of the