Kandahar Province: catch all thread

[Entropy]

The problem is while most of us can read the two versions, and get the drift of what actually happened, UK media is just about incapable of accurately reporting from the front line or even the rear. The need to "entertain" and sensationalise, is mind boggling. The levels of inaccuracy and invention are now at a serious level, and that leaves the general public, very poorly served.

I don't read the UK media all that frequently now, but when I do, I get the same impression you describe here. When I actually lived in the UK about ten years ago I remember it as you describe. Sadly, it seems nothing has changed.

[davidbfpo]

Reporting from Afghanistan can be poor, often clearly dependent on press releases and guided tours. There have been several superb examples of reporting, such as the BBC TV hour long documentary on a Guards company with ANA troops (there was a post here) and the reports by Sean Langan (who was kidnapped earlier this year).

Even more remarkable, although made with massive help, was the multi-part documentary on a group of Royal Marines in training and then on active service.

I'd also mention the superb US reporting on isolated units in Eastern Afghanistan; grimly realistic and a couple of threads here.

davidbfpo

[William F. Owen]

There have been several superb examples of reporting, such as the BBC TV hour long documentary on a Guards company with ANA troops (there was a post here) and the reports by Sean Langan (who was kidnapped earlier this year).

Even more remarkable, although made with massive help, was the multi-part documentary on a group of Royal Marines in training and then on active service.

I know some is good. However the overall standard is low basically because the media have no idea what they are looking at.

The RM doco was interesting but some of what was shown, was out of sync to the commentary added afterwards, and what went un-said was often of more interest, and failure to address these issues, could arguably mislead the public.

[Ott]

I was the commander of the PMT that QRFed for CPL Diamonds team. I got there soon after the IED strike. Every one of them that I saw had NODs on. It was his first time driving outside the wire in a Cougar since it was a brand new vehicle in theater and they had spent the last week at KAF training on the vehicle. There was a couple headlights on, but one was so the medic could treat the men in the CCP and a civillian vehicle that had been abandoned next to the road. I haven't seen his video, but I imagine initially they were traveling with white light and didn't shut off their lights immeidately. They were in shock a bit since hundreds of pounds of explosives had just gone off around them and one of their men had been killed but their reactions were nonetheless completely proffessional. The reporter is a tremendous douche who tried to sensationalize the story. He also flat out lied in the article, as my medic made him a Priority C not an A, and a KIA would never be an A anyway.

[davidbfpo]

Ott,

Thank you. first-hand professional knowledge puts the reporter to shame.

davidbfpo

[Uboat509]

In hindsight I am withdrawing my earlier criticism. I was not there and one agenda driven article with a short video should not be the basis on which I make judgements. That is actually one of my rules and I broke it anyway. Bad SFC!

SFC W