AIM OF THE THESIS

Understand how Kosovo War of 1999 was experienced by the mass media

TV Press

WAR & TV

TV consumption has changed over the years from pedagogical

vocation to neo-tv and infotainment

Current TV tools

Interview

Violent images

WAR & TV

Relations between power and media

News management Advertisement

Peace-makers Events-makers

Media actually used as

WAR & TV

The TV news has adapted to technology and the needs of viewers

War as an impulse for the development of mass communication (i.e. Hungarian Revolution, Suez

Campaign, Vietnam War, Falklands Conflict, Gulf War)

KOSOVO ON THE EVE OF THE WAR

Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia till 1992 (collapse of

inter-republic)

Kosovo: region of Serbia (90% Albanian)

Milošević revoked the autonomy of Kosovo and Vójvodina, and repressed non-aligned media

THE HUMANITARIAN WAR: REPORTAGE FROM KOSOVO

24th March 1999 bombing begins

Attack seen as necessary

Two stories

State TV (focus on salvation of pacific

population)

Private TV – Mentana (focus on the dead)

THE HUMANITARIAN WAR: REPORTAGE FROM KOSOVO

The whole conflict is characterized by

Smart bombs and NATO errors

Ethnic cleansing (Italy ready for first aid and

acceptance)

THE HUMANITARIAN WAR: REPORTAGE FROM KOSOVO

News styles

Uniformity among RAI channels (TG1: NATO point

of view)

Mentana considerably different (TG5: more

balanced)

Specials explore the news:•“Il Fatto”unavoidable events•“Porta a Porta”pathetic side of conflict•“Pinocchio”parallel to the news•“Maurizio Costanzo Show”Missione Arcobaleno

REMEMBERING THE WAR

Media decide the facts that deserve attention

Newsworthiness Agenda setting

53% pro-war (78% right-wing)

35% anti-interventionist(62.5% left-wing)

Public opinion determined by political orientation

REMEMBERING THE WAR

Four categories of events:• political-diplomatic• military actions• solidarity and

humanitarian• media

Ethnic cleansing as justification for war, memory of NATO bombing and sparse references to politicians

REPORTING THE WAR

Analysis of 580 articles of “La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno” and “Il Quotidiano”

from 1st March 1999 to 30th September 1999

Puglia at risk of bombing, invasion, economic, social

Gazzetta

REPORTING THE WAR

Waiting for the conflict (19th – 24th March 1999)

•Puglia as frontier land•Milošević vs NATO

•War seen as necessary

•Media consecration of war •Militarization of language•Refugee emergency

Outbreak of the conflict and legitimizing propaganda (23rd March – 1st April 1999)

Quotidiano

GazzettaQuotidiano

Gazzetta

REPORTING THE WAR

War as a routine (7th – 13th May 1999)

•Interest for Kosovo decreases

•Milošević obstacle to peace

•Positive evaluation of NATO•Articles about refugees

•Merit to the western justice•Vicious attack to Milošević

Before and after the peace: reason of the western justice (4th – 17th June 1999)

Quotidiano

GazzettaQuotidiano

REPORTING THE WAR

The analysis considered six fundamental groups: war, USA, NATO, Puglia, Milošević, refugees

Legitimacy of two incompatible terms: humanitarian war

CONCLUSIONS

Mass media were not able to create a media event around the world

Demonization of enemy leader

Lack of images

Violation of international rights

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION