Russians Are Coming? No, Not Really

It will just never work to falsely report that your country is being invaded.

Afterthought attempts at damage control will see only limited success. Your media outlet will face angry accusations decrying that the independent media (pro-gov, anti-gov - no matter) is irresponsible.

A recent example occurred in the republic of Georgia, where an Imedi TV broadcast showed images of what could happen if the Russians invaded. The director of Imedi Media Holding, Giorgi Arveladze, at once apologized for, and rationalized, the controversial broadcast.

"We wanted to show something that we never want to happen," he said. As I watched, I noticed no disclaimer across the bottom of the screen.

Possible misinterpretations?

A true event.

Or perhaps nationalistic fervor overriding journalistic integrity.

Or maybe political opportunism on the part of the instigators.

Entertainment (ever growing as news content) also plays into such coverage. History shows that the martian invasion fantasy of New Jersey prompted public panic in the 1938 radio version of The War of the Worlds (reprises in Chile in the mid 40s and in Ecuador --with reprisals -- in 1949).

Re-broadcasts can even go awry. One month after and again one year after horrifying tornadoes whipped through Louisville, KY, WHAS radio attempted to rebroadcast audio describing funnel clouds that dropped down for devastating results. On both occasions, public panic prompted the coverage (which was to later win multiple journalism awards for WHAS) had to be pulled from the broadcast.

We could all learn a lesson from Georgia (in Euro Asia), but just watch. We will do it again.

Very soon in fact, we will do it again . . . as some fools stage an April Fool's Day "newscast" that will indeed fool those who still trust the media.