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
Interview
Current TV tools
Violent images
WAR & TV
Relations between power and media
News management
Advertisement
Media actually used as
Peace-makers
Events-makers
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
Public opinion determined by political orientation
53% pro-war
(78% right-wing)
35% anti-interventionist
(62.5% left-wing)
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
REPORTING THE WAR
Waiting for the conflict (19th – 24th March 1999)
•Puglia as frontier land
•Milošević vs NATO
•War seen as necessary
Outbreak of the conflict and legitimizing propaganda
(23rd March – 1st April 1999)
•Media consecration of war
•Militarization of language
•Refugee emergency
REPORTING THE WAR
War as a routine (7th – 13th May 1999)
•Interest for Kosovo
decreases
•Milošević obstacle to
peace
Before and after the peace: reason of the western
justice (4th – 17th June 1999)
•Positive evaluation of NATO •Merit to the western justice
•Articles about refugees
•Vicious attack to Milošević
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