The future of British military engagement with the media
March this year will mark ten years since the invasion of Iraq. In those ten years in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, the media has embedded with British troops in an effort to report the conflicts.
We will be joined by an expert panel to look at the nature of the engagement between the British military and the media, in light of more than ten years of conflict overseas.
As we see changes in the British military, the media and the nature of conflict zones, how will this relationship develop? We will be examining the management of the media and the judgements that are made about what to and what not to show.
Chaired by Stewart Purvis, Professor of television journalism at City University London. He is a former Editor-in-Chief and CEO of ITN, and Ofcom’s Partner for Content and Standards.
The panel:
Lorna Ward, deputy foreign news editor at Sky News, currently deployed as Media Advisor to ISAF Deputy Commander, Afghanistan. In her position at Sky she runs the international news input and has spent a considerable time in the field as a reporter and producer. Previously, she was mobilised while in the TA; deploying in charge of a Combat Camera Team attached to British infantry units across Iraq, and US special forces in Baghdad.
Vaughan Smith is a news pioneer who founded the Frontline Club in London in 2003. Since the 80s Vaughan has worked as an award-winning independent cameraman and video news journalist covering wars and conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Kosovo and elsewhere.
Robert Fox has worked as a journalist and broadcaster since 1967, and is defence correspondent for the Evening Standard.He is member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and the Royal Institute for International Affairs, Chatham House.
Major General Jonathan Shaw was chief of staff of UK Land Forces between 2007 and 2008. He joined the Parachute Regiment in 1981 and went on to serve in the Falklands, Kosovo and Iraq before joining the MoD. He currently advises Digital Barriers plc and OPTIMA Defence & Security.
