Definition of “Embedded Journalism”.
Embedded journalism is a practice in which journalists cover a war with military units. This concept began to be used in the invasion of Iraq (2003). At the beginning of the war there were about 775 embedded journalists, but at the end of the year were about 100. In 2005, there were just 48 embedded reporters in Iraq. The reason was media desire to reduce their stuff in Iraq for financial reasons. They had to sign a contract with the military. The only apparent restrictions that they had was not to report information about the unit position, future missions, classified weapons or something that they could find. Anyway, if there was something that the military wanted to hide, they could not publish it. Moreover, if there is something that they don’t want journalists to know, they just try to hide it from journalists. If the commander of an embedded journalist declares a “blackout” they can’t fill stories via satellite connection. In this way, the military can create their own story about the war and that story is transmitted to the audience. They can pull credentials from journalists if the don’t respect the contract, it happened in Kuwait with two journalists who published an illustration of the military control over embedded journalists.
Advantages and disadvantages.
It can be used as propaganda. Reporters are away from civilian populations and spend the day with the invading forces, so if they protect them and even sleep with them, they won’t be objective. This is a dangerous practice because journalists are at the same risk than militaries, 85 journalists have been killed in Iraq. The fact that journalists travel, live and report with the military was an advance. In previous conflicts the access wasn’t allowed. Stories reported by embedded journalists are very real, they give a sense of immediacy and humanity. Relationships between the military and journalists have been uneasy because of their different aims.
“Embedded in Iraq” (Gavin Hewitt) and “Bagdag, city of walls” (Ghait Abdul-Ahad)
Gavin Hewitt is a British journalist and presenter from the BBC. Since 2009 he is the BBC New’s Europe Editor. In his article “Embedded in Iraq” he explains how he covered the Iraq war with the military. Reporters were trained in the front line, in Quantico, about useful things in Iraq (how women could use ponchos, cotton underwear, maps, military grids... They were allowed by the 3rd Infantry Division to bring their own vehicle, a Land Rover Discovery with the equipment. He was with a cameraman (Peter Gigliotti) and a driver (Jimmy Grant). As he explains, Iraqis went out to see them, and thought that “Americans were liberators”. They were shelled as well as military. They could see military soldiers and civilians death. First Hewitt told the cameraman to avoid the details, but he regretted that. He finishes his article saying: “This was liberation day, bight shining but strangely incomplete. There was a celebration but also silence”. 
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad is an Iraqi journalist who has worked in The Guardian and the Washington Post. He has reported from Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan and Libya. He had to change constantly his residence because he was a deserter from Saddam Hussein’s army. He was a freelance photographer and journalist for Getty Images and for The Guardian after the invasion or Iraq (2003). He covered the front lines of Sunni and Shia and wrote the book “Unembedded: Four Independent Photojournalists on the War in Iraq”.
The main difference between Gavin and Ghaith is that one covered the invasion of Iraq from a military point of view and other from the civil one. “Embedded in Iraq” just shows how Americans are liberators for Iraqis. But Ghaith’s film shows that Iraqis are uncomfortable with the American presence and would like to solve the conflict on their own. In the embedded coverage there is a lack of objectivity because journalists are part of U.S. Forces, they spend the day with them and just see what they want them to see. But a freelance journalist, such as Ghaith Abdul-Ahad shows how Iraqis see the invasion and how do the military act by killing their family or friends.
Embedded in Iraq. Gavin Hewitt.
Baghdad, city of walls. Ghaith Abdul-Ahad.
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