Syria & the CNN Effect
What Role Does the Media Play in Policy-Making
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9685031 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lyse Doucet (Kodak (France), corresponding author) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Volume | 147 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 141-157 |
| Publication date | 2018-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Daedalus (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0011-5266 • E-ISSN: 1548-6192 |
| Publisher | MIT Press - Journals (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1162/daed_a_00480 |
| OpenAlex | W2782170315 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
Syria's devastating war unfolds during unprecedented flows of imagery on social media, testing in new ways the media's influence on decision-makers. Three decades ago, the concept of a “CNN Effect” was coined to explain what was seen as the power of real-time television reporting to drive responses to humanitarian crises. This essay explores the role traditional and new media played in U.S. policy-making during Syria's crisis, including two major poison gas attacks. President Obama stepped back from the targeted air strikes later launched by President Trump after grisly images emerged on social media. But Trump's limited action did not shift policy. Interviews with Obama's senior advisors underline that the media do not drive strategy, but they play a significant role. During the Syrian crisis, the media formed part of what officials describe as constant pressure from many actors to respond, which they say led to policy failures. Syria's conflict is a cautionary tale
Action (physics · Iraq war · Media coverage · Media studies · Political economy · Political science · Power (physics · Public relations · Social media · Sociology · Law · Public Relations and Crisis Communication
The “Commitment Trap” Revisited
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Embodied Journalism
Liberal militarism and republican restraints on power
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Giving Aid Inside the Home
| Unique citing works | 8 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2018 - 2025 (8) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 8 |