MEDIA RELEASE

CSUN Symposium to Explore the Relationship Between Journalism and War

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Feb. 22, 2008) — What is the relationship between those who fight wars and those who cover the wars? What limits should be imposed on journalists who are on the frontline? Or should there be limits at all?

Those questions and more will be examined in a symposium, "War and Journalism," sponsored by Cal State Northridge’s Center for Ethics and Values at noon on Wednesday, March 5, in the Presentation Room of the Oviatt Library in the center of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

"This symposium will address a number of questions that relate to news coverage of the Iraq War and other wars," said philosophy professor James Kellenberger, interim director of the center and moderator of the event. "A question that has arisen for the first time in the context of the Iraq War is: Should reporters be ‘embedded’ in military units?

"Other questions pertinent to the Iraq War relate to other wars and their news coverage as well, and yet other questions address the changing conditions of war reporting. These questions include: Have the ethical issues facing war correspondents changed since the first war covered by American reporters, the Mexican-American War? And what lessons can be learned from WW2 cartoons and other war cartoons?" Kellenberger said, adding that these are just a sample of the questions to be explored during the symposium.

Examining the issues surrounding war and those who report on it will be Melissa Wall, acting chair of CSUN’s Department of Journalism, who will talk about "Censorship, Cooperation and (Not Much) Criticism: How the Media Cover War News;" Northridge English professor Charles Hatfield, who will discuss "War Cartoons and Their Lessons;" and CSUN journalism professor Manley Witten, who will talk about "America’s First War Correspondents."

The audience will be invited to take part in a question and answer period following the presentations.

The symposium is free and open to the public. For more information, call (818) 677-4854 or e-mail james.kellenberger@csun.edu.