Media and the Path to PeaceThis is the first book to examine in detail the roles that the news media can play in an ongoing peace process. Gadi Wolfsfeld explains how the press's role in such processes varies over time and political circumstance. He examines three major cases: the Oslo peace process between Israel and the Palestinians; the peace process between Israel and Jordan; and the process surrounding the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. Wolfsfeld's central argument is that there is a fundamental contradiction between news values and the nature of a peace process. This often leads the media to play a destructive role in attempts to make peace, but variations in the political and media environment affect significantly exactly how the media behave. Wolfsfeld shows how the media played a mainly destructive role in the Oslo peace process, but were more constructive during the Israel-Jordan process and in Northern Ireland. |
Contents
Building theory | 8 |
The initial stages of Oslo | 45 |
The Israeli media and the debate over Oslo | 77 |
The Palestinians and the Israeli media | 104 |
The media and the IsraelJordan peace process | 137 |
The media and the struggle for peace in Northern Ireland | 158 |
Common terms and phrases
amount Arab Arafat argued attempt Barak Beit Lid Camp David campaign concerning conflict considered construction content analysis countries cover critical deal debate difficult discussed drama editorials Ehud Barak election elite consensus enemy especially ethnocentric example extremely fact Friday agreement given Ha'aretz Hamas headlines Hebrew impact important influence initial interviews Israel Israeli journalists Israeli media Israeli news media Israeli press issue Jerusalem Jordan Jordanian Knesset Likud Ma'ariv major media coverage media environment media frames media play negative negotiations Netanyahu newspapers newsworthy Northern Ireland ongoing opposition Oslo accords Oslo peace process Palestinian authority Palestinian leadership parties Peace frame percent Peres period political environment political waves positive Prime Minister pro-peace problem promote Rabin government relations reporters role routines Second Intifada sensationalist side slots sources stories strategy summit talks television terrorism terrorist attack tinian topic Unionist violence Wolfsfeld Yediot Ahronot Yigal Amir