Page 32 - The CNN Effect in Action - How the News Media Pushed the West toward War ini Kosovo

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THE CNN EFFECT
In the context of war, three areas of potential impact appear
particularly relevant: public opinion, military tactics and strategy, and
diplomacy and foreign policy. These three domains correlate to the
three actors in the Clausewitzian concept of Trinitarian War—the
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people, the military, and the state.
In this trinity, public opinion
represents the position of the people, the military executes its mission
through its strategy and tactics, and diplomacy and foreign policy
reflect the agenda of the government. If the CNN effect were to have
an impact on war and provoke change, its impact would likely be in
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these areas.
In relation to foreign policy, it is important to distinguish different
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stages and aspects of foreign policy. In terms of stages, distinction
can be made between policy formulation and implementation. In
terms of aspects, strategic aspects of a policy can be distinguished from
tactical ones. It is entirely conceivable, for example, that the CNN
effect may play a role only on some stages or aspects of foreign policy
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without having an influence on others.
Effect or Effects?
The notion of the CNN effect has grown over time to encompass a 7
number of distinct meanings. While the early references to it often
related to diplomacy, much of the focus after the 1991 Gulf War has
been on foreign policy. In his 1997 paper titled “Clarifying the CNN
Effect,” Steven Livingston conducted one of the most detailed studies
regarding different CNN effects on foreign policy. In this analysis,
Livingston distinguished the CNN effect as an accelerant of policy, an
impediment to it, and a policy agenda setter. 23 The following section
reviews these three effects.
The Accelerant Effect
As an accelerant, the CNN effect shortens the time available for gov-
ernments to establish a position or formulate a policy. 24 Under this
scenario, failure to react in a timely manner creates an image of aloof-
ness and even irresponsibility for governments, leading them to rush
to positions before knowing all the relevant facts or to make judg-
ments based on erroneous information. In order to react faster,
sources of information such as diplomatic reports that had previously
been critical to informed decision-making may be ignored. These
sources, however, are often based on expert analysis and deliberated
judgments that are more important in formulating pragmatic policies
with a longer-term perspective.