THE SUN NEWSPAPERS REPORTING OF THE BUILD UP TO AND THE BEGINNING OF THE IRAQ WAR - FEBRUARY 17TH – MARCH 27TH 2003

FEB 17th	FEB 18th	FEB 19th	FEB 20th	FEB 21st	FEB 22nd	FEB 23rd
FEB 24th	FEB 25th	FEB 26th	FEB 27th	FEB 28th	MAR 1st	MAR 2nd
MAR 3rd	MAR 4th	MAR 5th	MAR 6th	MAR 7th	MAR 8th	MAR 9th
MAR 10th	MAR 11th	MAR 12th	MAR 13th	MAR 14th	MAR 15th	MAR 16th
MAR 17th	MAR 18th	MAR 19th	MAR 20th	MAR 21st (a)	MAR 21st (b)	MAR 22nd (a)
MAR 22nd (b)	MAR 23rd (a)	MAR 23rd (b)	MAR 24th (a)	MAR 24th (b)	MAR 25th (a)	MAR 25th (b)
MAR 26th (a)	MAR 26th (b)	MAR 27th (a)	MAR 27th (b)	MAR 27th (c)

Many investigations and surveys site that well over one million Iraqi’s have died since the invasion of Iraq on 20th March 2003. Why? Well to quote the Sun newspaper, apparently it was ‘to bring peace to this region’!!! Does anybody still not see the frightening hypocrisy and contradiction in these words? Well if this is PEACE then what the hell is WAR? The Sun newspaper was and is openly PRO war and often aggressively personally attacks (as opposed to challenging the opinion of) those that dare to speak up against this war. Over 1,000,000 Iraqi’s and nearly 5000 coalition troops have now died in a war that has been relentlessly supported by all Rupert Murdoch owned news organisations and Journalists worldwide.

Rupert Murdoch’s massive global media empire is calling into question the very idea of what a free press is. He now controls one third of all newspaper circulation in the UK for example. This kind of power and massive editorial control is unhealthy and undemocratic and is clearly being used to shape and form the opinions of this population rather than inform readers honestly and effectively. Newspapers are meant to be the eyes and ears of the people, holding power accountable not the voice of power telling the masses what to think! Their methods to mislead this population are often crude and obvious yet accepted and not illegal. WHY?

REPORTING OF STOP THE WAR DEMONSTRATION

It makes us so angry to read the Sun newspaper copy from the 17th February 2003 and how Murdoch journalists played down the importance and credibility of the huge outpouring of public feeling against the War at the Anti-war demonstration held in London and around the world on the 15th February 2003. Conservative estimates suggest 1 million UK citizens marched on London in a valiant attempt to STOP THE WAR and yet the Sun on the Monday 17th February 2003 reads.

"A Million Britons had a jolly day out on the anti-war march. It was like a carnival without the costumes. But let’s not get carried away. Fifty-eight million other Brit’s didn’t march on London. They weren’t suckered by has-beens like Tony Benn and Michael Foot or never-will-be Charles Kennedy. "

To write off the 1 - 2 million people that marched on London as suckers (I’m sorry but) it is a F***ing outrage; a cancerous influence on the minds of it’s readership and a spear in the heart of true journalism. This kind of journalism is wrong and clearly designed to mislead. The largest demonstration this country possibly has ever seen and the Sun ridiculously focuses on those that did not attend. What are the people of the UK meant to do to get their voices heard and listened to?

War is just around the corner and the newspaper is allowed to consciously misinform our population in a clear attempt to discredit and soften the power of this momentous day without fear of redress. The Sun’s front page leads with a story concerning an argument with David Beckham and Alex Ferguson. This is deemed far more newsworthy than the coming eventuality of war and takes the front page. Up to 10 million people read the Sun news paper each day and this is the kind of bullshit they are being fed legally every day. We must make a stand for responsible journalism and truth now before it is too late.

When writers are not free to report openly and honestly on subjects then this is not journalism, it is propaganda and an attack on free speech. In fact free thinking is frowned upon in a Murdoch owned news organisation. The Sun newspaper looks after the interests of the boss Rupert Murdoch and his powerful friends, many of which reside in the current American administration. Journalists that work for News Corporation know what is expected of them if they are to keep their jobs and succeed in their careers.

There are masses of people in the UK who are not stupid. We see through the gaps in the alternate version of reality we are offered but in all truth are too lethargic to actively protest and feel demoralised and powerless to effect change in this system of ours whose sum parts seem to contain nothing that is noble, truthful or heartfelt. Our voices are ignored and our choices limited by the chance to vote for - either a blue self serving, money motivated, power hungry, ambitious politician or a red one. Whose policies anyway seem to be more or less identical these days.

SO WHAT CAN I DO I? REALLY WANT TO HELP!

Please sign our petition as the more signatures we have the more weight this campaign will carry! Also at the top of the page we have made available The Sun newspaper’ coverage of the BUILD UP TO THE IRAQ WAR BETWEEN FEBRUARY 17th AND MARCH 27Th 2003. There isn’t much more important news to report than war. So if honesty, balance and fairness are the standards by which Journalism ought to be judged let us know your thoughts concerning the Sun’s reporting of the War.

Each date will have it’s own heading in the MEDIA FEEDBACK FORUM to enable you to read the coverage and then make your comments. Help us to analyse and keep a permanent record, reference and reminder of the dangers of this kind of journalism and help us to raise awareness of the issue. If the front page of the pdf’s feature some celebrity clap trap please do not think this is a mistake! We have intentionally kept these front pages in as they highlight what the Sun believes to be more newsworthy than war. This is all part of the relentless dumbing down of news that Rupert Murdoch owned media have played such a key role in implementing worldwide.

Please GET INVOLVED and send us anything that you think we should be made aware of in our fight for responsible journalism.

We need to get people realising that they are SUCKERS and SHEEP if they blindly buy into the opinions of Rupert Murdoch ‘s editorial control! Your input will be greatly appreciated. We look forward to hearing from you and hopefully generating lively comment on our FORUM.