US television networks losing the fight against biased coverage

Media-watchers on both sides of the war have declared the Americans the losers. Embedded journalists and hi-tech equipment have so far not been able to deflect accusations that US television networks are presenting biased coverage.

The print media has been spared the critics' ire, instead being perceived as balanced in presenting the Iraqi and US viewpoints.

Satellite and Internet broadcasting have given viewers around the world an opportunity to see all sides of the conflict - unlike in the 1991 Gulf war, when CNN had a monopoly. In the 'embedding' experiment, 700 journalists are travelling with and reporting from American and British military divisions.

For speakers of both Arabic and English tuned in to the American media, the BBC and Arab satellite stations like the Qatar-based al-Jazeera or Iraqi television, the unfolding of the war gives an opportunity to compare and debate.

A leading American expert on Middle East politics, Samer Shehata, has concluded that every media outlet has its own perspective on the war. This was shown in either presenting the government's view of news, a particular style of reporting or in more subtle ways, such as on-screen logos.

The Georgetown University School of Foreign Service professor said the US network MSNBC used a logo reading 'Operation Iraqi Freedom', which many colleagues saw as a paid advertisement for the Pentagon, while Fox News had an American flag.