Are the new and old news media to quick to feed off one another and start suggesting that the turmoil in Iran is or could become a revolution? RealClearPolitics’ Kevin Sullivan in effect says: not so fast:
There has been a lot of speculation around the web and in print media as to whether or not what we’re witnessing in Iran this week is the beginning of something bigger. We’ve even heard the “R” word get tossed around, as images of young Iranians marching and praising God in the streets of Tehran evoke images of 1979.
I would, however, advise a bit of caution in throwing the word “revolution” around, especially from an American perspective. The cynic in me would note that we’ve seen similar demonstrations and protests in Iran, most recently in 1999. Much like today, pundits and analysts were convinced then that street clashes between Iranian students and thuggish Hizballahis were the early indicators of something bigger to come. But that “something” never came, and the reform movement in Iran was subsequently thwarted and crushed.
It’s also important to keep some perspective when comparing modern day Iran to the Iran of 1978 and 1979.
Go the link to read it all.
And, indeed, you can see many news articles that suggest what is going on is close to or qualifies as a revolution, of sorts., Sullivan is correct to issue a warning: the new and old media conventional wisdom is made more urgent due to the rapidity of news cycles, and how print, Internet and broadcast media are now in near-survival mode competition to garner audiences/readership. This means “high concept” terms or implications become picked up and part of a media consensus. If it turns out fallacious? Fallacious, shmalcious...no one will remember later (or so some think). Remember how revolution was going to sweep China some years ago? (The real revolution came in how China became a huge supplier to the American market, with serious consequences to American workers).
Here are some examples of headlines now on the web with the word “revolution”:
Recession and Revolution
Iran: Revolution, Tiananmen, or something else?
Iran analysis: protest draws comparisons with 1979 revolution
Revolution, 2009 — No. 3 In a Series
Arab Pro-Democracy Movements Should Support Iran’s New Revolutionaries
Twitter and revolution in Iran
Iran’s 3rd Revolution: 7 Protesters Killed, Journalists Threatened with Arrest if They Report Street Protests
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Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.