Accuracy Versus Drama: Press Coverage of Khe Sanh, January-April 1968

Abstract

The media have faced much criticism for the reporting of the Vietnam War. This paper will attempt to show that, in the case of the battle of Khe Sanh, press coverage for the most part reflected official military and government statements, and although an emphasis on the dramatic was present, the slant toward negative or positive was based on official reports. The paper begins with a description and chronology of the battle itself. A critical inspection of press coverage follows, citing examples from the New York Times to show the relationship between drama and accuracy in stories from and about Khe Sanh. Special attention will be given to the frequent comparisons of Khe Sanh and Dienbienphu, a 1954 battle disastrous for the French in Indochina, including an examination of the comparisons that occurred in the New York Times and the CBS Evening News. [From Introduction]