"Vietnam: The First Television War" Topic

"The Vietnam War (1955–75) was a time of great controversy in the United States. Cold War tensions ran high as the country relentlessly fought against the alleged evils of communism.

At the same time, advances in video and audio recording enabled both easier and more news coverage. From 1950 to 1966, the percentage of Americans who owned a television skyrocketed from 9 percent to 93 percent as televisions became essential for everyday life…"

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Armand

All basically true but, that television coverage hit your screen in a 30 minute increment in the early evening and it was almost exclusively Uncle Walter on CBS, Huntley and Brinkley on NBC and I have no recollection of the ABC guy (but I'll bet a gazillion quatloos it was a guy). I do not recall PBS McNeill-Lehrer (I think they were later).

The point being news was not the all pervasive 24/7/365 diffuse monstrosity it is today. Thinking back to Vietnam being a "TV war" is true within limits, but the beast that is the current zillion source Internet outrage machine we endure today makes that idea of the media affecting Vietnam seem almost nostalgically cute.

Thanks

Armand

Peter Jennings on ABC World News.

While it was 'only' three networks, everybody watched the news. It was also just actual news and not delivered with any partisan flavor or alternative facts delivered for entertainment value.

I remember seeing a live scene of a helicopter going in under fire to rescue a downed helicopter crew. Turned out the downed pilot was a cousin of mine. So yeah, it had a big impact.

Thanks also…

Armand

Technical point – I don't think anyone saw 'live' scenes of combat on TV from Vietnam at the time.

I think it was just not done then and there would be little point in making the effort.

Also – there would be the issue of someone potentially being killed live on TV and recognised by relatives.

So it seemed very immediate – and I vaguely remember seeing footage on the TV in the early 70s.

Ready to be corrected if I am wrong about this and keen to know for sure either way.

x2 for Skarper….Lots of footage, but not what we'd call 'live' today.

I remember watching the news here in the UK aged about 7 and there being footage of lots of body bags lined up on the ground, and I think that was what affected a lot of people as they weren't used to seeing that on the TV at 6pm whilst having their tea. It must have affected me because it is about the only TV news I remember of Vietnam, apart from the now world famous incident with the napalm and the little girl running down the road towards the camera, and the final storming of Saigon and the evacuation.

For me it was the Tet Offensive and Hue, just after the siege of Khe Sanh. We got nightly coverage here in the UK, but obviously not "live". Both had me gripped as an adolescent.

The first "live"broadcast I recall was JFK's funeral. We were surprisingly late in getting colour TV, but it was infinitely better than the US version that I watched, even in 1983. Always astonished me that US domestic transmission was so poor.

Thanks again…

Armand