During a Genocide: What Information Is Spread by the Media?
Under a genocidal regime, freedom of expression is abolished. Only the media outlets sanctioned by those in power are authorized to broadcast.
These outlets defend those in power and glorify state leaders. They hide the truth from the public to maintain support for the current regime. Radio Phnom Penh, for example, dedicated numerous broadcasts to Khmer Rouge revolutionary ideology.
Other media outlets are censored or shut down altogether, while the public is forbidden to access foreign media.
Abroad, media coverage differs from one genocide to another. There are many obstacles to reporting on genocide. Indifference or simple lack of understanding in the face of distant conflict, combined with existing prejudices (against Jews, Africans, etc.) along with political and economic interests, often influence editorial decision-making.