Reporting on Civilian Casualties in the War Against ISIS

Reporters at U.S. media outlets strongly believed that civilian harm should be a central component of war coverage. Yet, civilian casualties from U.S. airstrikes have been patchily covered during the war against so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. This is one of the key findings in a new report by Airwars entitled, News in Brief: U.S. Media Coverage of Civilian Harm in the War Against ISIS. Authored by investigative journalist Alexa O’Brien, the report draws on new research and interviews with reporters at major U.S. media outlets, providing editors with recommendations for improved coverage. News in Brief is the result of a six month study funded by the Reva and David Logan Foundation in the U.S. and the J. Leon Philanthropy Council in the U.K.

To discuss the report and its findings, Alexa O’Brien is joined by Chris Woods, executive director of Airwars, a not-for-profit organization which tracks civilian harm claims in Iraq, Syria, and Libya (where it partners with New America), as well as by Azmat Khan, an ASU/New America Future of War Fellow and author of “The Uncounted,” a New York Times Magazine investigation into civilian casualties in Iraq, and by Greg Jaffe, national security correspondent for the Washington Post.

Featuring Alexa O’Brien, Author, News in Brief; Azmat Khan, Future of War Fellow, Arizona State University & New America; Greg Jaffe, National Security Correspondent, Washington Post; and, Chris Woods, Executive Director, Airwars. Moderated by Peter Bergen, Vice President, New America.