The World is Watching & The World Stopped Watching

The World Is Watching-overview

The World is Watching is documentary that focuses on the media coverage around the political conflicts of Nicaragua in the 80’s.

Main Ideas

• August 7, 1987- Peace treaty signed by 5 Central American Presidents
• Media focuses only on Nicaragua’s fulfillment of peace treaty and not on the other Central American Countries.Thus, Nicaragua faces burden of scrutiny.
• Journalists wait to document conflict in order to please editors back home. Journalists document violent aspects of protests rather than the positive aspects

Protest documented by journalists in Nicaragua

• Editors in U.S. corporate offices decide what is and what isn’t news and by consequence they determine how we see the world.
• “You throw enough mud on the wall and then you hope that some would stick.” -Miguel D’Escoto in regards to Ronald Reagan
• Journalists have to fit hours of footage in a couple of minutes.
• Photo are a prefered medium, because they can’t be changed.
• It’s admirable that the sandinistas have retained control of the country against the U.S. opposing forces.-Bill Gentile
• In order to obtain the most insightful story the information has to come from only one pair of eyes.
• • “Low intensity conflict” intends to extend American influence in the world without upheaval from the public, like it happened with Vietnam.
    • No American deaths
    • Media will help cover the violence and human cost
  • Media distraction:
    • On the day that Ortega was supposed to speak of the peace. The Contras level a town just 100 miles from Managua.
    • Reporters were to distracted by Ortega to capture the truth in the Central American Countries that in the U.S. “payroll”, so the miss the human right violations in these nations.

Attention placed on Ortega instead of the armed conflict.

The World Stopped Watching

The World stopped Watching-overview

During the Contra War, media outlets in the US and other nations like Great Britain, reported daily on Nicaragua’s political struggle.
After the war the reports ceased.

Main ideas

• After the Contra War poverty and political corruption continued

• Lack of visibility to civilians and veterans affected by the war

• Journalist in 80s showed the world atrocities but few have followed up on the impact

“We document the worst days of their lives; and, when the worst days of their lives are over, we pack up our things and go…some of us do. Not all of us.”
–William Gentile

• Generally, people are trying to move on from their past and strive for a better future.