Why Some Wars Get More Media Attention Than Others

Damage in a house after a Saudi-led airstrike last month in Yemen, whose war has not gotten much attention. Credit Mohamed Al-Sayaghi/Reuters

Amanda Taub, The Interpreter/New York Times: Why Some Wars (Like Syria’s) Get More Attention Than Others (Like Yemen’s)

It is a truth universally acknowledged by every war correspondent, humanitarian aid worker and Western diplomat: Some wars, like Syria’s, receive tremendous public attention, which can translate into pressure for resolution. But many others, like Yemen’s still raging but much ignored conflict, do not.

Some of the reasons are obvious; the scale of Syria’s war is catastrophic and much worse than Yemen’s. But attention is about more than numbers. The conflict in eastern Congo, for instance, killed millions of people and displaced millions more, but received little global attention.

Every country in the world has its own version of that dynamic, but it is uniquely significant in the United States.

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WNU Editor: Another reason why there is a lot of media attention on Syria is because of the refugee crisis. If a million Yemenis were to leave their country and try to make it to Europe .... the media spotlight and attention will change quickly.