The Death of a Dictator: How the Internet Circumvented Traditional Media

Strategic Insights -

The execution of Saddam Hussein was widely covered by major news channels, but it was the unedited, raw footage of the event that spread quickly across the internet, bypassing traditional media outlets. The video, recorded on a mobile phone, showed the former dictator's final moments, including his recitation of a Muslim verse and his subsequent fall from the scaffold. The amateur quality of the video, with its erratic camera work and inadequate lighting, seemed to add to its authenticity, making it an important historical record.

Key Takeaways:

  • The unedited footage of Saddam Hussein's execution was first posted on Anwarweb.net and subsequently shown on Arabic television channels.
  • The video was then spread to file-sharing websites such as Google Video, YouTube, and Revver, where it was linked and reproduced endlessly.
  • The news channels, including CNN and Fox News Channel, showed fragments of the video, but the full footage was available on the internet.
  • The video showed the former dictator's recitation of a Muslim verse, the placement of the noose around his neck, and his subsequent fall from the scaffold.
  • The amateur quality of the video, with its erratic camera work and inadequate lighting, seemed to add to its authenticity.
  • The news channels decided to show fragments of the video, citing a measure of taste, but also acknowledging that the truth was that once the video was out there, everyone would find it.
  • NBC News president Steve Capus stated that he wanted to show the video with a measure of taste, but also wanted to stand out of the way of history.

Statistics:

  • The video of Saddam Hussein's execution was first posted on Anwarweb.net.
  • The video was subsequently shown on Arabic television channels and spread to file-sharing websites such as Google Video, YouTube, and Revver.
  • The news channels, including CNN, Fox News Channel, and NBC News, showed fragments of the video within 24 hours of its posting.
  • The video showed the former dictator's recitation of a Muslim verse, which lasted for approximately 1 minute and 30 seconds.
  • The total length of the video was approximately 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

Sources:

  • CNN news flash, "Awaiting first pictures of Saddam Hussein execution"
  • Anwarweb.net, the website where the video was first posted
  • Arabic television channels, which showed the video subsequently
  • Lostremote.com, which linked to the video and stated that it was important for people to have the choice of deciding for themselves whether to watch the execution
  • The New York Times, where NBC News president Steve Capus was quoted as saying, "I want to do this with a measure of taste, but I don't want to stand in the way of history."