Silent Nightmare Essay Research Paper On the

Silent Nightmare Essay, Research Paper

On the night of April 25,1986, what was later described by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D,Ver.), as “by far the worst nuclear reactor accident known to mankind… beyond even the worst nightmares of nuclear scientists,” occurred in the Soviet Union.

At first, the Soviets said nothing about it.

Only after Moscow officials were pressured by Sweden for an explanation of the sudden increase in radioactivity that Sweden detected, did the Soviet Council of Ministers issue the following statement through the Soviet News Agency Tass: “An accident has occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as one of the reactors was damaged.” Measures are being taken to eliminate the consequences of the accident. Aid is being given to those affected. A government commission has been set up.”

The Soviets had withheld all information about the accident for over 36 hours and still did not reveal the scope of the disaster when they did finally acknowledge what had happened.

We now believe that “at least 27 cities and villages near the Chernobyl nuclear plant are too contaminated by radioactivity to be resettled in the foreseeable future; and that “the radiation released stretched world wide (1). We also know that the explosion and fire tore apart one of the reactors and that “31 people died” (2). However this figure conflicts with the April 29,1986 United Press International “unconfirmed” report that over 2000 people were killed by the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion (3).

Looking back, we can see that as the story unfolded, international outrage grew over Soviet limitations on news of the disaster, and, despite the lack of hard news attributable to reliable sources in the Soviet Union, newspapers here in the United States picked up the story and reported on it from almost every conceivable angle.

This effort attempts to examine the way the Chernobyl nuclear accident was reported on by the Chicago Tribune and the Christian Science Monitor during the first week after the accident, beginning with the initial report by the Soviet Council of Ministers published by the Tribune on April 29,1986. We will examine the coverage provided from four perspectives, however, it should be understood that this is not a comparison contrast in the accepted sense of the term. It seems that to attempt such a comparison of the Chicago Tribune and the Christian Science Monitor, would be rather like attempting to compare apples and oranges. While both apples and oranges are edible fruit, the differences in taste, texture, and nutritional value are enough to require that each be examined on the basis of its individual qualities.

The four perspectives this review is based on include, first, the actual hard news reported. We define “Hard news” as news of actual Chernobyl nuclear accident-connected events occurring in the Soviet Union. For example, the Soviet announcement of the accident is considered “hard news”. Reports of Soviet efforts to contain the fire at the Chernobyl plant would be considered “hard news.” What some United States official expert believes will be the result of the accident is not considered “hard news.”

The second perspective is one limited to “related stories.” A related story, for our purposes, is one that is not based on actual occurrences at the site of the disaster but addresses some ramification of the disaster. For example, a story about the anxiety of relatives of those in the immediate area of the disaster, would be considered a related story. Criticisms of the Soviet actions by Washington officials would not be considered a related story.

However, such criticisms are considered “Official Reaction”, our third perspective. The words and official actions in response to the disaster, by other officials around the world would also fall into this category, including criticisms of the Soviet Union by then Vice President George Bush.

Finally, a separate category has been established for editorial commentary, our fourth and final perspective. Editorial material appearing in either newspaper within the specified time period would be included in this group. This effort will not address the entire issue of coverage of the Chernobyl disaster because the coverage generated was simply monumental. As noted earlier, we will simply look at a few days coverage by The Chicago Tribune and the Christian Science Monitor.

To characterize the activities of the press as “frenzied” or “biased” during that period would be to understate the intensity of their reporting. Sadly, for all their efforts, apparently the main message that got through to the general public was that the Russians tried to hide the fact that they goofed up some nuclear stuff and the radiation was going to kill us all.

DAY ONE

On Tuesday April 29, 1986, The Chicago Tribune first reported the Chernobyl accident under a headline that read” Soviet reactor spews cloud of death fears” (4). The accident was a page one story and it contained the Soviet statement, but, it was presented surrounded by headlines concerning the work of the U.S., and its allies on world economic problems; The surprise move of former White House aide Michael Deaver who joined advocates of an independent investigation of his own lobbying activities; announcement of the opening of Chicago’s first international theater festival; and l