CNN’s Coverage Inside Syria and Homs

By now, scenes of war in Syria are all too familiar. That must not mean, however, that those scenes have become meaningless or that they can be ignored. Despite the possibility of “war fatigue” among viewers, CNN mobilized wide-ranging international resources to provide powerful coverage of the continuing conflict. In the streets of Aleppo, we witness makeshift care for wounded children. We are placed in the midst of crowded funeral processions. We are also offered information that examines issues surrounding the Arab League’s failed attempt to broker a truce, and we are taken to pro-Assad rallies as well as anti-government events. But the heart of the coverage focuses on the struggles of opposition groups, struggles that go far beyond matters of combat. Shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies define daily existence. Snipers prevent street crossings. Random violence punctuates the rhythms of life. CNN’s seasoned journalists risk danger to move among activist demonstrations and bring us this information. From a different perspective, one series of documentary reports comes from an undercover journalist who travels into Homs at the beginning of the uprising. With these reports we come to understand better the disintegration of a society caught in perpetual upheaval. CNN provided continuity, overview analysis and deeply moving intimate stories of what seems to be endless warfare in Syria, and for this receives a Peabody Award.