Media Confidential Reporting on Iran: How to cover total warfare
Mar 5, 2026
Discussion of the difficulties of reporting a fast-moving conflict in Iran and which outlets are getting it right. A look at the Pentagon’s dispute over AI tools and whether militaries should use language models. Analysis of press accountability, from Ipsos’s ruling on a fabricated story to debates about registers of interests for journalists.
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BBC Strength In Crisis Reporting
- The BBC remains a uniquely strong outlet for major, fast-moving international crises with deep expertise on the ground.
- Lionel Barber praises Lise Doucette's decades of Iran reporting and the BBC's reach during the Iran escalation.
Avoid Snap War Comparisons
- Editors must avoid premature historical analogies when a war story is still unfolding.
- Lionel Barber warns against assuming the Iran conflict will mirror Iraq or Libya and urges humility given asymmetric responses.
Anthropic Refused Blanket Military Use
- Alan recounts the Pentagon's use of Anthropic's Claude and the subsequent negotiation breakdown over usage guarantees.
- Anthropic refused blanket permissions for surveillance or autonomous weapons, prompting Pentagon pressure and a shift to ChatGPT.