'Reporting Vietnam' Explores How Journalists Delivered News to a Divided Nation

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Newseum opens "Reporting Vietnam," a provocative new exhibit that marks the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, America's first televised war. The exhibit, made possible by support from the CBS Corporation, explores the dramatic stories of how journalists brought news about the war to a divided nation. "Reporting Vietnam" will be on display through Sept. 12, 2016.

Set to a soundtrack of protest songs, the exhibit opens with an exploration of the culture clash that emerged in the 1960s as seen through mainstream and counterculture publications of the day. "Reporting Vietnam" challenges perceptions that linger 50 years after U.S. troops arrived in Vietnam, and poses the question "Did the press lose the war?"

Powerful photos and news footage, evocative music and more than 90 compelling artifacts, historic newspapers and magazines take visitors back to experience a time when America was at war and young people were rejecting the conservative values of their parents.

"The Vietnam War polarized the nation and led Americans to question the legitimacy of authority everywhere," said Peter Prichard, chairman and CEO of the Newseum. "The exhibit captures the essence of a complex moment in American history, transporting visitors back to a time when peace, love and understanding were the goal, but not always the reality."

Included in the exhibit are more than 100 dramatic images, including memorable Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs that have come to symbolize the struggle both in Vietnam and at home. An interactive kiosk in the exhibit features interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers who took some of the most iconic images of the war. Another kiosk showcases the memorable protest songs that provided the soundtrack for a generation.

As part of the exhibit, the museum's Robert H. and Clarice Smith Big Screen Theater features "Reporting Vietnam: Eyewitness to War," an original documentary that tells the story of press coverage in Vietnam through archival video, photographs and interviews with journalists who covered the war. Two other original films will explore the protest movement at home and how television forever changed the way Americans receive news from the battlefield.

Contributing support for the exhibit is provided by CBS Corporation in memory of CBS "60 Minutes" correspondent Bob Simon, the award-winning CBS News correspondent whose legendary war reporting over five decades began in Vietnam.

About the Newseum
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through exhibits, public programs and education. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum's dynamic, engaging and interactive museum allows visitors to experience the stories of yesterday and today through the eyes of the media while celebrating the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment. The Newseum Institute serves as a forum for First Amendment study, exploration and education. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, including the Freedom Forum. For more information, visit newseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150521/217912
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150302/178862

SOURCE Newseum