Job Discussion Forums

[moonraven]

Yep. Whiner owes me an apology for his/her infantile tantrum and blatant display of projection (the moonraven naive!!??). But he/she is too immature to do that--and so naive that he/she believes that it doesn't matter.

One of the most difficult problems in our world today is the enormous power of the media--especially television. In many countries--not just in the US or in China--governments have simply dictated the media line--it's that or there's no story; the media comply because their ownes want to continue to feel powerful--and to be rich.

Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw just resigned after many years of giving the news on CBS and NBC (?) Both have indicated a climate of censorship in the news media. Some folks practice self-censorship because they want to have a job, a career as a journalist--which used to mean critically evaluating what was happening in the world, holding up a mirror to government.

Now if you want to keep your job you are "embedded" with troops in Iraq, and you have your news postings reviewed by both the Pentagon and the management of CNN (even if you don't work for CNN). Gone are the days of tv reporters presenting critical pieces in response to such atrocities as the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam. Now it's pre-processed pablum for the masses--and that's propaganda.

I partipated a year ago in a conference in Caracas on the topic of What to do about the Power of the Media sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies. Much of what came out of that in the way of possible solutions to the problem at the time seemed not a heck of a lot better than throwing up one's hands--most of the focus was on insuring independent radio and tv (that is to say, non-commercial media).

But all did not fall on barren ground. As I mentioned in the post that triggered Whiner's tantrum and need to CENSOR me, there is going to be an alternative to CNN (and to its most pernicious version, CNN en espa�ol)--broadcasting from South America. It will also have coverage in the lower half of the US--which is where the concentration of "red states" are--if I haven't forgotten my geography.

[nomadder]

CNN has to be the most navel gazing of all TV. Don't Americans ever get tired of themselves and do they really believe all of that obvious biased reporting?

[nomadder]

ps
When available I much prefer the BBC despite it sometimes being too US oriented these days. Nonetheless you do see there is a world out there. How boring to be trapped in Americana. Freedom and democracy but an illusion fastly fading.

[moonraven]

Lots of them do. The deliberately ignorant, for example--of which there are some notable examples posting regularly to this forum.

[distiller]

Ah, there's nothing like getting up in the morning having a nice cup of coffee, reading the paper and reading the hate filled antics of everyone's favorite frustrated poster.

[marblez]

The term "ignorant" is thrown around too much. Let's not confuse it with differing opinions on a controversial subject.

And thanks for the mention distiller, I now have the compulsion to have a third cup. I need to do something about this addiction!

[ls650]

Maybe the best advice is to turn off that idiot box and go outside for a walk in the real world!
I haven't had a television set in 6 months - and I don't miss it one bit!

[ChinaMovieMagic]

RE: Propaganda
http://www.disinfopedia.org

Welcome to Disinfopedia, a collaborative project to produce a directory of public relations firms, think tanks, industry-funded organizations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and special interests. Sponsored by the Center for Media and Democracy (http://www.prwatch.org), the Disinfopedia was started in February 2003 and contributors are now working on 5987 articles. To learn how you can edit any article right now, visit Disinfopedia:Welcome, newcomers, our Help page, Frequently Asked Questions, or experiment in the sandbox.

RE: CNN and the learning curve
I can remember how I felt when activist Jane Fonda married CNN's Ted Turner: "They've got a strategy. They CARE!!! Age of Aquarius action!!!"

What's that song w/: "We won't be fooled again!!!"

[moonraven]

I haven't had a tv since 1991. And I manage to keep myself very well-informed.

[anonymous_alaska]

The Great Wall of Whiner Wrote:

Quote:

For someone as educated as you claim you are, you are also very naive. Propaganda is distributed by governments to change political opinions. When governments get together to put out a new media source countering private free companies, that is called propaganda. Nice try though commie...

But I'm reading this book called Propaganda by Jacques Ellul, probably one of the most famous on the topic, and it doesn't seem to adhere to your definition.

Also, has anyone read about Bernays, the father of Propaganda? I read this book on him and now it's very clear how it all works, the mechanistic processes. Now it's much easier to recognize. Apparently Goebbel, Hitler's propaganda minister read Bernays book and used quite a bit of it. Bernays was asked whether he felt bad that his book was used, and being a Jew he would get really offended by the question.

[SueH]

[moonraven]

No, it's not competition--just a commentary on the complete lack of worth of tv--especially tv news--and especially in the US.