Archive for the 'Media' Category

The mechanisms of propaganda in a “free press”

Published
by
Christiaan
on 5 September, 2008
in Economics, Media and Propaganda
. 0 Comments

Ben Kuchera, of Ars Technica, writes about the relationship between game software developers and game reviewers, and the mechanisms each have at their disposal to manipulate the other, namely paid advertising and access to information.

It’s a good practical example of some of mechanisms that corrupt a “free press” in a capitalist society and, of course, similar mechanisms are at play with governments and news media.

The writer says there is no easy solution except for reader beware. He’s correct, there is no solution under capitalism, because it’s an inherent problem of capitalism. The only proposed solution I know of is under a different economy.

Update, 7 Sep 2008: Here’s a recent example of a politician doing the same thing. i.e. manipulating news media by withholding access to information, thus ultimately lowering the ability of the targeted new media organisation to make profits.

Davis insisted that “there are no strings attached” to media access to McCain. Yet just this week, McCain abruptly canceled an interview with Larry King as punishment for a tough CNN interview with one of his spokesmen. What’s more, top McCain aide Mark Salter said that “only the good reporters” would get the best seats in the new campaign plane. “You have to earn it,” he said.

Update, 22 Sep 2008: Changed Parecon link from Wikipedia to Znet.

It’s a good thing, Jane

Published
by
Christiaan
on 19 August, 2008
in Internet, Media and Politics
. 0 Comments

Jane Clifton muses on the emergence of blogging and it’s relationship with old fashioned journalism, complaining that “it’s hard to tell whether the information providers are accurate, biased or simply malicious.”

“The Blogerati” responds in good fashion, but what I like that blogging brings to the table is exactly what Clifton fears: uncertainty about who is telling the truth. One of conventional journalism’s biggest traps is that it purports to be the conduit of truth, when in fact—and certainly from my experiences of being reported on as part of a story—this claim couldn’t be further from the truth.

Journalism, especially in the form of for-profit media, should have never staked this claim, and it now has much to answer for.

Blogging and the internet encourages us all to treat everything we read with a critical eye; not simply to accept something because it’s written down. And that’s a good thing Jane.

A glitch in the media matrix

Published
by
Christiaan
on 7 August, 2008
in Aotearoa New Zealand, Media, Politics and Propaganda
. 0 Comments

The NZ Herald has published a remarkable editorial today which offers rare insight into just how well our “free” media system serves to undermine democracy, while the background story offers great insight into how much National Party politicians deplore democracy and how deplorably dishonest they can be in the lead up to an election.

As an aside: the only politicians I know of that don’t deplore democracy are the Greens.

The background story, if you haven’t heard, is that National Party politicians have been secretly taped admitting that they need to say whatever it takes to get elected, then, once in power, they can get their real agenda through of redistributing the New Zealand people’s wealth to a tiny minority of rich. Here’s Bill English’s and here’s Lockwood Smith’s.

What’s remarkable about the Herald’s editorial isn’t simply that it tries to spin the story by pretending National is simply “compromising on its desired policies,” rather than that National is actually lying about its policies so it can drive them through once it’s in power:

The country now knows, if it did not before, that National has compromised some of its policy desires for the sake of its electoral prospects.

It isn’t simply that uncovering a party’s real agenda—something of vital public interest in the run up to an election—is dismissed as ”partisan politics”:

First, it is not fair to release a reporter’s tape or transcript unless … the recording could serve a public interest somewhat more compelling than partisan politics.

It isn’t simply that it admits the means of reporting on politicians is broken:

Second, the publication would damage the gathering of further information. Once bitten, a public figure is twice shy.

It isn’t simply that it admits to keeping secrets:

Nothing revealed from National’s conference sneak so far offers insights to its intentions that could not have been obtained by a journalist trusted to use a private conversation responsibly.

No, what I find remarkable about this editorial is that by putting forward this argument it is openly admitting that it can be trusted by politicians but can’t be trusted by its readers and that it is completely ineffectual in doing the job of reporting politics.

External links:

Gotcha! | 4 August, 2008
Choosing words | 5 August, 2008
Whoops, they did it again | 6 August, 2008
The Herald supports secrecy | 7 August, 2008

Iran is not the belligerent party

Published
by
Christiaan
on 2 July, 2008
in Britain, Imperialism, Iran, Media, Propaganda, US foreign policy, United States and War
. 1 Comment

The media in the West has a lot of blood on its hands already. Is it going to have more blood on its hands in Iran? Iran is not the belligerent party:

When it comes to demonising Iran, the US, Israel and Britain have a unified message and a compliant media, which has learned nothing from its mistakes during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, and seems happy to continue to act as a government propaganda arm in some cases.

Thanks to the dutiful corporate mouthpieces, most Americans and Britons have no idea that Tehran is acting within its rights under the NPT.

They don’t know that in December, a US intelligence estimate stated categorically that Iran is not currently developing nukes or that the nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which monitors Iranian facilities, has no proof it seeks to do so.

The West’s propaganda campaign is so effective that the majority of Westerners believe that Iran is the belligerent even though the facts support the contrary argument.

Peter Beaumont throws his toys

Published
by
Christiaan
on 1 July, 2008
in Media
. 0 Comments

Photo of Peter Beaumont, foreign affairs editor for The ObserverWhat’s Peter Beaumont up to? First he’s cynically trying to sell papers by drumming up controversy where there is none, now he’s threatening to sue Survival International, a charity, for calling him on his shit.

Survival International have posted a silly phone message from Beaumont whereby he threatens to sue them for “associating” him with the false allegations that the uncontacted tribe pictures were a hoax.

Peter, really, pull your head in. If you took a minute to read any of the stuff you’re commenting on or writing about you wouldn’t be in this silly situation in the first place.

And not publishing Survival’s letter, that’s just childish. You can be sure nobody in our household will be purchasing The Observer anymore.