It would hardly be an overstatement to say that the late spring and early summer of 2003 have been one of the lowest points in U.S. media history. And I’m not even including the highly dispiriting spectacle of eight-year-olds on Fox’s talent show American Juniors saying that what they want most out of life is “to be famous” or “to… return to article
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Reader Comments (30)Page 1 of 1 pagesCome On! “Where’s the beef in your story?”
“Um Kassar (likely misspelled) has fallen!” (for the third day). Nope“Weapons of Mass Destruction found!” Nope
“Trailers of death found!” Nope
“Saddam/Osama are assumed to be dead like Fred!” Nope
I could list twenty-thirty specific examples just since 9/11 of how easy it is for the government/Pentagon/President/"official sources” to fool the media who never seem to issue retractions anyway, (which should allow us to sue their pants right off for reporting blatant speculation or rumor as die-hard facts under the heading of “breaking news” to the general public) but I am sure the Clonaid fiasco already proved that one forever.
(Snicker)
I am almost willing to wager a billion dollars that I could get a story about one-eyed, one-eared, flying purple people-eaters on CNN/FAUX or any of the others if I just called from the Pentagon or White House janitor’s “office”.
Posted by Captain America on Jul 8, 2003 at 2:19 AM Excellent.We also need to take a good look at `media today as a political weapon’.What can `opposition’in this case hopefully the democrats..learn from this embedding exercise?What are the weapons available to citizens groups in view of the media sell-out?
Posted by B.Banerjee on Jul 8, 2003 at 2:56 AM If you want to learn in detail how the media lies for and prtects Bush check out http:tvnewslies.org. You will learn the metods and techniques of media deception (click on Explanation on the left) and you will find a great section called the Distraction Du’Jour, which showes you how the media disctracts you from the real issues by over reporting non vital issues.
Posted by Jesse on Jul 8, 2003 at 3:55 AM If you want to learn in detail how the media lies for and prtects Bush check out http://tvnewslies.org You will learn the metods and techniques of media deception (click on Explanation on the left) and you will find a great section called the Distraction Du’Jour, which showes you how the media disctracts you from the real issues by over reporting non vital issues.
Posted by Jesse on Jul 8, 2003 at 3:55 AM For a real understanding of how the American media use euphemisms, substitutions, and muted language to re-define and soft-pedal the word ?LIE!? - check out
http://tvnewsliesorg/html/lying_redefined.html
Posted by Reggie on Jul 8, 2003 at 10:08 AM Sirs,
I enjoyed the basic premise of your article, but feel a little like you did it with Kid gloves on. The News media did not simply report on the Jessica Lynch story as they got it from the Pentagon, they embelished it into a Heroic mythology. The visions of big brawny Navy seals full of sperm retrieving the delicate object of their mortality is closer to the underlying imagry.
Todays NY Times (Grey Lady) contains several letters to the Editor in response to the very lame editorial written last week by Joseph C. Wilson on the falsified Uranium reports from Niger. As though this is news? It has been out for five monthes that the Niger report was total bullshit. Do you remember Powell saying about it… “It was the information we were given, if it’s innacurate, then fine”. I have written him several times asking him why it is “FINE” to use known forged documents to prompt a war. I received no reply. But these ‘revelations’ to the readers of the times is simply a thin layer on the outter skin of the onion of manipulation. If you want to do some real investigative work, don’t rehash stuff that has been public knowledge for five months, go right to the heart of the matter. The Niger document is a good place to start. Used by both Powell and Bush (state of the Union speech) with their knowledge that it was bogus, it begs the question (at least in my mind) who forged these documents? There is word that a foreign government produced them and gave them to MI6. The question is, who had most to benifit from damning evidence? Who would go to the trouble? Someone from Niger? No. Look to Israel, that is the reason it has been hushed up. Investigate it.
Ian
Posted by Ian Crossley on Jul 8, 2003 at 11:13 AM First, I would like to make a few comments. I am not terribly happy with the media coverage of the Jessica Lynch saga. However, it is not for the reasons that you have been commenting on. It is because there is a ongoing coverup, but it has nothing to do with the validity of the rescue. What it does have to do is the military’s attempt to cover up what really happened to Jessica Lynch and Lori Ann Piestewa. Neither of these two brave women suffered their injuries due to a motor vehicle accident. Both suffered incredibly at the hands of their Iraqi captors instead. Why won’t the Washington Post show you a photo of the “wrecked” Humvee that Jessica and Lori were in? Why won’t the Post tell you that the Rangers found Lori’s body had been decapitated and disemboweled as well as suffering evidence of repeated rapes? Why is Jessica herself being hidden from all public view even why exercising in the hospital? The fact is that Jessica Lynch fought the Iraqi’s first with her M-16, then her bare hands during their first attempts to rape her before the Iraqi’s shattered her legs. Still Jessica continued to resist, continued to keep the military’s Code of Conduct in spite of the most horrific tortures imaginable. And the media has been all too eager to hide the truth of this from the public....that Jessica Lynch was repeatedly raped, sadistically tortured and sexually mutilated. I have been conducting independent research ever since Jessica’s rescue and found repeated reports of this that matched up detail for detail. Why won’t the media tell the whole truth and not just how they want to spin it?
Posted by Jerry Hall on Jul 8, 2003 at 5:55 PM Here are a couple of perfect images of our “knee pad media”:
Posted by Mark on Jul 8, 2003 at 6:24 PM Why is the media totally ignoring the Pat Robertson’gold mine in Liberia. The evangelist has a personal contract with President Charles Taylor to pay a royalty on gold extracted. Story covered by Washington Post Colbert King in 2001.
Posted by Lee Kamp on Jul 8, 2003 at 7:33 PM I was just wondering if we could
develop a boycott of certain media
giants to get them off their duffs
and get them moving in a more
liberal vein. Say for example, a
massive boycott of CNN or the
Washington Post. These media types
only recognize the almighty
American dollar and we could
squeeze them where they hurt? Are
there any boycotts planned?
Posted by Dave C on Jul 8, 2003 at 8:46 PM Having had the misfortune of closely watching Bush do damage to all Texans exept his rich cronies, none of his outrageous behavior is the least bit surprising to me.
Posted by Ian Jackson on Jul 9, 2003 at 2:05 AM Great Article. I wonder though, about those polls we often see on CNN etc. Has anyone investigated about the poll samples?I’m talking about those 1000-2000 people reprsenting the views of the american nation. It seems really strange having the majority ignoring the lies they’re fed with in these days, when having the Internet to provide different views on any issue.
And the US is supposed to be one of the most “wired” nations. I don’t trust these polls anymore. I know there’s people in the States, (especially in places like NY or CA) that don’t buy the bullshit from the mass media. To me, the task is easy: get everybody to search his own thruth, using the web and filtering the information with his own mind.
Posted by John Papadimitriou on Jul 9, 2003 at 8:00 AM It all begins with a reporter’s need to “find” a story, a euphemism for “create” a story. Uncovering, verifying the facts, and allowing a story to be revealed has been tossed aside for the speed and expeditiousness of ‘creative non-fiction.’
Arrives the embedded correspondent. What could be better? Room and board, travel, breakfast, and ready-made news edited(censored) on location. Media’s collective head is embedded in the rectum of the damned. We will all pay a hefty price for these capricious, hear-and-see-no-evil times.
Posted by richard manichello on Jul 9, 2003 at 1:20 PM There are a few, honest journalists, but mostly media whores abound.
Posted by lilybelle on Jul 9, 2003 at 3:29 PM ... I keep thinking they’ve finally gone over the edge and that - finally- the dam will break and truth will set us free. But, no - it gets worse. Why wasn’t Bush’s defection from the National Guard splashed all over the airwaves as he came prancing on to the deck of that ship in full military regalia?? As a Texan recently transplanted in Canada - the difference in media coverage is astounding…
Sandra King, Calgary, Alberta Canada
Posted by Sandy King on Jul 10, 2003 at 7:27 AM It would be helpful if there were information time and again as to the ownership of of news outlets. When ninety percent of the outlets are owned by neo-conservatives, freedom of the press is effectively destroyed.
Posted by Phil Ratliff on Jul 10, 2003 at 8:48 AM News verified by investigation of the facts seems to be a lost art. These days of “who can report it first “ has indeed short-changed people who rely on media for factual, nonbiased news reporting. Simply acting as a mouthpiece for a bureau or administration is not only dangerous, but flys in the face of the role media is supposed to play in a free society. Critical eyes need to be trained on the facts of a given issue to sustantiate that said facts are indeed true. Simply passing on info from an administration or department isn’t journalism, it’s merely acting as a publicist for the source. Has the media in this country become so lazy in it’s practice that rather than seek out news it waits for it to be composed for them and then dropped into their laps? We need media outlets to return to the practice of seeking out the relevant facts surrounding an issue and then report it as it is, free of spin and bias, and let the recipients arrive at their own conclusions based on the content presented.
Posted by eric sorensen on Jul 10, 2003 at 8:53 AM i have been asking the news media, abc, nbc, cbs. just the same thing for over three months. i have them why they are letting FOX NEWS set the agenda. so far no response. i have been asking them why they are wimps and with them the dem party. so far no response. this lie isnt about sex its about lives lost and abuse of power.
Posted by tom moroney on Jul 10, 2003 at 9:10 PM Maybe the best way to handle the blatant bias of the news media, which is abusing our airwaves, is to organize through the internet and target the owners - GE, AOL Time Warner, Disney etc. Especially given the strong contempt for Bush around the world, the use of a global tactic to put pressure on GE for instance, which relies heaviy on its image to stop promoting this administration, report the dissension, tell the truth and ask them the tough questions, like how much money their friends stand to make (take?) out of Iraq. GE would be a good start since NBC with russert and MSNBC with matthews, scarborough etc. are so blatant and have quashed any democratic views.
Posted by Jeff on Jul 11, 2003 at 6:42 AM That was exactly my thought Jeff as
I referenced in my earlier view.
The big boys can’t deal with a wide
& varied boycott. Lets shut them down.
Posted by Dave C on Jul 12, 2003 at 5:29 AM Dave C,
some addresses for you:
http://peace-action.inbyron.com/
http://www.globalboycottforpeace.org/boycott_war_actions.html
http://www.boycottwar.net/
Pass ‘em around
Posted by owen on Jul 13, 2003 at 9:42 AM For those of you not arsed clicking on the url:
Exxon-Esso-Mobil, Chevron-Texaco (Caltex),
BP-Amoco, Altria ( many),
US Airlines, US Car Industry,
Dell Computer, IBM, Motorola,
Coca Cola, McDonalds, PepsiCo, Revlon
Bristol Myers Squibb, Anheuser Busch
Time Warner/AOL, DisneyMiller, Kraft, Nabisco, Maxwell House, Kenco; Bird’s, Cracker Barrel; Jacobs Suchard, Toblerone. Smiths, Walkers crisps, Doritos Frito-Lay, Lays Potato Crisps, Lays Kettle, Cheetos…
Budweiser, Michelob, Killarney’s beers, Horlicks, Lucozade, Ribena, Tropicana drinks; 7Up, Mountain Dew, Lipton Iced Tea (PepsiCo partner), Gatorade, Mirinda, Dole juice drinks, Frappuccino coffee beverages, Tropicana, Quaker.
Mobil, BP-Amoco, Esso, Texaco, Shell, Ford, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Vauxhall, Saab, Chrysler, Mercedes
Amway, Spotless
News Corp (US): (20th Century Fox, BSB, The Times, The Sun, News of the World, Harper Collins)
Ansell (rubber products)
Clairol, Listerine, Viagra, Mum deodorant, Actifed, Benylin, Sudafed, Halls cough remedies, Disprin, Dr Scholl footcare, Coppertone suncare, Revlon cosmetics, Charlie perfume, Macleans, Aquafresh toothpasteVictoria’s Secret, K-Mart
Philip Morris
Posted by owen on Jul 13, 2003 at 10:09 AM I hate to see news (so called) that is as far left as this. It seems to be a mirror image of the conservative ranting.
Posted by Philip Eddy on Jul 14, 2003 at 4:13 AM The big difference, Philip, is that we hear the extreme right wing crap from Fox, MSNBC, CNN, etc. Damn that liberal media!
Posted by Aaron on Jul 14, 2003 at 1:10 PM Aaron, if you really think CNN (or even MSNBC and Fox, for that matter) is “extreme right wing” you are out of your mind. I guess that would make In These Times dead center and unbiased, right?
Posted by Ted on Jul 14, 2003 at 3:09 PM Ted,
are you talking about the same Fox with newscasters that refer to the troops as ‘we’? There goes hardnosed journalistic impartiality…
Posted by owen on Jul 14, 2003 at 4:50 PM Owen, you mean to tell me that Fox newscasters don’t hide their preference for American forces during war? Well, then “extreme right wing” is no exaggeration. Only an arch-conservative could possibly have the gall to expose his partiality for American troops over Iraqi troops. I concede; Aaron was righ all along. If CNN is extreme right wing and In These Times is center, then I’d love for one of you to cite a news source that is liberal.
Posted by Ted on Jul 14, 2003 at 9:18 PM Only an idiot cannot see how distorted the corporate news is. Where are the pictures of the coffins coming home? Where are the pictures of the killed and maimed Iraqis that you can only seen on Truthout.com or democrats.com? Where is the coverage of the environment? Not one word in the 2 years this imbecile has been in office. Where are the pictures of the huge crowds that follow and protest the impostor. The only thing you see on the corporate media is him in front of some dopey slogan surrounded by boyscouts or firefighters or troops. Where are the press conferences where he actually answers real questions from the real people? Where is the coverage of the states that are considering 4 day shool weeks but they no longer have any money? The pictures of the unemployed. Etc, etc. etc. ....................
Posted by Jeff on Jul 15, 2003 at 6:01 AM If it is any consolation, I come from Ireland and the news there is horseshit too.
Posted by owen on Jul 15, 2003 at 1:01 PM Good job on this story about the gold loop the ‘Bushies’ have placed in the nose of the media.
While we often think of the media as a singular unit, it is of course the plural of medium. But it does appear these days as if it is singular in its ‘slant’ on the ‘top stories’ of the day.
In fact, isn’t that the real story: all the major media seem to arrive at the same conclusion at the same time. Hmmmm. And I would hardly call it liberal.
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