Herman and Chomsky Propaganda Model Essay

-A framework for \"understanding and analysing how the mainstream media works and why it performs the way it does\" -Agenda-setting power of the media in the hands of wealthy elites rather than raw news -H&C have five filters that news goes through before it is published -Content of news suits higher socio-economic groups

-Mainstream media is made up of large conglomerates, all are tied to the stock market -Media ownership usually in hands of wealthy elites = news content will suit them

1. CBS and NBC owned by Westinghouse and GE who are both huge multinationals with heavy involvement in weapon production and nuclear power = press neutrality on these issues are compromised 2. Rupert Murdoch dislike of Labor government over NBN which would allow quick downloading of movies and data that would threaten Murdoch's Foxtel- Paul Sheehan 3. In US 2012 election 4 Republican candidates that Murdoch media endorsed had been commentators on Fox News

- Media requires advertising to function, whilst companies require media for advertising -Corporations are unlikely to advertise in outlets with opposing values -Results in a corporate friendly media who are dependant on $ -Non central publications don't get funding = they die= media remains centralised and monotone

-1999 British Telecom threatened to withdraw advertising from Daily Telegraph following a number of critical articles- journalist responsible was suspended -Chrysler corporation needed to be \"alerted in advance\" for editorial content that may be seen as provocative or controversial -1992 Study of 150 news editors found 90% said advertisers tried to interfere, with 70% trying to stop news stories full stop

-24 hour news cycle demands information is relevant and reliable -Turn to authoritative news sources with press departments -Agenda is able to be set by elite groups

-Robert McChesney Professor at Uni of Illinois \"what those people say is news. Their perspectives are automatically legitimate\" -Lewis, Williams and Franklin found 54% of stories across 4 major British newspapers contained material provided by PR departments -Also found 75% of material was replicated into other stories from different agencies = no time to find own content = monotone news -Miller notes journalists have become \"passive recipients of spin-doctored news\" -McChesney authoritative statements are \"automatically legitimate\"

-Negative responses to media -Maximum traction gained by individuals with power and resources -Flak can result in loss of advertising, readership and public support

-Global Climate Coalition made up of Exxon, Texaco and Ford used to rubbish credibility of those who ran global warming stories (very powerful, lots of $$$) -Eddie Obeid sues Fairfax for defamation in 2006- later turns out to be true he was corrupt, considerable flak at the time for bad journalism

-Originally about communism, can be terrorism these days -Anti-terrorist sentiment can be used to reinforce ideas of democracy, freedom and government policies -Such a prevalent issue makes it flexible and adaptable

-GWB \"either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists\" -Creation of dichotomy - Environmental activist group Reclaim The Streets branded as \"eco-terrorists\" in 1999 -Reagan with Contra-Iran scandal said you support US sale of arms to rebels or you are weak on communism 1983

-Ratified in 1993, although 62% of Americans were opposed -Created agreement between North American countries for trade -1st Filter: Profits come from increased trade- media conglomerates involved in other industries -2nd Filter: Advertisers benefit from diversifying US trading options -3rd Filter: media supporting govt. initiative = using loads of govt. sources -4th Filter: Flak due to interests of govt. and corporations, unlikely to cop any significant flak from big players