New book asks where was media before war?

Karlin

Council Member
Jun 27, 2004
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http://tinyurl.com/ey4zx

Was US Press in "Coma" During Drive to War with Iraq?
Tue, 22 Nov 2005 18:53:50 -0800
Summary:

Prompted by indictments, reporter scandals and public polls, the U.S. media are deservedly getting some criticism for their role in helping whip a nation into a patriotic war frenzy. A new book by award-winning journalist Kristina Borjesson, called “Feet to the Fire, the media after 9/11” has 21 reporters reflect on the Bush administration’s case for a preemptive invasion of Iraq. Many of those interviewed penned questioning reports before the war, but were muffled by a drumbeat of bombastic television and newspaper coverage.

There was a lot that was not reported pre-Iraq invasion, and about 9-11 [why DID bldg. 7 fall down?].
And on global warming. They knew, and they silenced the science.

These two "top stories" of the modern era were undoubtedly shaped by the media rather than by the facts.

Corporate and governmental interests [same thing] shaped the media.

Are people waking up to this betrayal? Older generations have been wiling to accept what has been reported, because their world is less sarcastic than mine - they had faith in authority.

From mass media to the Churches to government and corporate powers, we now know we cannot trust them - its all about the money and power, personal gain and domination ambitions.

Everyone who bought into any of the lies should be outraged, but maybe their are feeling too sheepish to say anything now. There must be 100s of corporate executives who bought the lies too - esp. the fossil fuels industry workers who parrotted the lies for so long - they might now be seeing that this isn't good, even if they did get away with it for so long.

Alberta recorded some amazing temperatures yestereday - over 20 all time high temperature records were broken!! Sundre went from 10oC record high to over 22oC yesterday - doubling of temps has never been seen before.

AND STILL THE MEDIA DOES NOT MAKE A BIG DEAL OF IT.

They are still doing that dance, despite this late hour....

...will we sleep thru the whole night and into next week?

http://tinyurl.com/b9bnf[/url]
 

Reverend Blair

Council Member
Apr 3, 2004
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Winnipeg
RE: New book asks where w

The mainstream media is there only to project the corporate agenda now, Karlin. It isn't just selling soap, it's convincing people that everything will be fine and they should spend, spend, spend.

That's what happened before Bush illegally invaded Iraq, and it's what kept Reagan and Bush Sr. out of jail over Iran/Contra. If we had today's press in the 1960's, the public would have continued to support the Vietnam war. In the 1970s, Watergate would have passed with only minor mention.
 

pastafarian

Electoral Member
Oct 25, 2005
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in the belly of the mouse
Kristina Borjesson is the editor of Into the Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press, which shows that the post 9/11 cowering of the press was only different in degree, not essence, from "business as usual" before the WTC attacks. Sadly, there is no pre-Bush "State of Grace" the media can return to.

"The buzzsaw is what can rip through you when you try to investigate or expose anything this country's large institutions be they corporate or government want kept under wraps." Indeed, if members of the general public read this book, or even portions of it, they will be appalled. To the uninitiated reader, the accounts of what goes on behind the scenes at major news organizations are shocking. Executives regularly squelch legitimate stories that will lower their ratings, upset their advertisers or miff their investors. Unfortunately, this dirt is unlikely to reach unknowing news audiences, as this volume's likely readership is already familiar with the current state of journalism. Here, Murrow Award-winning reporter Borjesson edits essays by journalists from the Associated Press to CBS News to the New York Times. Each tells of their difficulties with news higher-ups as they tried to publish or air controversial stories relating to everything from toxic dump sites and civilian casualties to police brutality and dangerous hospitals

Even if you think you're cynical about the "news" media, it's hard not to be outraged by the hypocrisy and cowardice of the North American infotainment industry, for which Dan "I'll line up behind my president" Rather is a fitting poster boy.

Based on her first book, I'll be looking for Borjesson's newest one. Thanks for the tip, Karlin.