Option 1 What is the relationship between media and propaganda? Beyond American

Option 1
What is the relationship between media and propaganda?
Beyond American Sniper, present and discuss 2 Hollywood films that push American war propaganda.
Using current examples, demonstrate how US propaganda is pushed abroad today
video on YouTube to watch
How Hollywood Demonises Muslim pt 1/9
Objectivity and Government Manipulation
How do propaganda messages spread? Is this propaganda or just the status quo?
Many scholars have theorized about the relationship between journalists, corporations and the government to explain how status quo ideologies continue to be reinforced and not challenged.
According to Parenti:
What passes for journalistic objectivity is the acceptance of a social reality shaped by the dominant forces of society – without any critical examination of that reality’s hidden agenda, its class interests, and its ideological biases
The use of “established sources”/press conferences/ “talking points” to get information and not asking questions outside the established range of debate determined by TNCs, the White House, Pentagon, and the State Department.
Corporate media is closely tied to politics (issues of regulation)
Media owners have close ties with politicians
Journalists socialize with the politically powerful
Politicians serve on corporate boards/as consultants and experts in programming
Political theater – staged speeches, press conferences, briefings, photo ops, etc.
Watch the following clip about two FOX News journalists attempting to publish a story about hormones in milk (a product largely owned by the multinational company Monsanto) (11:28 min):
Parenti, therefore, argues that objectivity in the traditional sense does not exist. There is no such thing as an independent press, since there are various political and cultural factors that influence media producers and content.
Still, we continue to learn about objectivity, especially journalists or those who aspire to be journalists, as a necessary concept and practice that allows for neutrality. But the examples presented in this lesson illustrate that news are not neutral, despite our assumptions about journalism.
According to Parenti, there are various factors that maintain our notions of objectivity.
So how does the idea of the free and independent press persist?
Reporters, editors and bosses see the world in the same way so outright censorship is rarely an issue.
There is a range of debates but it is small and never challenges the status quo fundamentally.
Self-censorship is practiced – even not admitted – by media practitioners.
System of socially recognized rewards and punishments induces conformity and discourages dissension.
Obvious forms of biases, coercion, and censorship are presented as anomalies.
Objectivity is a highly debatable concept, allowing for the denial of class actions, power, and biases in the production of news and information for the mass, i.e. “what is important”