Distortion in Media Coverage

James Miller

Israeli Defense Forces Version

What did the IDF have to say?

Palestinian National Authority Version

What did the PNA have to say?

What Happened?

According to the CNN article, what do you think occurred when James Miller was shot?

What is your general impression of the events?

Israeli Defense Forces Version "This was an operation taking place at night, in which the [Israeli] force was

under fire and in which the force returned fire with light weapons,”

an investigation is under way to determine whether Miller died as a result of Israeli or Palestinian gunfire

it is "very possible" the fatal shot came from Israeli soldiers.

its troops were uncovering a tunnel

they came under antitank missile and light-weapons fire from Palestinian gunmen.

When Israeli troops returned fire, Miller was hit in the crossfire and killed

Israeli forces came under fire from Palestinians, who threw hand grenades and Molotov cocktails

as the clash was ending, Israeli troops heard screams and spotted a woman standing next to a man who was lying on the ground.

Palestinian National Authority Version

accused Israeli forces of committing "another brutal crime,”

"targeted and killed in cold blood, by the fire of the Israeli tanks.”

Miller was covering the demolition of a Palestinian family's home by Israeli tanks and bulldozers when "heavy shooting" erupted from the Israeli side.

Why the differences?

What does this tell you about the accuracy of the article?

What does this say about your media?

How do you explain it?

Five Filters of Propaganda

Distortion in the Media

Today

Five Filters of PropagandaConcentration of OwnershipAdvertising“Sourcing” the NewsFlakAnti-Communism

Students and Education

More than 50% of students at four-year schools and more than 75% at two-year colleges lacked the skills to perform complex literacy tasks.

That means they could not … understand the arguments of newspaper editorials, compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees or summarize results of a survey about parental involvement in school.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-01-19-college-tasks_x.htm

Recent Media Studies

“A new study based on a series of seven US polls conducted from January through September of this year reveals that before and after the Iraq war, a majority of Americans have had significant misperceptions and these are highly related to support for the war in Iraq.”

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/international_security_bt/102.php?nid=&id=&pnt=102&lb=brus

Misperceptions Support War

Five Filters in the Propaganda Model

Concentration of OwnershipAdvertising“Sourcing” the NewsFlakAnti-Communism

Concentration of Ownership

20 years ago, 50 companies controlled the vast majority of media resources. Now, it is five. “These five huge corporations —

Time Warner,Disney, (owns ABC) Murdoch's News Corporation,Bertelsmann of Germany, andViacom (formerly CBS)

— own most of the newspapers, magazines, books, radio and TV stations, and movie studios of the United States.” http://www.benbagdikian.com/

Advertising

Advertising supports the costs of production for media outlets.

Outlets not able to attract advertisers are less able to compete.

Advertisers seek a “buying mood.”

Sources

Media outlets attempt to save money and time by relying on readily available sources for news.

Corporations, politicians and others provide press releases, press conferences and prepared videos for the media.

Flak

People and groups dissatisfied with media coverage will attempt to change coverage through complaints.

Complaints by pundits and editorial writers

Complaints by organized groupsComplaints by politicians

Anti-Communism

While the authors wrote about the concept of anti-communism, we can see its application today.

Both the terms “liberal” and “terrorism” are used to dichotomize debate.

You are either with us, or against us.

The fear of terrorism is used to promote policies.

Five Filters in the Propaganda Model

Concentration of OwnershipAdvertising“Sourcing” the NewsFlakAnti-Communism

Through these filters, the information you receive is distorted and lacks accuracy.In many cases it represents the interests of

the wealthy and/or US policy.

OutfoxedConcentration of Ownership

How does Murdoch and editors control news through memos?

Advertising What is the “Fox Effect” on other networks?

Sources Where does Fox get its information, commentators and guests?

Flak Shut Up!

Jeremy Glick

Personal Attacks Richard Clark John Kerry

Anti-Terrorism Use of terrorism to create fear to support its perspective

Coming up

OutfoxedApplying the Filters of Propaganda