Is the media brainwashing the public?

Question

If so in what way? Examples appreciated

Thanx

This is not a thesis..just an open question.

Answer 1

Of course!

Example?

The two Israeli soldiers that were captured by Hezbollah are called 'kidnapped' by the media. This creates the illusion that they were innocents taken by evil people.

The fact of it is that they were enemy combatants of Hezbollah and were captured as prisoners of war.

Example?

The REFUGEES from Katrina were called refugees for the first two days after Katrina, but that sounded too third world so the media began to refer to them as 'evacuee's'. In ANY other country they would have been referred to as what they properly were REFUGEES.

Example?

One President was impeached because he lied about getting a blow j*b in the oval office. Another President was re-elected for lying about a reason for war.

One President has aided in the killing of thousands while another has aided in the compassionate relief of suffering of thousands.

Yes.

The media brainwashes the public and the public loves it.

Answer 2

That's a good question, and the answer is no, I don't believe so. There are media outlets that clearly have an agenda and clearly present the news in a manner consist with that agenda, but television ratings, various polls and the average person's life experience in the country do not support that the media is succeeding. The media can present the news in a biased way, but that does not mean that people are agreeing with it or for that matter even tuning in. From time to time I do watch and read media outlets that I know have a particular agenda, but I do it because I want a well-rounded and well-informed view of what is going on in the world. I don't want to listen to things I agree with all the time, and I am confident that I can gather information from many sources and form my own opinions. Contrary to Michael Moore's belief, Americans are not stupid. We can think for ourselves. Unfortunately, many Americans are too polite to speak out against some of the absurdities in the media, such as Michael Moore calling us stupid. Decent people don't call other people stupid. Americans are decent people. And we are smart. Additionally, we are smart enough to know that the world is not black and white and does not consist of only two viewpoints, i.e., Republican/Religious Right and Democrat/Liberal Left. Our country and our world are much more than that, and decent thinking people know it.

Are you writing a thesis or something? Does this help?

Answer 3

I have watched the news for hours on end, trying to find a story with definable proof. In many cases the story comes back, days later, completely different than it had come in. Even if you believe in Global Warming, consider why you believe in it. It is because the media has stirred up dust with it everytime a hurricane or tropical storm rolls in. Every weather event seems to be connected to Global Warming these days- The reason? It grabs people's attention. Global Warming is a phenomena that applies to everyone on earth. People don't like to hear about traffic updates all the time, or murder's in the city or political bull crap, but Global Warming always hits the spot, and it works with anything. Think about Y2K. I know many computer programmers who assured me nothing would go wrong, that the hype was there to grab people's attention. And it worked! So many people were scared shitless that companies spent millions on trying to fix an error that didn't exist. So yes, in a few words, the media IS brainwashing us.

Answer 4

Yes, without a doubt. Lets start with an article that I read on CNN. It was written back in 2003 right before the war in Iraq. They were discussing the satelites that they were setting up out there "in case a war was about to start" and how much they Navy and the media were cooperating with each other. They then cited how back in Vietnam that once the media turned their backs on the troops the rest of the nation did too. Now they are happy to be working together. HMMMM

Answer 5

They can only brainwash the stupid people of the world. Example: Pat Buchanon ran for president in 1996. The media was entertaining us with his charisma and charm and good ideas. Buchanon then won the first primary. He became a threat to the New World Order type people and the media hammered him. He all of a sudden became-radical, isolationist (Didnt want one world economy with one world government), ect. ect. His name became dirt and I'm not sure if he ended up with more than 5% of the vote but I do not think he did.

Answer 6

I don't think they are per say "brainwashing" but I do think as they are people to they have opinions and those opinions do jade the out come. If you watch FOX news the Go to CNN, watch the same story and you will get different views of the story! Also a lot of the time news can be influanced by those with money. Run a google search, it is very intresting!

Answer 7

Brainwashing - that's a bit stiff (that would be like your parents making you go to church, even though churches have no basis in reality - just the supernatural / faith based propoganda - boy are we paying for that kind of brainwashing all over the globe)

Media is biased - yes (mostly liberal press - that's there job - you know free press - like the military is conservative) It's part of the job description (watchdogs need to roam)

Advertisements influence us to purchase products. Media outlets are owned by corporations that prevent certain scrutiny of those products - so that is a bias.

Media needs the government for sources on stories - that leads to bias.

There are many others. Take a government class in college on the media like I did for more examples.

Answer 8

Of course. What do you think advertising is?

Then there's the interesting fact that out of an entire planet of well over 6 billion, ALL the news sources talk about the very same 20 or so news stories. I find that rather odd, don't you? Especially as they all have a synoptic point of view. THAT is just wrong.

Answer 9

I view your question in the context of propaganda. What is the difference between advertising and propaganda? The answer is the two methods are similar in goal but with one important distinction. Propaganda appeals to the emotions and its tell tale sign is we're making great effort to save the babies!!! We must save the poor, helpless babies. The Fatherland's babies are in dire danger!!! So, when paranoria surfaces in a news article, then perhaps there is a collective, concerted attempt at brainwashing.

Answer 10

True art is hardly ever revealed. Only reviewed subliminal messages are given the okay. True art defines culture, spirit, and realistic meaning. The messages encoded in speeches and commercials are demeaning to humanity. If it is not for them, it is not right, what's for us. When they spend our future on warning us about things that have not happened yet? Why are we not prepared as a nation. We didn't fail, we live freely in peace. They set laws, and let intelligence gathers depict a crude outline. You cannot outline any random act, but you can defend against random threats.