When I was a kid, I used to hear a common saying, and it was "don't believe everything you hear or read".
I want to know if this is the same thought today.
It seems that everyone takes the stories (with or without the spin) of the media as golden truth (or as some say "the gospel truth"). I would suspect that this is true, as many people don't attempt to seek out the truth, and accept everything printed, published or posted - especially when it's about certain politicians.
What is odd, is this seems to be the case, even when the facts or the truth are later brought out, and correcting or defeating the initial story. It seems that the initial story, even when proven wrong, is the story that many believe and insist on holding as the truth.
So do you think the public believes everything the media says? and do you think that the media is more prone to truth or propaganda? Or is it simply that the people want to believe what the media is saying, even if it's not the truth?
2007-01-03 12:27:28 · 9 answers · asked by John D 2 in News & Events ➔ Media & Journalism
A lot of propaganda. People believe what they want to and are too lazy to check things out for themselves. The media knows this and uses it to advance their agenda. They really aren't all that different, we all tell people things and expect them to take our word for it. The danger is the sheer size of the media and the number of people foolish enough to think that they are reliable.
To answer the subtext I'm reading into your question: Yes, the media is running a smear campaign on Bush and people are believing it because that's what is easiest to believe. Example: A lot of people still buy into Dan Rather's garbage about Bush's National Guard service, despite the fact that Rather was disciplined for the fabrications he employed in his story.
2007-01-03 12:41:41 · answer #1 · answered by Point7Q 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think many people take what the media says at face value because they are lazy and don't want to do any digging to see if it is the truth. I do believe that the media is prone to propaganda. Or, at the very least, they spin the news.
I also think that the U.S. media is so focused on America that we miss way too much of what is going on in the rest of the world. That's why I like to watch and read news reports from other countries. It is really interesting to see how something relating to the U.S. is reported from outside our borders. And it is eye-opening to see all of the news reports about other countries that never get aired in the United States.
2007-01-03 20:35:38 · answer #2 · answered by puter_patty 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People believe what they want to believe. In other words, people are prejudice based on emotions about all sorts of matters. As far as the media, of course, most of it is propagranda. Yet it's not entirely the media's fault in this day of public relation spin and image is everything mentality. Journalists are shielded from the truth about the inner workings of any organization or political party. What idiot is going to invite a journalist to a closed door meeting unless spin and propaganda will be dished out to the journalist?
2007-01-03 20:34:40 · answer #3 · answered by mac 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best answer I can present is; there is one media tv station that is hated by many people.. primarily because it doesn't go along with all the other media outlets.. It tends to break the propaganda system and therefore is not to be tolerated by those being stupified by the propaganda machine presently and in the past, being unopposed. This one station gives that opposition and is getting the hues and cries about it not conforming.
Is this suggestive enough for you?
2007-01-04 09:39:54 · answer #4 · answered by mrcricket1932 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The majority of people are simple people who were brought up in believing that if it is on television... it must be true.
To some extent... the same goes with Newspapers.
People simple mind works along the way that a powerful wealthy organisation like the media could simply not stay in business if they were caught telling lies. Because the simple people believe that if you lie... you automatically get punish and go to jail.
Simple people do not understand the concept of corruption.
2007-01-03 21:33:36 · answer #5 · answered by Aussies-Online 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I worked at a major ad agency for several years in a prominent position. such agencies have research departments who are masterful at "proving" whatever they want with statistics. The writers and art directors make the "facts" powerful and convincing. except for pbs with cspan and pbs evening news, all the others are suspect to me. it is easy to use stats to lie. sometimes by leaving key thing out. you would never know. i also worked in newspaper work as a business editor. what is left out is the simplest way to skew a story or downright lie. and that is why they require you to put your hand on the bible and swear to tell the truth and the WHOLE truth. you instincts are right. much is done to attract the jerry springer audience, some to curry favor with powerful people, always to sell advertising. cannot stay in business without money.
2007-01-03 20:43:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
......munipulation of the weak minded seems to be the goal of the media.
I think that was clearly illustrated by all of the voters last November voting for the Democrats after a brutal media campaign to totally destroy the house and senate incumbents when in reality, they are no different than the Republicans as we are seeing already.
2007-01-03 20:37:40 · answer #7 · answered by dave b 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
all i can sezt is the other media telling the truth,,but other is not.. i know that is part of being media..to give some information to us..but ther's also a WHITE LIE..but media just doing their work..
2007-01-03 20:31:44 · answer #8 · answered by micca_jaz 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it's a little of both
2007-01-03 20:28:55 · answer #9 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋