June 25, 2006
BuzzFlash Hates to Beat Up on a Dead War, But the Mainstream Media Won't
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
We hate to beat up on a dead war -- but following up on our last several days of posts, it's worth noting that the situation in Iraq is deteriorating at an alarming pace.
While the mainstream media writes "speculative" news analyses asking if the Democratic opposition to the war is "politically" motivated, you can't find a paper or television station (at least we haven't found one) that "speculates" on whether or not the timing of the arrest of the Miami gang that couldn't shoot straight was "politically" motivated.
This is what we mean by news editors having an editorial bias. Their bias is toward the "fantasy island" faux news generated by the White House.
It is extremely safe for almost any news editor in the country to go with the daily spin of the Rovian propaganda machine. Asking questions, or focusing on the White House lies and deceptions -- well that can get you into career trouble, big career trouble.
To put it in the vernacular, in today's corporate media world -- where the parent companies rely on the Republicans for tax breaks, favorable FCC, IRS and SEC rulings, and legislative goodies -- it doesn't get you any bonus points by being a "smarty pants" reporter.
The distorted "fantasy island" news coverage you generally see on TV and in most newspapers is due to the decisions news editors make to emphasize the propaganda perspective of the White House. If you freelance with the truth, it may get you reassigned to the mailroom.
Choosing what news is important is a matter of judgment and careerism. Choosing to emphasize minor busts of terrorist wannabes from Liberty City in Miami is a total waste of millions and millions of dollars in "news resources." It is the same type of propaganda operation that was at work in the endless wars and endless enemies the government created in Orwell's "1984." Only now it is accomplished with the "appearance" of a free press, but one that is really on the corporate leash of the White House.
The CEOs and boards of the multi-billion dollar enterprises that own the subsidiary news companies know that if you cross the Bush Administration, you won't go home with a doggy bag. Instead, you'll end up a stray dog rummaging through dumpsters for food.
Meanwhile, Bush fiddles and Cheney snarls while Iraq burns -- and the media writes endless stories about some bumbling fools in Miami.
Message to the Media: the real bumbling fools who threaten America are in the White House, and Iraq is on fire.
Will someone in the mainstream press report the truth?
We doubt it.
Everyone's too comfortable with their jobs to lose them.
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS