The myth of "liberal" news: How the media does the work of fascists

[marmar]

The myth of "liberal" news: How the media does the work of fascists
From Axios to the New York Times, Republicans make their presence felt in newsrooms

By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 16, 2023 3:45AM (EDT)
UPDATED MARCH 16, 2023 6:50AM (EDT)


(Salon) There is no such thing as the so-called liberal news media. In reality, there is a corporate news media that polices the limits of approved public discourse and privileges the voices and agenda of the powerful over those of everyday Americans. And in a time of ascendant neofascism, that is a great betrayal of the American people and the sacred responsibility that the Fourth Estate has in a democracy.

"The liberal media" (and its conjoined twin "liberal media bias" ) is language that was invented by the American right-wing in the 1980s and 1990s as a way of training and bullying the American news media into serving its agenda – or at a minimum a much more friendly and uncritical space through which to distribute right-wing talking points, dogma, and misinformation.

The myth of the liberal news media is disproved by other evidence as well.

The media in the "news media" means business and profit – this is especially true of the few large corporations that dominate the market. Those corporations are inherently conservative. The so-called liberal news media also values access to the powerful – because they are members of the same social class – above all else.

Take, for instance, the recent example of an Axios reported fired this week after dismissing what he described as "propaganda" fed to him by the office of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. "This is propaganda, not a press release," Ben Montgomery wrote in response to a DeSantis press release attacking diversity and inclusion efforts in the state. Hours later, the Pulitzer Prize finalist was questioned about the email and ultimately let go from his position as a local reporter for the national media outlet. ............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2023/03/16/the-myth-of-liberal-news-how-the-new-york-times-does-the-work-of-fascists/

[SheltieLover]

1. Kicking for Visibility

[niyad]

2. "The media is as liberal as the conservative organizations that own it."

[appalachiablue]

3. ++

[Elessar Zappa]

20. Frank Zappa has a chapter in his autobiography

that really nails down the lie that there’s a “liberal” media. And this was back in 1988.

[The Unmitigated Gall]

4. Why I cut the cord to these schmucks years ago.

[Wednesdays]

5. K&R.

[dlk]

6. VO Spiro Agnew coined the term when his criminal activities were being reported in the news

Republicans glommed on and weaponized the term and have been throwing it in our faces ever since

[Lonestarblue]

7. We are fighting the media, the right-wing anarchists who hate democracy, the religious right,

all Republicans, billions being poured into anti-democracy and white supremacy PACs, and a biased Republican Supreme Court. It will be a miracle if democracy survives their assault.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

13. Miracle survived so far, I believe the miracle will continue! Media has to cave to reality, soon!

[eppur_se_muova]

8. Both publishers and editors are typically more conservative than their reporters ...

and happily tighten the leashes when they find the news to offend them as "liberally biased".

[Snackshack]

9. News in America

Died when the news department was expected to start showing a profit every quarter. There should not be “for profit” news just like there should not be “for profit” healthcare.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. And to do that

they combined the "news" divisions with the "entertainment" divisions so that your news now looks the same as the half-time color commentary discussions for a NFL game, complete with split-screens of video replays and scrolling chyrons at the bottom that make no sense for the context of the story being reported.

[robbob]

11. I know Noam Chomsky can be a polarizing figure around here

Last edited Fri Mar 17, 2023, 02:00 AM - Edit history (1)

But he covered this ground decades ago in “Manufacturing Consent”. If you have time here is the audio for the Massey Lectures presented on CBC radio, “Necessary Illusions”.

One of the many examples he brings up is the range of acceptable viewpoints when discussing the Vietnam war looking back. A range that allows opinions on whether it was winnable, but the military wasn’t given the resources, to it was unwinnable due to local sentiment and domestic protests.

The view Chomsky says is never allowed in main stream media (and this holds true to some extent to this day), is that the war was fundamentally wrong and immoral. Whether you agree with that or not is beside the point; Chomsky maintains that this viewpoint is deliberately kept out of the mainstream media.

One of my favorite moments is when a quite young RW Canadian blowhard, David Frum, questions Noam’s premise in quite condescending terms (“and yet here you are, given a public radio platform to expound at length on your views…” etc. etc.) and Chomsky just shuts him down, explaining that CBC radio is so far removed from the corridors of power in Washington as to be insignificant to the mainstream media.

The first time I heard it I was driving down the highway late at night and totally missed my exit. It was mesmerizing and shone such a bright light on just how manipulated and brainwashed modern society is.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

14. Manufacturing of Consent to Iraq invasion...exactly describing how Big Media created the consent.

[rms013]

12. Manufacturing Consent

That is the name of the book written published in 1988 by Noam Chomksy. A highly recommended read.

[robbob]

15. I posted a link to his Massey lecture series

Last edited Thu Mar 16, 2023, 02:46 PM - Edit history (1)

“Necessary Illusions” above. It’s chilling and mesmerizing.

[LiberalLovinLug]

16. Works out great for the billionaire class who own CNN, MSNBC, and the other MSM news

Because all they have to do is put on a news show that is slightly to the left of Fox News, to get their audience. The ones who don't trust Fox News to always tell them the truth, mostly Democratic voters. So the other networks know that, so all they have to do is play lip service to progressive politicians, while ultimatelyl serving the needs of the same corporate class as Fox News, by making sure they still have on enough liars from the Republican party to muddy the waters.

[LT Barclay]

17. Probably the most important post I've seen in a long time

[Permanut]

18. Insidious and deceptive..

For example, local news in Oregon made zero mention of Dodd Frank.

[Skittles]

19. if there was truly a "liberal media"

no way in HELL could a man as vile, sick, disgusting and just plain INCOMPETENT as DONALD FUCKING TRUMP could be president, NO FUCKING WAY