Norman Solomon: NPR News: National Pentagon Radio?

[babylonsister]

NPR News: National Pentagon Radio?
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2008-03-27 14:58.
By Norman Solomon


While the Iraqi government continued its large-scale military assault in
Basra, the NPR reporter’s voice from Iraq was unequivocal on the morning of
March 27: "There is no doubt that this operation needed to happen."

Such flat-out statements, uttered with journalistic tones and without
attribution, are routine for the U.S. media establishment. In the "War Made
Easy" documentary film, I put it this way: "If you’re pro-war, you’re
objective. But if you’re anti-war, you’re biased. And often, a news anchor
will get no flak at all for making statements that are supportive of a war
and wouldn’t dream of making a statement that’s against a war."

So it goes at NPR News, where -- on "Morning Edition" as well as the evening
program "All Things Considered" -- the sense and sensibilities tend to be
neatly aligned with the outlooks of official Washington. The critical
aspects of reporting largely amount to complaints about policy shortcomings
that are tactical; the underlying and shared assumptions are imperial.
Washington’s prerogatives are evident when the media window on the world is
tinted red-white-and-blue.

Earlier in the week -- a few days into the sixth year of the Iraq war --
"All Things Considered" aired a discussion with a familiar guest.

"To talk about the state of the war and how the U.S. military changes
tactics to deal with it," said longtime anchor Robert Siegel, "we turn now
to retired Gen. Robert Scales, who’s talked with us many times over the
course of the conflict."

This is the sort of introduction that elevates a guest to truly expert
status -- conveying to the listeners that expertise and wisdom, not just
opinions, are being sought.


more...

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/32227

[fascisthunter]

1. NPR is a Shell of its Former Self (nt)

[quadriga]

2. I've always called it National Propaganda Radio

Either one works, really.