Page 13 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

Understanding the News in the "War on Terror" 3

public opinion and reinforce certain themes and ideologies at the expense of
others. In dissecting media propaganda, one also seeks to answer the seemingly
simple question: what is the role of media institutions in the formation of public
opinion, and in restricting or fostering access to critical information? Subsequent
chapters herein provide a background of the institutional factors that help ex-
plain why the mainstream American media has traditionally reinforced state
doctrines during wartime. Although I look at reporting during times of American
engagement in foreign conflicts, many of the characterizations of media operat-
ing procedures apply during times of peace as well.
In addition to exploring pro-war propaganda, I also examine the anti-war
views as seen in Progressive-Left media, often referred to by those involved in it
as the "independent media." Through the concept of "framing," which has been
extensively explored in many pre-9/11 academic studies, I analyze media por-
trayals and reactions to numerous developments in the "War on Terror," includ-
ing the U.S. invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, the alleged role of
the U.S. as a democratizing agent in the Middle East, the growing Iraqi resis-
tance to occupation, unfolding humanitarian crisis in Iraq, the role of the U.S. in
"fighting global terrorism," and the Bush administration's portrayal of Iraq as a
threat to American national security.
Finally, the relationship between nationalism and patriotic pressures and the
media during the "War on Terror" are explored, specifically in regards to the
ways in which nationalism impels media actors and media outlets to conform to
government foreign policy agendas and propaganda. Media outlets examined in
this book include the major national television and print news outfits, such as
Fox News, CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post,
the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, and the New Republic,
among others. Progressive-Left media sources that are dissected include the Na-
tion, the Progressive, Truthout, Common Dreams, Z Magazine, In These Times,
and others.

Chapter Layout

The work is divided into eleven main chapters. Chapter 1 provides a basic intro-
duction to the relationship between media and public opinion. It discusses previ-
ous academic studies that assist in answering an important question in media
studies-what are the effects of the media on the American public? Citing major
research that has established links between media reporting and the formation of
public opinion, this chapter shows that the media is clearly important in shaping
the ways in which the American public thinks about social events and develop-
ments. Also addressed is the question of why American public opinion and
world opinion were so drastically different at the onset of the Iraq war. After
reading the chapter, part of the answer should be apparent--different media sys-
tems assist in creating and reinforcing different viewpoints of the U.S. and its
role in global affairs.