Page 52 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

42 Chapter 2

the world where the United States is seen as the leading force for furthering hu-
manitarianism and democracy.

Agenda-Setting

Although media agenda setting powers were briefly discussed in chapter 1, a
more thorough analysis is required. Greg Philo and the members of the Glasgow
University Media Group believe that the power of television news over the Brit-
ish public is quite substantial, arguing that, "it has a profound effect, because it
has the power to tell people the order in which to think about events and issues.
It 'sets the agenda,' and decides what is important and what will be featured."
Members of Glasgow argue that, "television controls the crucial information
with which we make up our minds about the ~orld."'~ Much the same argument
can be made with regard to attempts in the American press to play an active role
in domestic and foreign policy formulation. As the major source of information
for millions of Americans, the mainstream press will always be a major player
when it comes to influencing the American people.
Attempts to influence or affect public opinion often translate into enormous
power when reporting on important events and issues. William Rivers, writing
in the early 1980s, argued that, "correspondents who report for the news media
possess a power beyond even their own dreams and fears. They are only begin-
ning to become aware that their work now shapes and colors the beliefs of
nearly everyone, not only in the United States but throughout most of the
world."I3 Twenty-five years later, Rivers' statement seems as relevant as ever,
considering the U.S. media's efforts to reach international audiences, as the
cases of CiVN International, the Pentagon-supported Iraqi Media Network, and
American Internet-based news viewed throughout the world suggest.
Media scholar Shanto Iyengar speaks of a "priming effect" of the media on
public opinion, explaining that it represents "the ability of news programs to
affect the criteria by which individuals judge their political 1eade1-s."'~ Through
priming, scholars argue, the public relies on the media to provide information on
critical news stories, so that they may play a more pivotal role in policy formula-
tion in a democratic society. By selecting certain stories to highlight at the ex-
pense of others, and by stressing certain ideological points of view rather than
others, the media assists in setting the terms for acceptable public discourse.
"The impact of news coverage on the weight assigned to specific issues in mak-
ing political judgments"'5 may help determine how the public will react in times
of war, as information published in the media that is less critical of the war ef-
fort may lead to a lesser degree of skepticism, at least assuming a significant
proportion of the population is following some sort of mainstream news source
on a regular or semi-regular basis and discussing the news with others.
Past academic studies also reinforce the role of the media in the "framing"'6
and "filtering" of important public policy debates in favor of more conventional
ideological positions. In general, the mass media has reported and prioritized
international news in ways that conform to the underlying values driving the