Page 56 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

46 Chapter 2

Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather explains about the post-9/11 media
atmosphere: "What we are talking about here--whether one wants to recognize
it or not, or call it by its proper name or not-is a form of self-censorship.. .in
some ways the fear is that you will be necklaced here, you will have a flaming
tire of lack of patriotism put around your neck. Now it is that fear that keeps
journalists from asking the toughest of the tough questions, and to continue to
bore in on the tough questions so often."29 Rather's comments are all the more
revealing in that his revelation was not publicized on mainstream American
television, where Rather reported five times a week for CBS News, but in the
British press, where more critical assessments of the dangers of unchecked
American nationalism are often more welcome.
Despite Rather's insights, most journalists and pundits working within the
system have not publicly made an effort to critique the nationalistic leanings of
the American press, or the effects those leanings have on the possibility for criti-
cal news coverage. As those working within the mass media promote pro-war
views and pragmatic criticisms of the war, they demonstrate their acceptance of
such ideologies.
Most reporters do not need to be disciplined through punishment; they al-
ready accept the basic workings of corporate journalism--most importantly the
comfortable relationship between reporters and political officials. Such com-
mitment to the veracity of govemment statements and promises, and to the be-
lief that the U.S. is a liberating force throughout the globe can make condemna-
tions of dissent from within the system seem all the more believable to viewers,
as even conservative commentators such as Bill O'Reilly and Anne Coulter ex-
ude a certain sincerity in their opinions that is difficult to prove as deliberately
deceptive. But it is not just conservative-leaning pundits who subscribe to the
official tenets of American foreign policy. Acceptance of official statements
must run across the board in mainstream journalism for it to be effective.
Journalists will often claim that censorship does not exist in the media, and
that they are free to report any stories they wish in a "free" press. Ted Koppel,
veteran reporter and former host of ABC's Nightline, exemplifies this view well.
Koppel explains: "Throughout my entire career, I have never been censored.
I've been at ABC News for forty-one years, and throughout that time I have
never been censored. I have always been allowed to do whatever program I want
to do."
Many journalists argue that censorship does not exist because they have not
personally experienced it. But their failure to endure overt government censor-
ship does not necessarily mean that censorship does not exist. Koppel himself
has admitted the tendency to self-censor in the press. Speaking about deference
to the administration's reasons for war, Koppel explains: "when they [the Bush
administration] tell me why they're going to war, I certainly have to give proper
deference to. . . if the president says I'm going to war for reasons A, B, and C, I
can't very well stand there and say, 'The president is not telling you the truth,
the actual reason that he's going to war is some reason he hasn't even men-
ti~ned."'~ Such an admission is extremely revealing when considering that
Koppel himself admits that he feels the Bush administration's main motive for