VIDEO - Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992)

(1992, IMDB)   Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dzufDdQ6uKg      Watched this to the intermission.  Way long for me.  It could have done with some savage editing, or an edited version for people who just want the distilled message. Have notes somewhere.  So disorganised I can't recall where.   Found them.  Didn't number the pages.  Day's later, I can't tell beginning from end. Anyway, here's what I got out of it: The 'elite media' (eg New York Times, Washington Post) is agenda setting media.  What they draw attention to and what they ignore becomes the agenda of the wider news services.  Large media outfits also shape history. Further, NYT was creator of history as it had a massive archive of carefully collated news information. Reed Irvine - insinuates that press agenda-setting is a left-wing conspiracy.   There's appearances of left-wing bias and opposition to power.  If I recall correctly, this is not a genuine left-leaning press or opposition to the establishment:  this press is firmly entrenched in the system and is part of the establishment. Press ignoring atrocities in Timor, the Panama invasion and the Gulf War (ie in step with the US agenda). Bush stating 'aggressors can't be rewarded' seemed to really annoy Chomsky, I think.   If I remember correctly, it may have been the hypocrisy of the US totalitarian war state that was at issue for Chomsky. Anyway, in Panama US actions were ignored (and wherever else around the world), while the actions of those the US war state decides to vilify become hugely overblown and over-reported. 'Official enemy' is the term used for those the US stands against. Column inches were compared and what the US government didn't want you to know about went massively under-reported.  Only a fraction of that topic would even make the news, unlike the overblown news about events concerning those the US was in opposition to. News stories were also censored -- example of a UK article -- information gouged before it hit the press in the US. Pol Pot's 1975-78 genocide in East Timor wasn't deemed newsworthy. Try again: Pol Pot in Cambodia was deemed massively newsworthy (I think the notes should read.  Hard to make them out!  Sorry about this mess.  Don't have time to check or fix).  Khmer Rouge in Cambodia became the 'official enemy' and their actions were blown grossly out of proportion (if I recall correctly). Reporting in respect of the 'official enemy' is subject to: exaggeration outrage falsification (photos) lies frudulence compared to US atrocities. There is an interplay: Government does. Press says. People think. Press is therefore complicit in genocide by suppressing facts. East Timor involved an Indonesian invasion that was ignored.  UN voted against the resolution to invade.   If I recall correctly, it was profitable supplying weapons.  West was selling arms to Indonesians for profit. * Indonesians killed a couple of Australian journalists December 7, 1975. UN response was condemnations and sanctions, but US clearly not allowing intervention. Meantime there was outrage over what was going on in Cambodia (for which the US was responsible). Very hard to make out my scrawl or the order this is in.    ............................................. Democratic process is what violence is to totalitarian society. It is a case of the Big Stick (totalitarian) versus the Big Lie (democracy). Some mention of 'rationalist libertarian socialism', but (days later) I've no idea what this is about.  Might have to watch the video again.  Social action animated by visions of future society | challenge authority and domination. Control/Coercion require justification - there is seldom a justification. Mention made of exceptions - eg war, parent/child relationships Democracy requires free access to information -- including publishing, education --  and press scrutiny. Discussion of origins of democracy:  17th C. revolution - Royalists versus others. Multiple issues:  incl. master/servant Time of radical publishing - disturbed all elites on both sides of the war.  Manufactured consent:  technique of control of special class. View that decision requires cool observation & that stupidity of average man is guided by myth (beliefs). INDOCTRINATION is the essence of democracy. Fear of people not submitting to civil control  -- people contained by manufactured consent / propaganda (versus the totalitarian model of domination by military force). The state becomes the myth-maker. Propaganda targets:  1. Political class - about 20% educated. 2. The 80% that follow orders and pay the costs. Mentioned sports as indoctrination.  So pleased about that because I detest sports and have never understood the point of following who kicks a ball etc. Walter Lippmann got a mention.  Cannot recall why.   Will link him, but its the early hours of the morning and I can't take the time to do more than that. Richard Niebuhr got a mention regarding the 'cool observer' and stupid average man who follows faith.  Not absolutely certain I have the right person.  Guessing I have.  No time to double-check.  Might come back to this over the next few days. (: Thought it was funny that Chomsky referred to NYT as a 'lapdog'.  While discussing how the government doesn't like to be exposed as the 'emperor with no clothes', it reminded me of why the powers that be have targeted WikiLeaks and publisher Julian Assange. Anyway, this is a scrambled and sketchy summary of the first portion of the documentary.   Even though this isn't chronological (I notice I've reversed the order), I'm going to leave it and shut down as soon as I can because I've got Christmas obligations.   Have noticed that if you really push yourself and not sleep normally for extended periods, it seems to have a depressant effect.  Or maybe that's just on me. Have a nice holiday everyone. [In a rush, excuse any typos]