Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky

A Propaganda Model A Propaganda Model Filters 1) Concentrated Ownership 2) Advertising 3) Sourcing 4) Flak 5) Anti-Communism

A Propaganda Model Media Filters 1) Concentrated Ownership This refers to “the gradual limitation and/or narrowing of media outlets due to the high investment costs associated with remaining commercially viable.” Features: a. Costs of running a newspapers skyrocket: b. Media Concentration in the 1980s/ A Tiered Media Hierarchy

A Propaganda Model Media Filters 1) Concentrated Ownership: A Tiered Media Hierarchy The media is defined by a ranking of media outlets. The Top Tier: Most Influential Newspapers New York Times Company Tribune Company Cable TV CNN News Corporation

A Propaganda Model

A Propaganda Model Media Filters 2) Advertising Advertisers dictate content. Advertising has increased the concentration of ownership. Advertisers v. Consumer “Advertising in a free market creates a situation where the Advertiser, not the ‘final buyer,’ shapes the final product.” (14)

A Propaganda Model Media Filters 2) Advertising: What is a Newspaper? Newspapers: are products sold to advertisers and then distributed to the public for a nominal fee. Features: a. Audience Quality (16) Advertisers are politically discriminatory, they support media outlets that promote views favorable to business interests, and withhold funding from those that don’t. Example: Used Car Sales

A Propaganda Model Media Filters 3) Sourcing Where does the media go to gather information? Features: a. Public Relations and Public Affairs Offices: Power and the Media b. Tactics for Managing the Media: 1) Flood the media with information. 2) Develop and Deploy/Employ “Experts”

A Propaganda Model Media Filters 4) Flak: Policing the Media: “Working the Refs” “‘Flak’ refers to negative responses to a media statement or program. (26) Flak is related to Power: “The ability to produce flak, and especially flak that is costly and threatening, is related to power.” Example: Conservative Media Watch Dog Groups

A Propaganda Model Media Filters 5) Anti-Communism Anti-Communism became by the 1980s an official state doctrine and a means of identifying 0fficial enemies.

A Propaganda Model

Media: Institutional Structure Owners Advertiser Publishers Publishers Publishers Editors Editors Editors Editors Editors Consumer Report Report Report Report Report Report