We have been, in the past subjected to a lot of consent manufacturing by the media. Remember Enron? In its days, India’s so-called intellectuals, lobbyists were busy explaining how Enron could sort out India’s power woes. Today, nobody wants to even mention Enron, lest talk about it. Who matters in consent manufacturing? Those who are in a position to make the decisions that determine the way the society functions. They are a relatively concentrated network of major corporations and conglomerates and investment firms. It may seem cynical but they are also the ones who staff the major executive positions in the government. They're the ones who own the media and they're the ones who have to be in a position to make the decisions. However, it will be amateurish to consider major corporations as the only influencers. There's more to it than meets the eye. Some population in the society is always privy to high life, relatively educated, more or less articulate and plays some kind of role in decision-making. They're the ones who participate in & influence social life e.g. teachers and writers. They're supposed to vote, they're supposed to play some role in the way economic and political and cultural life goes on. Now their consent is crucial. So that's one group that has to be deeply indoctrinated.
If you follow the link in all these three articles, you know precisely why it is very important to own / control media. Media sets a general agenda that others more or less adhere to. And they do this in all sorts of ways: by selection of topics, by distribution of concerns, by emphasis and framing of issues, by filtering of information, by bounding of debate within certain limits. They determine, they select, they shape, they control and they restrict -- in order to serve the interests of dominant, elite` groups in the society.
If only we understand the motives & rationale` of the interest groups behind the business of manufacturing consent, we would learn to read between the lines.
Suggested further reading:
http://www.chomsky.info/
Web of Deceit-Mark Curtis
Manufacturing Consent: By Edward Herman & Noam Chomsky
If you follow the link in all these three articles, you know precisely why it is very important to own / control media. Media sets a general agenda that others more or less adhere to. And they do this in all sorts of ways: by selection of topics, by distribution of concerns, by emphasis and framing of issues, by filtering of information, by bounding of debate within certain limits. They determine, they select, they shape, they control and they restrict -- in order to serve the interests of dominant, elite` groups in the society.
If only we understand the motives & rationale` of the interest groups behind the business of manufacturing consent, we would learn to read between the lines.
Suggested further reading:
http://www.chomsky.info/
Web of Deceit-Mark Curtis
Manufacturing Consent: By Edward Herman & Noam Chomsky
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1 comment:
There is one more dimension to this. There is nothing like "Free Press". Some time back there was a news feature on some channel. It showed the link of the major print/electronic media & their bosses. It showed that most of the Indian papers/ channels are run by conglomerates which follow or are associated to one or the other faith... be it the christianity, hinuism etc. etc..They receive huge funds from them. So what we see/hear is what they want to show us/ make us hear.
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