The thesis of corporate media liberal bias is nonsense, unsustained by even elementary analysis.
Whether they're called liberal or conservative, the major media are large corporations, owned by and interlinked with even larger corporations, they sell a product to a market.
The market is advertisers, that is, other businesses. The product is the audiences. For the elite media that set the basic agenda to which others adapt, the product is, furthermore, relatively privileged audiences.
So we have major corporations selling fairly wealthy and privileged audiences. Not surprisingly, the picture of the world represented reflects the
narrow and
biased interests and values of the sellers, the buyers, and the product.
The media are only one part of a larger doctrinal system: other parts are journals of opinion, the schools and universities, academic scholarship and so on. We are much more aware of the media, especially the prestige media, because those who critically analyze ideology have focused on them.
The doctrinal system, which produces what we call propaganda when discussing enemies, has two distinct targets. One target is what is sometimes called the political class, the roughly 20% of the population that is relatively educated more or less articulate, playing some roll in the decision making. Their acceptance of doctrine is crucial because they are in a position to design and implement policy.
Then there are the 80% or so of the population. These are, as Walter Lippmann wrote "spectators of action", whom he referred to as the "bewildered herd". They are supposed to follow orders and keep out of the way of the important people. They are the targets of the "real" mass media: the tabloids, the sitcoms, super bowl, and so on.
These sectors of the doctrinal system serve to divert the unwashed masses and reinforce the basic social values:
The Holy Posture of Right Wing behavior:
Passivity
Submissiveness to Authority
The Overriding Virtue of Greed and Personal Gain.
The Lack of Concern for Others.
Fear of Real or Imagined Enemies, etc.
The goal is keep the bewildered herd bewildered.
It is unnecessary for them to trouble themselves with what's happening in the world. In fact, it is undesirable ---if they see too much of reality they may set themselves in charge.
You aren't stupid, Finn, in fact of the denizens on the Right who haunt a2k you appear the least non-intelligent, but you are just brainwashed into thinking that this is all there is. Meanwhile, you attack those who believe differently, that there is more going on beneath the surface because you know deep down its true. But, psychologically you can not deal with the idea that you've been fooled.
Those
Liberals whom you attack on a2k represent something much deeper and more fearful to your allies- freedom, unconventionality, and experimentation in a materialistic, capitalistic society. We have the appearance of being Free men.
Which is why whenever I read the nonsense you guys write I think of this dialogue from Easy Rider
Quote:George: You know, this used to be a helluva good country. I can't understand what's gone wrong with it.
Billy: Huh. Man, everybody got chicken, that's what happened, man. Hey, we can't even get into like, uh, second-rate hotel, I mean, a second-rate motel. You dig? They think we're gonna cut their throat or something, man. They're scared, man.
George: Oh, they're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em.
Billy: Hey man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody needs a haircut.
George: Oh no. What you represent to them is freedom.
Billy: What the hell's wrong with freedom, man? That's what it's all about.
George: Oh yeah, that's right, that's what it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it - that's two different things. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. 'Course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.
Billy: Mmmm, well, that don't make 'em runnin' scared.
George: No, it makes 'em dangerous.
