Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky explore the issues that arise from mass media in their piece “A Propaganda Hotel.” Mass media is controlled by systematic propaganda. On top of that, there is a “monopolistic control” over media which includes official censorship that serves the dominant elite. While the media may portray themselves as advocates for free speech and general interest of the community, they are in reality agents for propaganda.
One point I found disturbing from this piece is that “These twenty-four companies are large, profit-seeking corporations, owned and controlled by quite wealthy people.” In this quote, Herman and Chomsky are talking about the media giants that make up the top tier of media companies in the United States. What is so interesting about this comment is that the wealthy owners depict what the media covers and that content is purely motivated by profitability. The more money one has, the more influence one has over what is being released to the general public. Since media is so prevalent in our day-to-day lives, this statement is highly concerning.
In addition, “Large corporate advertisers on television will rarely sponsor programs that engage in serious criticism of corporate activities, such as the problem of environmental degradation, the workings of the military-industrial complex, or corporate support of benefits from Third World tyrannies.” Since money is so influential in the success of media corporations, advertisements are essential to the well being of a company. The fact that advertisers are more willing to sponsor light programs than serious or controversial ones is detrimental to our society. The media has a duty to our society to open our eyes to real world issues, however, we are instead fed material that has been filtered through wealthy, powerful people. Therefore, the dominant elite have the ability to control the information that we are being fed; media for the people has become an illusion as money governs what knowledge we have access to.
Evie, your thoughts regarding the control of systematic propaganda reminded me of the many companies that essentially own the media, which includes the Walt Disney Company, and the massive influence they each possess in global cultures. What’s interesting with Herman and Chomsky’s analysis is that it appears to point to the notion that propaganda is capable of evolving and manifesting differently to consumers in a way that maintains its insidious nature. I think what is crucial to understanding the very essence of this phenomenon is knowing how it conditions us to accept it without much, if any, questioning. Looking at American culture specifically, it becomes apparent that we tend to trust these media giants because their wealth projects the image that what they say is validated, since those with money have easy access to information. However, closer inspection between sources of media reveals that there is likely a hidden agenda there, perhaps withholding the full truth from the masses in order to boost sales, if it pertains to advertising, sway public opinion, if it pertains to a national topic (i.e. the election), etc. On the note of advertising, I have observed, from my personal experience, that sponsorships, primarily on YouTube, always relate to trivial products (gaming apps on your phone, for example), never important movements/foundations, like ones surrounding environmental health. Your points on this topic ring true to me and the information we are given (on a daily basis) certainly feels filtered. As a member of the 21st century, it is incredibly fascinating to see how much faster information can be relayed to consumers, in addition to how much more accessible it has become for all types of people, yet it still feels like the corporate elites have continued to demonstrate a thirst for money. The holiday season alone should signify this. With that being said, Herman and Chomsky’s various critiques of this systematic propaganda elucidate the potentially dangerous inner workings of what we know as the media.
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