The propaganda model of Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman tries to explain systemically caused tendencies in the mass media as consequence from economic influences to. The propaganda model became first in Herman's book "“Manufacturing Consent: the Political Economy OF the measure of Media"” represented. This theory describes, how the media can form a decentralized and not propaganda system, which is able, a consent of the Oberschicht to manufacture and the public into these perspectives of the Oberschicht to merge - while at the same time the appearance of a democratic consent remains protected.

In accordance with an often quoted saying Chomskys is

"“[...] propaganda for the democracy like the club for a totalitarian state."”

The propaganda model tries, political tendencies in the mass media not as result of conspiracy to explain but as product of economic obligations.

The "“filters"”

In accordance with the propaganda model there are five filters, which unwanted messages keep away for instance from a newspaper. Although Chomsky and Herman examined mainly American media, they assume that these "“filters"” work with each mass medium, which exists in the capitalistic surrounding field.

The owner

In the USA many TV organizations and newspapers are in the possession of large concerns such as Westinghouse, Time Warner or General Electric. These conglomerates depend on the reporting of their medium enterprises - if for instance Time Warners own TV-institute CNN over Hollywood reports, then this would be rather harmful for Warner Bros., the company film producers. In particular it is appropriate for the arms companies near to thus steer by "“reality control"” over the mass media the danger consciousness of the population and the policy.

Straight one in the USA gives it hardly still to mass media, which do not belong to any large concerns - and large concerns in a section (news station, daily papers, radio) quite often form an oligopoly. The American network CLEAR Channel Communications about possesses 1 ' 200 radio and 30 TV-stations.

The sources of income

A newspaper or a TV organization lives on the incomes from advertising. And often the advertisements and other paid contents of more place take than the actual messages in newspapers - with the New York Time about incomes from advertising constitute 75% of the profit.

Generally one accepts, with a newspaper the newspaper publisher a product to the reader would sell - with messages printed on paper. The reader pays thus for a service, which he enjoys.

Chomsky and Herman placed this pattern on the head, since a newspaper earns much more at advertisements than on subscription and kiosk sales. The propaganda model means thus that the newspaper sells a product to the advertisers - an enormous quantity of humans, whom one can feed with advertising messages.

Since a newspaper is a business enterprise, it aims at maximization of profit. And there evenly the majority of the incomes of the advertisers comes, must align the newspaper their reporting to the interests of its advertisers.

The sources

Mass media need a constant supply at information, thus messages, in order to fulfill their function - and in the industrialized economy the sources are specialized enterprises, which have material resources.

Chomsky and Herman said here that a symbiosis prevails between the mass media and the government agencies: Who good enough reported - that is, the "“fact situation"” of the supplying enterprise takes over - may participate further in the press conferences and receive exclusive information. Many of the "“suppliers"” filter the information itself, so that their self-interests or that one of their owners remain protected.

For example supplies the American Department of Defense, the so-called Pentagon, the media with information about the Iraq war, because a newspaper for itself cannot afford it at all to send with global events own journalists everywhere.

"“Flak"” and "“anti"” - ideologies

The authors of "“Manufacturing Consent: the Political Economy OF the measure of Media"” uses the term "“Flak"” for relatively direct and purposeful actions against organizations or persons, which are straight to criticize the dominant opinions.

Differently than the previous three filters "“Flak"” and the use of "“anti"” are not - ideologies economic origin. With the "“Flak"” it can quite be a erboster Minister, who measure-regulates an editor with a telephone call; or a group of interests, which goes into action, as soon as a mass medium ignores the "“behaviour"”.

The so-called "“anti"” - ideologies - thus standards - a material or a feared danger has as background. In the past it - in the USA - was communism as anti-thesis to the American way of life. For such ideological reasons for instance US media of oriented towards the right concealed on communist oriented civilians or under the carpet to turn tried - an example are the Indonesian assaults on Osttimor, at the time as the USA in the Viet Nam war Indonesia as allied one needed.

Today it is rather the so-called "“anti-terrorism"” as faith set of the media, and the victims of this "“filter"” are opponents of the American foreign policy. Who is critically gesinnt the US politics, can be pushed easily into a corner "“of terror"”.

Empirical basis of the propaganda model

Chomsky and Herman have the propaganda model empirically tested, in that them paired examples examined - thus pairs of events, which were objectively seen identical or very similar, with exception of the interests of the native Oberschicht. If a "“official enemy"” something does - kill as for instance a bishop - examines the press in detail the case and gives also a large attention. But as soon as the native government or a friendly nation undertakes same or somewhat worse, the meaning of the incident is played down.

As prime examples for the propaganda model serve the war in Kambodscha and the genocide in Osttimor, which end of the 1980er years happened. In Kambodscha was the communist red Khmer at power, and Indonesia, concerning the Viet Nam war the USA friendly gesinnt, penetrated in the Portuguese Osttimor, because the FRETILIN party erstarkte there, of which according to data Indonesia was communist oriented. Nine days after the FRETILIN independence proclaimed, marched Indonesia in. Between 150 ' 000 and 300 ' 000 that originally 600 ' 000 humans in Osttimor were murdered; in Kambodscha died approximately 50 ' 000 - 300 ' 000 humans directly at the US air raids during the Viet Nam war, about 1,7 million by the later Khmer rule.

Chomsky examined together with Herman, how much attention the mass media the respective to the war and/or genocide gave - approximately by counting of the reports and by comparison of the number of columns and lines, which were dedicated to the respective conflict. Over the events in Kambodscha after the Viet Nam war the New York Time printed purely computationally 1175 inchs (29,8 m) a long column, over those in Osttimor only 70 inchs (1,8 m).

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