The Failure of Media and Journalism by Robert Jensen

Professor Robert Jensen from the University of Texas in Austin was in the San Francisco Bay Area recently. His web page is linked to the title of this blog. He gave an interesting talk about the failure of media and journalism in the past few years and notably during the war in Iraq and the elections. Here is a summary of his talk. Also here is an article entitled The Failure of US Journalism from his website.

Professor Jensen has put together a Citizen's Oath of Office.

I do solemnly pledge that I will faithfully execute the office of citizen of the United States, and that I will, to the best of my ability, resist corporate control of the world, resist militarism, resist the roll-back of civil rights, and resist illegitimate authority in all its forms.

Citizenship in the United States involves more than "just voting". Part of making good on citizenship is being informed and among the ways to get informed is through the media. The role of media in the US can be enumerated as follows:

1. Provide an independent source of factual information. The two other main sources of information in the US are the government and the corporate world. Media plays a very important role in corroborating the information produced by the other two sources.
2. Provide a framework or a context for the information, whether historical, social, political, or economic relevance.
3. Provide as wide a range of opinion as possible, both from official sources (government and corporate) and unofficial (the public).
   

Especially during crises, the role of media becomes heightened and critical. A country that prides itself on adherence to a constitution and institutions of process to decide its actions should value the truth at all times and search for it fervently during times of crises. We see some samples of the failure of media recently.

1. In terms of providing factual information, the failure that we observed in the run-up to the Iraq war was evident and seen by many in the world and proven more recently.
2. In terms of providing a context for the information and facts, we see a blatant failure in the Middle East and the situation between Israel and the Arabs.
3. The range of opinion we get from the current media runs the gamut from A to .... B. Most of the information available from the media regarding Iraq has been from the military establishment and the retired military establishment. Other sources and points of view were marginalized and discounted without bringing out the information to the public.
   

Failure of the media to fulfill its role stems mostly from systemic problems (and therefore cannot be termed failure in reality).

1. The structure of mainstream media in the US is corporate, for profit entities. Therefore it is difficult to isolate from the corporate information centers and not able to challenge them.
2. The set of professional practices that the media follow are not objective enough. They deal in objectivity, yet they favor officials that frame the news, does not allow oneself to ignore personal prejudices and truly feret out made up data
3. The whole media sector is necessarily beholden to the idealogy of the Benevolent Empire when it comes to international news and to the understanding of capitalism as a system (not as a theory among theories as in Europe) [More on this at the end of this post]
   

How is it possible to solve or resolve this? It is actually a failure of democray not the failure of journalism. Whatever the first issue is, media is the second. This is what is needed:

1. A healthy media system is diversified and not overwhelmingly corporate. Public and alternative media exist.
   
2. The public broadcast has to be greatly expanded (professional journalism)
   
3. Grassroots media operations (non-professional and citizen media)
   

These items can be accomplished as follows:

1. Working journalist need to be empowered to have control over their work. This may be done through the unionizing of journalists to a certain extent.
   
2. Citizens need to demand accountability for the right of use of the airwave. The broadcasting companies purchase the license from the public trust and make a lot of money from it. They have to be accountable to the public.
3. The public and citizens have to continue and expand support for alternative media.

The Naturalizing of Capitalism

Professor Robert Jensen discussed the view of capitalism from within the US. While he did not condemn captialism, per se, he was critical of how it is viewed as a fait accompli in the US, just the way it is practised, with no room for modifications. Capitalism is modified in Europe to a certain extent and it vies for a segment of the mind in addition to other forms of financial compensation or as the key driver of societies.

The Benevolent Empire

Professor Robert Jensen argues that the US has always been an empire and more so after World War II. And it is only recently that this is being admitted in the media. The US empire controls in a different way than the colonizing empires of old, usurping culture and supporting dictators. Nevertheless, it still is an empire.

One difference is that the public believes, or evidence is presented for the public to believe, that even if the US is an empire, it is benevolant. That we only want what is best for the other nations and not take from them for our benefit. Of course, the public may have this feeling, but the reality on the ground for the nations of the world is different. The US has a strong history of supporting dictators that are against their own people and that, somehow, benefit the US, only to be toppled when they change their tune. Saddam Hussein is the most recent example of this. But there were many before him.

Conclusion

Very simply, the conclusion is that concentrations of power are dangerous wherever they occur. In today's climate we need to react to how far to the right US politics are and encourage use of our freedoms. In a depoliticized country freedoms are not used.

Some more articles by Professor Robert Jensen

• It's not just the emperor who is naked, it's the whole empire
• The US has lost the Iraq war, and that is a good thing
• US still adrift in the Middle East
• Your Rich Men are Full of Violence
  

Back to posting again

Somewhere and sometime in the frenzy of the campaign and the inundation of information, messages and confused not-entirely-true statements of both sides, it quickly became impractical for me to comment on all that I wanted to comment about.

Anyway, now that the election is over and things are settled down, it is really time to evaluate the political situation that we Americans find ourselves in viz-a-viz:

• Our internal bi-coastal/heartland division
• Our relationship with the rest of the world
• Definition of values (seems that is what everyone is looking for, but what values?)

I will try to keep my thoughts short (so I can blog them) and I invite your comments to any of my blogs. For those very interesting comments, I will edit my blog and include them to make the reading more interesting.

Also I will be adding the RSS feed to the blog today. Use it if you find this blog interesting.

It is a Republican week

Most of the news today is, of course, about the Republican convention. While the politicians in Madision Square Garden make a lot of sound bites, others respond to them. Here are some Op-Ed pieces from the New York Times.

Mr. Bush and the Truth about Terror

Here is are two excerpts:-

President Bush was absolutely right when he said it was impossible to win a war against terrorism - it's like announcing we can win a war against violence. Terrorism can only be minimized and controlled, and that can be done only with a worldwide strategy, joined by all of the world's sensible and peaceful nations. We hope that when Mr. Bush accepts his party's nomination for re-election tonight, he makes that argument.

If Mr. Bush is going to speak seriously about terrorism tonight, he also needs to talk about Israel. With its fixation on Iraq, the administration has allowed the situation in Israel to turn into a stalemate in which the Sharon government continues to expand its suicidal West Bank settlements while attempting to keep the Palestinians under control with sheer military force. The West Bank is not just a breeding ground for terrorists; it is the perpetual wound Arabs use to justify supporting and financing violent extremists.

And a couple of quotes about the scripted sound bites... Cutups and Cutthroats

Despite the fact that the economy is cratering, Iraq is teetering, Afghanistan is reverting to warlords, Dick Cheney is glowering at the world, the war on terror has created more acts of terror, Ahmad Chalabi is an accused spy for Iran and the Pentagon has an accused spy for Israel, Republicans felt so good about themselves that when Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was inspired to become a Republican by Richard Nixon, they exploded. When Tricky Dick is a hot applause line, they're feeling cocky.

Republicans know that plunging ahead with a course of action, even if it becomes obvious it's wrong, is an easier political sell than flip-flopping, even if it's right.

Another tongue in cheeck Op-Ed Crowning Prince George


And now for the news, still from the NY Times

Cheney and G.O.P. Mount Vigorous Assault on Kerry

Tactics by the Police Mute the Protestors, and Their Messages

Here is a quote from Kerry: Terrorists Gain From Bush Blunders

``Today, terrorists have secured havens in Iraq that were not there before, and we have been forced to reach accommodation with those who have repeatedly attacked our troops,'' he said. ``Violence has spread in Iraq, Iran has expanded its influence, and extremism has gained momentum.''

And finally, analysis from the Economist Make or Break in Manhattan

The Election Season is Depressing

Well here we are, four years later and with another election upon us. To listen to the rhetoric of both sides is to get sick. It seems that with each presidential election cycle that we live through, the name calling increases and the real issue discussions decrease. If you look at the last few elections you notice that we are getting so extremely polarized that no serious discussions are possible any more. Even the radio stations put on two competing points of view hosted by two pundits strung out on caffiene, challenging each other to insult the other person's candidate in the shortest phrase possible. Stories are twisted so far out of context that you can't look at the elections except as entertainment. Yet the election process is one of the most important acts that we do as citizens, if not the most important.

And here in the US, where a man is innocent until proven guilty, nothing is done to protect the reputation of people? Is it really acceptable to throw out a scandalous statement and watch while the targetted person squirms trying to prove a negative, yet the individual that starts this accusation or rumor is unknown and is not scrutinized at all? The candidates' election machines seem to delight in latching on any rumor and pushing it to the limit then claiming innocence. Is this how their candidate will govern the country?

That, and the electoral college insult. In a day and age when news travels so fast, we are burdened with this archaic system that is a throwback to the slave era. Either we relegate this system to the garbage heap and allow the popular vote to cover the country and in the process engage all the states' populations in the vote, or we focus on the credentials of those in the electoral college and ask them to pick a president through a new process that vets the qualifications of that person carefully. Somehow the idea of an anonymous (totally defocused by the media) electoral college and delegates is offensive especially that we saw the manipulation of it in 2000.

[Just in time, here is an op-ed piece in the NYTimes about the electoral college. Abolish the Electoral College ] TMM 2004-09-01 11:16

It is tiring to see this kind of politics year after year. We are in need of serious reform to our election processes. We need to empower the masses and shut out all the loud voices. Elections are not about bullying or dazzling people to vote one way or the other. They are deliberate processes to choose the soundest leaders for a country. Sound bites and loud rhetoric are not the way to do this for a country that prides itself on being the bastion of freedom and equality in the world. The more we trivialize our election process, the less these ideals apply.

Today's headlines and links

The Economist is telling us that the economy is not really doing as well as it should be. How is that for news? Also the Economist has an international view of the Bush Presidency. Here are the articles.

Poverty in America

The Bush presidency -- Je ne regrette rien

The Economist summarizes the Vietnam politics.

Vietnam and the presidency


Large protests today at the Republican National Convention. (You need to log onto NY Times...create an account if you don't have one...it is free, then come back to this link) By the way, it is a two-page article.

The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > Demonstrations: Hundreds Are Arrested as Protests Escalate

FBI looks at Pentagon worker in Israel spy probe - Aug 27, 2004

This is definitely going to be an interesting story to watch unfold. Read the article and notice that even with a serious charge like this there is a spin at the end to say that things like this are OK between friendly governments.

CNN.com - FBI looks at Pentagon worker in Israel spy probe - Aug 27, 2004

Here are the relevant quotes from the article.

The suspect could have been in a position to influence Bush administration policy toward Iran and Iraq, the senior official said.

Multiple sources have told CNN that the investigation is well along, and one government official described the evidence against the suspect as a "slam dunk case" and said "there has been no decision to prosecute the individual."

Washington insiders note that it is not unusual for friendly governments to have access to certain classified information, so even if the allegations are correct, not everyone involved may have thought they were involved in espionage. Still, one U.S. source is calling the case "a very serious matter."

CNN.com - FBI looks at Pentagon worker in Israel spy probe - Aug 27, 2004

Caught between loss of Civil Liberties and Sweeping Foriegn Policies

There are a few links in today's post. The first one is a New York Times article about the FBI preempting protestors. The other two links are John Kerry's views on the Middle East from the Forward. Not to be outdone, Bush is also giving up his protest to the settlements in Israel.

Here is the New York Times article

The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > F.B.I. Goes Knocking for Political Troublemakers


Here is a link to the John Kerry articles at the Forward

Recent Articles by John Kerry The links to the two articles are below. I have provided the preceeding link to jump to in the future for additional articles.

An Unwavering Commitment to Reforming the Middle East

Winning the War on Terror Requires Reconsideration of Saudi Alliance

And here is Bush's leniency with the settlements even in the face of internal pressure in Israel to stop the settlements.
Bush Works at Avoiding Public Spat with Sharon

Happy Homecoming by Christopher Manion

Happy Homecoming by Christopher Manion

More from the libertarians about the neocons. We really are living through very interesting times these past few years.

Again, another quote.

Look, the neocons might not like being called duplicitous or Trotskyites or Straussians or pointy-headed intellectuals, but they share one core belief that is fundamental to all those adjectives, and more: they don’t believe in truth.

Happy Homecoming by Christopher Manion

The Bush Betrayal by James Bovard

The Bush Betrayal by James Bovard

A book about the promises of the campaign versus the four year reality of the aftermath of the elections.

Here is a quote from the article

Truth is a lagging indicator in politics. A president's promises and speeches receive far more publicity than subsequent reports and revelations about how his cherished programs crash and burn. This book does not aim to analyze all Bush policies. Instead, it examines an array of his domestic and foreign actions that vivify the damage Bush is inflicting and the danger he poses both to America and the world.

The Bush Betrayal by James Bovard

Like War? by Paul Craig Roberts

Here is a good reminder of the falsehood and admonishment not to get taken for another ride.

Like War? by Paul Craig Roberts

Here is a quote from the article

The US has struck an aggressive stance toward Iraq, Syria and Iran – the three Middle Eastern countries that are not ruled by American puppets on the American payroll. Now that the Soviet Union is no longer a check on US intrusions in the Middle East, the Bush administration intends to complete the colonization under the cloak of bringing "democracy" to Islam.

Like War? by Paul Craig Roberts