Government and the Media

In the US, ‘the government’ does not censor the media. However, the government itself is a primary source for news, and does in fact manipulate the media both by flooding it with the news it wants them to report, and by blackballing news agencies who don’t tow the line (by leaving them out of the information loop).

Because of this incentive, all the major news agencies dutifully report the news that is handed to them from ‘the government’ as quickly as possible. By the time real journalists analyze the situation, the headlines have changed and no-one cares.

“but yet they do not show American troops killing innocent people or all the injured people who are staving to death. “

Cases where US forces caused intentional or accidental deaths of Iraqi civilians make the news all the time. What hasn’t been in the US media are stories about things like how many thousands of Iraqi children have received vaccinations from coalition forces.

Yeah, I agree, if you’re referring to the US then no, the government does not run the media. The media is an industry, and as such, is driven largely by profit. On days when there are significant events happening, they will cover them, usually very accurately. But on all other days, they’re out to make a quick buck, and it shows in the types of stories that often air.

Well, you marked this anonymous. So we have NO idea what country you’re referring to.

In some countries, the government EXPLICITLY runs the media.

In the US, no, they don’t. Google is one of the most valuable media companies on the planet. Their moto, “do no evil” is in direct contradiction to what the US government routinely does ;)

If the government controlled our media than everything in the US and Iraq would be just peachy!