Los Angeles, CA. –The issue of the war in Iraq has pervaded political debate during the 2006 mid-term elections forcing Democrat and Republican candidates to present their positions of supporting or opposing the Bush Administration on the war. The role of the mass media in manipulating public opinion against the war has developed into a topic of interest sparking a Full Disclosure Network® video debate. In a thirteen minute video news blog FDN explores the issue of whether or not the mass media is the enemy of America. The video is available FREE, 24/7, provided as a public service of FDN
Appearing in the FDN video news blog are:
Dr. James Q. Wilson, Ronald Reagan Chair, Pepperdine School of Public Policy.
Prof. Murray Fromson, Annenberg School of Communications, (former CBS War Correspondent)
Alan Bock, Senior Editorial Writer, Orange County Register
Following a September 26, 2006 presentation by Dr. James Q. Wilson at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library,
Full Disclosure® interviewed senior high school students from Simi Valley, California,
Mark Lewis, Caleb Hargis, Reiley McClendon and
Mark Sweeney regarding their reaction to Wilson’s remarks on “War and the mass media”.
In his presentation,
James Q Wilson, succinctly defines the modern mass media as portraying a negative image of America, starting with the war in Viet Nam. Citing the media’s effectiveness in turning the attitudes of Americans against the war in Viet Nam, Dr. Wilson warns that our enemies now know that they can use our own American media as an ally to win against our US Armed Forces.
In the video news blog, the perceptive students express their understanding of Dr. Wilson’s message by offering their comments regarding the power of the mass media. They also share their thoughts about the role of citizens and individuals in balancing the negatives presented by the media and it’s influence on public opinion and public policy.
Moderated by Emmy Award winning host Leslie Dutton, at the end of the video viewers are invited to participate in an interactive survey on the subject and to participate in the blog discussion on the streaming video page of the website. Known as “the news behind the news” Full Disclosure® cable television programs are featured on 43 cable systems and the Internet since 1992. In 2002 the Full Disclosure special series “L. A.’s War Against Terrorism” was recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a local Emmy Award for a public affairs, informational series. Channels and airtimes can be found on the website at www.fulldisclosure.net.
Comments to date: 31. This is page 1 of 4.
JB TX
Posted: 07:37 am [PST] on July 13 2011
I feel the media does it's best to shape amerika to SUPPORT the illegal wars. Supporting our puppet president doing with his kings army the bidding for the world banking industry. Been that way since before Kennedy. Sadly, he was the last President to try to shut down the fed. Printing money for a country from a private bank at interest paid by taxes vs. printing our money with the power the U.S. Treasury has to do so interest free for the benefit of the people is what folks are missing. Give the power back to the Treasury, fire 80% of congress. Bring our jobs back from the off shoring bankruptcy of this countries economy and you will see an economic explosion. QUIT buying all this cheap foreign crap. They shape public opinion, not for the policy, however. The government always for quite sometime has gone AGAINST public opinion. So trick question.
Carl Karbunkle Fulton High School
Posted: 05:23 am [PST] on November 17 2009
Whoa. The idea the stock market is in charge of shaping public opinion is a fallacy. Much more to it than that.
joebanana so. cal
Posted: 03:28 pm [PST] on August 30 2009
It isn't the media that puts America in a bad light, it's the government. I agree with the media, Amerika is evil. Face it, our government is a terrorist regime
Bruce McPhee Tucson az
Posted: 03:37 pm [PST] on September 16 2007
Your last question was poorly worded,it can be a yes or no.
H. T. Seaborn Los Alamitos, CA
Posted: 09:50 pm [PST] on September 15 2007
Excellent presentation. Wilson is spot on. Only fix I see for the problem is for people themselves to wake up, tear themselves away from Oprah & Desperate Housewives, and educate themselves. Plenty info on the internet. They might even try reading a book.
Shawn Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Posted: 09:27 pm [PST] on September 13 2007
Do you think the media has too much power to shape public opinion, thereby shaping
public policy? Why? Why not?
Yes
No
No, as stated in the movie, the Media has a lot of power. But as some stated, it is the medias job to let citizens know about what is going on in the world if it is accepted or not. The power that media companies can be used for evil, however, their powers are only as strong as the viewers who watch, and don’t watch them.
Do you think the American media is anti-America? Why? Why not?
Yes
No
NO, I do not at all believe that the American media is anti-American. If the media questions the government it may seem anti-American, however, by doing this they are letting the citizens know what is going on and not attempting to keep things from citizens. This, on the contrary, is not anti-American, but it is free speech, one of the building blocks of America.
Do you think you can change the media by changing channels? Why? Why not?
Yes
No
Yes. Even though I believe that the media’s job is to inform its viewers. Simple economics will prove that if people stop watching a particular program, they will lose funding. A company’s goal always is to make money. If a company is not making money they will do what is necessary to get viewers, no matter what that is.
Shawn Hairston
Senior, Economics Major
Indiana University of PA
B. Steinberg Los Angeles
Posted: 01:36 pm [PST] on August 24 2007
I find your coverage slanted and your survey questions leading. You claim objectivity, but you obviously are promoting a point of view. You are basically deceitful.
Ann NV
Posted: 08:57 pm [PST] on July 10 2007
What you hear in the media is NOT what the frontline people are saying. Why is that? Do yah think that maybe the investors are controlling what is printed and viewed? It is like hearing there was no genocide committed against the Jews....
vida clay texas
Posted: 09:32 pm [PST] on April 25 2007
i have thought for a long time in what was said tonight , the news media , is anti-american. i have changed channels, i don't know if that does any good or not.
Jackie Scott Lincoln, DE
Posted: 03:40 pm [PST] on April 02 2007
I firmly beleive that the media is bias and has to much control over the process of what is seen. Bais to fault, not thing is more obivious than the negative and absolute bais reporting that is projected on O.J. Simpson... routinely.