What does propaganda look like in a free market society?

[SocialistAndFree]

https://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Co ... 0375714499

The following are the 5 filters that all news and information passes through before it is presented to the general public. Its important to keep in mind that these filters arise mainly from market forces in a capitalist economy.

1. Media Ownership - mass media firms are large corporations with a motive: profit. Critical journalism falls by the wayside to whatever needs and interests befit the owner class.

2. Revenue and Operating Costs - production and distribution of mass media costs money. Advertisers keep prices of media low while keeping the media company profitable. Advertisers pay for audiences. When you see an ad in a newspaper, the news company isn't just trying to sell you a product, they are also selling a product to advertisers; you.

3. Authoritative Sources - governments, corporations and big institutions produce and feed stories, sources, interviews, official accounts, and "experts". They make themselves crucial to the process of journalism so that those in power and those who report on them are in bed with each other.

4. Flak - When a story is inconvenient to the powers that be, you will see the flak machine spool into action, redirecting blame, discrediting "experts", and trashing stories so that dissenting opinions are pushed out, and they lose their access.

5. Common Enemy - Communism, terrorism, immigrants; A common enemy to fear is needed to corral public opinion toward a singular goal set by the owner class, and manufacture the people's consent.

[Christopher Shilts]

How do you think this stacks up against what we've been told about the Ukraine-Russia conflict?

[SocialistAndFree]

Did you notice the language surrounding Venezuela and Nicholas Maduro shifting? Now that he's "embracing capitalism" maybe some of his crimes aren't all that bad. Compare that to Saudi Arabia, murderers of journalists and beheaders of LGBT+ members, and an ally only in the sense that they sell us oil. The story changes based on what befits the owner class, not the public interest.

This is why im more inclined to believe some schmo youtuber when it comes to news and politics.

[Christopher Shilts]

All the world's a stage.

Now that the western world is trying to isolate Russia over Ukraine, new sources of energy are needed. So America and her allies are willing to snuggle up to Maduro for that sweet Venezuela oil. No doubt he remembers this is the same U.S.A. that was trying to overthrow his government just a few years ago, with some politicians even talking about sponsoring mercenaries to wage a war against his supporters.

I wouldn't recommend believing anyone. Do your own research and figure out for yourself what is true.

So, what's going on with the current war propaganda? All I hear from mainstream news sources is a deluge of negativity about Russia, and praise for Ukraine. Listening to some of our politicians, you'd think America and Russia was already at war.