What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream

Essay by MoSePh8High School, 12th gradeA+, April 2005

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The media, according to Chomsky, is very oppressive. He proves this point many times by making references to George Orwell's Animal Farm, as well as comparing the manner in which the media operates to fascism. In addition to portraying the media as fascist, he implies that the media is completely intertwined with, depends on, and serves the purposes of giant corporations and the American government. Although some may see this as radical, I fully agree with him.

He says that there is an 'elite' media that sets the agenda for the media. They set the standards by which media must operate and have the resources to do so. Their interests may be political, business-driven, or academic, but regardless of their specific goals, the general motive is to control what reaches the public, the audiences that are captured by the media. He charges that the media is a tyrannical system that serves the purpose of the government, corporations and universities.

In order for the media to run, they must be financed by these groups and therefore must conform to their desires. Also, many times, media will actually be owned by giant companies such as General Electric and Westinghouse. When I read this, it really struck a chord. Often, while watching T.V., I will notice shameless, blatant advertising and propaganda where there should be none. For instance, Rupert Murdoch owns Fox. Therefore, Fox News is very clearly tilted towards the right: they are not very critical of Republican Campaigns or of the Bush Administration. Information that reaches the public is altered by a wealthy few, such as Murdoch, to further their own agendas. Chomsky says, 'The press is owned by wealthy people who only want certain things to reach the publics.. if you don't adapt to that, you're usually out.'

Another example...