The Truth Editorial: How the Media Misleads.

What you may read, hear or see...is it the truth, the WHOLE truth and nothing but the TRUTH? The most commonly accessed forms of news/media to the public are undoubtedly recognised by most people as being the truth and a reliable source of information. But is it really that simple?

The advances in communication technology over the past half century have ushered in a world in which the news media are playing a dominant role. With vivid alacrity they tell us what is happening in places near and far. In the past, sometimes a war continued for months after the generals had negotiated a settlement simply because the news had not reached their troops. Today the media have acquired the capacity to bring the world to our doorstep instantaneously, with sounds, pictures and narratives.

With all this speed and efficiency they also offer great entertainment. There is never a dull moment on the machine.

Electronic News Gathering trucks and photojournali...

CNN bureau locations

CNN breaking the news of a plane crash at the Worl...

Round the clock there is a story to be told and there is a compelling storyteller. It is slick, seductive and even entertaining. It is therefore, hardly surprising that the media has come to occupy a central place in our daily lives. They define what is important and what is not important, what is good and what is bad. They shape our ideas, our thoughts as well as our view of the world. We have become so captivated by all this razzle-dazzle that we forgot to ask the basic question: "is this all real?".

The first thing to note is that the machine that is always engaging our eyes, our ears, and our minds, is not of our own making. We did not design it, neither are we running it. It talks to us and about us, but it has its own agenda. It claims to...