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unisonlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most vital books I have read on the subject of mass media and public consumption of news. It is all the more important for the fact that it focuses on those areas of our media we expect better from, such as the BBC, the Guardian, Channel 4 and the Independent. Were a similar book to be written regarding bias and malfeasance in the Sun and the Daily Mail we should wince at the damage done to global forestry for the amount of paper that would be required. This book shows that deep infection of conformity that runs in a think vein through out media outlets. How the institutions are not just linked to the corporate, capitalist system, but that they are the corporate, capitalist system. As a result their impartiality is a well groomed myth that we swallow daily when we switch BBC news on or hand over our £1 for the Guardian. The authors posit that this isn’t even a coherent conspiracy, it is simply the grooming of our media sources of years of institutionalisation so that when it comes for them to report, at their own free will they will conform to the state’s wishes. It is because of this that we give more credence to disasters that happen in English speaking countries, that we show capitalist opinion without opposition, it is why a Palestinian is a terrorist and an Israeli settler an activist, it is why Hugo Chavez is a “controversial figure” whereas Tony Blair is merely “The Prime Minister”, when other descriptions (far more serious than “controversial”)would suit him better, and so on and so on. Our journalists are conditioned over years to repeat the states views as their opinions, and are blocked from any potential dissent. There are voices out there such as George Monbiot, Robert Fisk and John Pilger but they struggle to be heard against the din of indignation from the right, who have become through a series of twists and turns, the sensible centre. The final chapter of the book is an attempt to provide a solution for those who wish to free their open minds. In addition to utilising independent news sources and blogs to gather news from a variety of places the authors use this section to try and persuade people to live their lives according to a more spiritual, Buddhist-like mantra. It is slightly twee and goes off on a tangent to be honest but the sentiment is correct; do what you can but don’t let the bastards get you down. An excellent book that documents significant areas of our press, who have power with little responsibility, and challenges them to be better and more balanced in their attitudes, to report the world as it is seen and not how the powerful want it to be seen. A must read for anyone wishing to understand the power dichotomy and struggle between the people and the guardians of authority.
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