Battle of the Journalists - the Independent Fight against the Corporations

*_*_*_*_*_*_*Conspiracy Warning_*_*_*_*_*_*

I offer you all a quick warning before I begin: there will be accusations of conspiratorial relations. Please, escort all small children and those with heart problems, high blood pressure, and pregnant women out of the room. As well, there is one required reading for this post Toxic Sludge is Good for You by John Stauber, Sheldon Rampton, and Mark Dowie; this opened my eyes to corporations' hand in the media and is where i got my basis of understanding for my research on fake news.

I would like to begin by saying that it's extremely difficult to unearth large corporations' rooting within the Media industry. However that is rightfully so, why would the Media publicize its own shortcomings? With that said, most all cases of corporately-funded news in this post comes from unauthenticated sources; such as other bloggers and the independent media.

So to get down to it, where has journalistic integrity gone? In a 2006 study, the Center for Media and Democracy found that roughly 77 news stations had aired corporately-sponsored videos over a ten month period and disguised them as their own reporting. These networks included ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox which are all big-name stations, watched regularly by the majority of North America. They aired videos by General Motors, Intel and Pfizer. These 'advertisements' are being considered real news in a time where war looms around every corner, where the majority of people in the undeveloped world go to bed starving each night, and where people die every second of disease.

Democracy Now! then aired a show dedicated to fake news. They spoke with Robin Raskin, who has appeared in many video news releases, who explained her involvement with the companies releasing the video news releases. As well, they spoke with Jonathan Adelstein the commissioner of the FCC, who told them he was surprised by the study's findings. "...The irony of this all is that broadcasters are supposed to operate in the public interest," said Adelstein. This shows a complete lack of journalistic integrity on the part of the broadcasters, leaving the public weary of trusting the media.

I'm going to pick on Fox News for a second because I recently read a blog post that claimed the government is becoming involved in the censoring of news. One of the founders of Books For Soldiers, a government recognized charity, was set to appear on Fox News for an interview, however on the morning of the interview he was phoned and told that something else came up. When he watched the newscast he found that his 10:20 spot was given to the victim of a non-lethal snakebite at a Florida Wal-mart. He believes that his charity represents an inability for the military to supply the soldiers with necessities and thus his interview was pulled from airing to save face. In what mindset must you be thinking to qualify a snakebite story as more important than a charity for ill-equipped soldiers?

With so much information being miss-fed to the public and over looked altogether what might be the implications of these fake news stories? Well, with the media clearly abusing its power it's becoming harder and harder to trust what you see and read in the newspaper and on television. Furthermore, with the FCC clearly not regulating broadcast stations as rigorously as they should be this problem seems like it could only get worse. But most importantly, with so much doubt surrounding the mainstream media there just might be a greater market for the Indymedia in the future.

This leaves just one thing left unsaid (disregarding all that broadcasters have left unsaid) think about everything you see and read. We must begin to confront more forcefully what we are being dealt by the media; it is a great source of information but its word is not god, do not be afraid to challenge it.

I would like to leave you with one final thought, from Toxic Sludge is Good for You, "...a single public relations professional with access to media, a basic understanding of mass psychology and a fistful of dollars can unleash in society forces that make permanent winners out of otherwise-evident losers - whether they be products, politicians, corporations or ideas."

I urge you all to visit the affiliated websites of everyone mentioned in this post and to look into donating to local and international charities.

Me and My Music

As you should already know if you have read any of my previous posts, I adore music. It is around me constantly, from when I get up to when I go to bed. I eat while listening to music, I read, I walk, and I even use music to help me get to sleep. From this it is quite evident that music is the dominant medium in my life. I have an iPod, I am registered on iTunes, I have a stereo system, and I have many CDs. Music surely shapes my everyday routines.

I awake to the sound of my favourite CD. I get dressed and take a shower, all while humming my favourite tune. I then gather together my class supplies, making sure not to forget my iPod, and run to class. When class ends I return to my room where I turn up my stereo and get to work on any homework I may have. Then, it’s time for some ‘me’ time with my guitar; this is an integral part of my day. If I don’t spend time playing my own music my day feels incomplete. Then, when all is said and done and I am ready for bed, I grab my iPod once again and turn it on to listen to my favourite podcast before I go off to bed.

All in all, music pushes me to get anything done. I don’t tend to function unless I have music strummin’ away in the background. In that sense, music is the prime mediator in my life. Without music, many of my assignments would not have been accomplished and much of my sociability comes from my love of music. In fact, while I am writing this right now I am listening to music (the new Metallica CD is awesome). If it weren’t for music I wouldn’t be where I am today. It hasn’t only pushed me to do things but it can calm me as well. Bad days are always curable by the southing beats of some good old Jack Johnson.

The fact that music can be created by anything is what fascinates me. Bang on a desk and you have some percussion, stretch an elastic band and strum on it to give you some strings, and just talk to lay down the vocals. Anyone can make music, that’s what makes it so incredible and that’s why it rules my life. Actually music doesn’t just dominate and shape my life, it is my life; without it I wouldn’t function the way I do.

For that, I thank you music, keep rockin’.

Sing With Me in Hegemony

Hegemony is the dominance or leadership of one thing over another. Mostly, it is applied to countries and political leadership roles, but it can also be applied on a personal level; to, say, a person’s media practices.

In my life there is no doubt that media is extremely dominant, but what medium holds the most control over my daily activities? Is it television, the internet, books? For me, no matter what I am doing, I must be listening to music. Whether I am writing, walking, reading, studying, or even brushing my teeth music is all around me. It holds prominence over every other medium in my life, be it television, movies, or even the internet.

However, interestingly enough when I engaging in the medium of music it is more often than not while multitasking. I read, write, walk, and sometimes even talk (however rude it may be) while I listen to music. Showing that music, although sometimes unseen and unheard, dominates my life.

The Implications of the Innuendo

If you unaware of the sexual circumstances surrounding this ad, it might seem significantly harmless. However, knowing more than the naive, it's hard to disregard this VO5 Hot Oil Hair moisturizer advertisement as just another ad when it plays on a commonly abused sexual situation.

By poking fun at 10 seconds in heaven, being overly excited, premature ecstasy, or whatever you care to call it the ad segregates and alienates a group of people by highlighting the stigma associated with the action and toying with the circumstances under which the action occurs.

The ad, however clever the creators may believe it is, chooses to further alienate a group for the sole purpose of selling its product; showing that there really is no limit to the indecency of advertising companies.

Although, however much I may disagree with the delivery of the advertisement, I must pay homage to its marketing ability. It successfully portrays to the consumer, in an easily interpretable manner, what the product is and what it claims to do. However, it does this, not through words, but through pictures. It displays a background of beautiful brunette hair that shouts "Hey! I'm soft and healthy; don't you want to be like me?" Which, however underhanded it might be to play on the misfortunes of other, does successfully accomplish the products main goal - to sell.

This ad was found at adsoftheworld.com. It comes from an advertisement campaign run by the Alberto-Culver Company.