Most people with an interest in major humanitarian crimes and western political systems will have vague suspicions about the extent to which the former are, in many cases, a product of the latter in some way.Where mainstream western news journalism fits into this relationship is that it is the principal reason for the “vagueness” of these suspicions — if indeed, any suspicions exist at all.
Q: But aren’t our major newspapers and news-reporting organisations predominantly neutral bodies? Top journalists like Andrew Marr and Nick Robinson just relay the facts of ‘what has happened’ concisely and adeptly — right?
Q: Obviously The Sun spouts prejudicial bollocks, but the Guardian and the Indy are extremely well-balanced — they always show ‘both sides’ of world issues. Don't they?
The short answer to these questions is an emphatic “No”. The longer answer is one best explained by two people who have perhaps done more than anyone in the 21st century to bring this seemingly impossible (or “conspiracist”) state of affairs to our attention. I would implore anybody with a rational mind to visit David Edwards’ and David Cromwell’s Media Lens website, and to subscribe to their Media Alerts – immediately.
A few years ago I read Edwards’ moving book Free to Be Human — a heartfelt deconstruction of the corporate system and a discussion of the potential for a mythology-based, compassionate alternative. He subsequently formed Media Lens in 2001: a “response to the unwillingness, or inability, of the mainstream media to tell the truth about the real causes and extent of many of the problems facing us, such as human rights abuses, poverty, pollution and climate change.”
Diligently and compassionately, Edwards and Cromwell have striven to correct corporate media bias and urged others to respectfully challenge the selective myopia and damaging conformity of many journalists. To quote John Pilger: “Without Media Lens during the attack on and occupation of
Sadly, "that debacle" continues — so too does the courageous and insightful work of Media Lens. In a media landscape suffocated by oblique rhetoric, it is often breathtaking to read such concise, searing clarity — as is provided by every single Media Alert I have ever received.
Pilger describes Edwards’ and Cromwell’s 2006 book Guardians of Power: The Myth of the Liberal Media as “The most important book about journalism I can remember.” It is, essentially, a record of all of Media Lens' Alerts and correspondence from 2002-2006. It is also probably the most important book in print. Please buy it. It could not be more important that you do so.
Visit: http://www.medialens.org/index.php
Latest alert: I, (FASCIST) ROBOT - THE
Buy Guardians of Power: The Myth of the Liberal Media (Pluto Books, 2006): http://www.medialens.org/bookshop/guardians_of_power.php
Media Lens is to be awarded The Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award 2007
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