This documentary film attempted to explore Noam Chomsky's ideas on the role of media in the US. Despite (sometimes) poor audio and video quality, this film successfully reveals Chomsky ideas of how major media in the US set the agenda of the public and create 'history'.
In the beginning of the film Chomsky disclosed that the term 'manufacturing consent' derived from Walter Lippmann's book Public Opinion (1921) that attested that the manufacture of consent is a revolution in the practice of democracy; it is the technique to control people's mind. Chomsky postulated that regardless of political system, role of media is crucial because more powerful groups always try to control people's mind and shape how people think. That is what he suggested as propaganda.
After more than 20 years since it was first released, I feel that some notions he postulated in this film need to be adjusted. While some aspects are still relevant with today's issues, rapid and major shifts as the consequences of the development of communication technology made differences in today context. For example, when Chomsky mentioned about public's addiction to the media (newspaper in that time), we can also relate with this notion because public is still addicted and attached to the media (traditional AND new media in this era). For me, the highlight of this film is the propaganda model Chomsky and Herman coined in their book with similar title as this film. This model depicts how media mobilise public supports for special interests that dominate government and public sector. Dominant elite groups shape the media, both in content and framing, to serve their interests. Today we can still recognise how these powerful groups affect mainstream media. However, the fact that new media provide more alternatives to the audience is irrefutable. These alternative media create more affluent marketplace of ideas and change media consumption pattern.
What is personally intriguing for me is that Chomsky is against developing public personalities and making people 'stars'. He did not show interest in the fame he is into and even decided to keep his family life strictly isolated from his career and stay discreet about his personal life.
In the beginning of the film Chomsky disclosed that the term 'manufacturing consent' derived from Walter Lippmann's book Public Opinion (1921) that attested that the manufacture of consent is a revolution in the practice of democracy; it is the technique to control people's mind. Chomsky postulated that regardless of political system, role of media is crucial because more powerful groups always try to control people's mind and shape how people think. That is what he suggested as propaganda.
After more than 20 years since it was first released, I feel that some notions he postulated in this film need to be adjusted. While some aspects are still relevant with today's issues, rapid and major shifts as the consequences of the development of communication technology made differences in today context. For example, when Chomsky mentioned about public's addiction to the media (newspaper in that time), we can also relate with this notion because public is still addicted and attached to the media (traditional AND new media in this era). For me, the highlight of this film is the propaganda model Chomsky and Herman coined in their book with similar title as this film. This model depicts how media mobilise public supports for special interests that dominate government and public sector. Dominant elite groups shape the media, both in content and framing, to serve their interests. Today we can still recognise how these powerful groups affect mainstream media. However, the fact that new media provide more alternatives to the audience is irrefutable. These alternative media create more affluent marketplace of ideas and change media consumption pattern.
What is personally intriguing for me is that Chomsky is against developing public personalities and making people 'stars'. He did not show interest in the fame he is into and even decided to keep his family life strictly isolated from his career and stay discreet about his personal life.