Infotainment juggernauts

Infotainment juggernauts
by Jay Chrisman

You just can’t trust the media. You hear bleeding-heart liberals say it. You hear the tighty-whitey conservatives say it. You even hear the nutjob at the library that everyone so endearingly calls “Cat Jesus” say it. It’s too bad Danny Schechter, the director of “Weapons of Mass Deception” uses the same technique of those he intends to cover, reducing his own credibility.
It’s ironic that in the documentary he portrays Al-Jazeera as the only truly fair and balanced media outlet because they are committed to giving equal time to both sides of the story. Schechter even uses clips from the Al-Jazeera network of journalists interviewing angry, mourning Iraqi women and children. Hey Schechter, did you ever ask Tom Brokaw what he thought of the whole affair instead of following him around like paparazzi?
Failure to adhere to one of the most important of journalistic codes is one of the only mistakes Schechter made during the documentary, however. Every Fox News watching bumpkin who doesn’t bother to question the information they’re spoon-fed should be required to watch this film.
I don’t think that Schechter’s intentions were to perform a clean surgery, removing the cancerous lump afflicting mainstream media. He did as he intended to do: cut it open and let it bleed from every orifice.
Schechter’s most effective analysis is the coining of the term “Militainment.” Schechter points out that during the build-up to war, network journalists provided Superbowl-esque game plan calling instead of real analysis of the reasons for war. Then they discuss the statistics of a bomb named “MOAB,” or “Mother of all bombs,” like it’s the star player of the Chicago Bulls.
Just as you’re starting to tire of the militainment analogy Schechter switches gears. The focus shifts to journalists actually in Iraq. First he analyzes embedded journalists. How can you be objective when you become a part of the “family?”
These journalists are made to go through basic training that includes how to use a gas mask. Then they live with the infantry, getting to know them and admittedly being worried that one of their “boys” may die.
Most disturbing, though, are the posers of adventure journalism. During previous wars many journalists made a name for themselves by diving headfirst into danger, disregarding their own life by being in a battle zone. These journalists showed the truest vision of the wars they covered as objective observers.
Unfortunately, the only adventure journalists represented by mainstream media during this war were the posers. Schechter follows these journalists, who in the pursuit of adventure race to every suicide bomber site in hopes that they can be the first to be photographed next to the charred skeleton of the suicide bomber’s car. Then, without missing a beat, they race back to the hotel bar for a round of drinks so that they can sit around and pat each other on the back.
Schechter finishes the documentary with a handshake between gentlemen. Pay attention, because here is where the most important question is asked. If only a few networks control almost all of the distribution of news... And the administration wants the war covered their way... What happens when the administration offers a lucrative deal to further deregulate FCC standards allowing the networks to turn into juggernauts of information control?