unit 1 Flashcards
common features of world issues
All have several things in common, they are complex, interrelated and controversial
complexity
-Problems aren’t as easy to solve and require the untangling of a complex web of cause and effect relationships, but
-E.g. people believed that the famines in Africa could be explained solely in terms of low levels of food production and over population, but the problem has other causes and those must be understood first before success can be achieved
-Often many misconceptions about a problem are believed that it hinders the efforts of people who are trying to deal with the problem
interrelatedness
-Issues that are interconnected makes their study difficult to organize (e.g. population, resources, economic development and environment)
-Hard to start when there is no obvious beginning or clear ending
-Can attempt to deal with this problem by starting with an analysis of growth and development (e.g. of the human population)
controversy
-State of prolonged public dispute
-A part of many issues and can occur in many forms, ranging from questions of opinion to deep-rooted differences often expressed in terms of political, economic, or religious beliefs
-Between these extremes there can be many points of view, attitudes, and prejudices that are a result of an individual’s experiences or lack thereof
manufacturing consent
Info presented in news is often misleading and biased, missing a crucial pov
Filtered through a number of lenses before it reaches the public
Sometimes we get no information at all about important issues and some alternative media sources provide reports on that info from a developing world perspective
Noam Chomsky points out that, while an authoritarian government can easily control the info received by the public, control cannot be imposed by force in a democracy
Limits are placed on democracy by subtle means used to control independent or opposing views, which might translate into opposing action and seen as a threat
The manufacturing of public consent is accomplished by setting the news agenda using techniques
E.g. selecting the topics and issues that will be reported, filtering information through different viewpoints such as editors, time constraints, limiting debate and using a screening effect where one major event is used as a focus to distract from other significant events (e.g. Wag the Dog movie)
setting the agenda
Chomsky sees society as consisting of a political class of about 20% if the population who are well-educated and play a role in decision making
Therefore, public perceptions of the world can be made to satisfy the needs of the dominant elite
propaganda
Used to describe persuasive messages and the promote particular ideas
Many techniques used in communicating propaganda
The language chosen to describe people and events can contribute to “manufacturing” of public consent for policies that favour the dominant elite (e.g. in military conflict)
Few people want to go to war, so military and gov. leaders often use “loaded words” to sell a war to persuade the public and win financial support from elected politicians
Every war must be perceived to be a just cause that is a defence against or liberation from some menacing, murderous aggressor and his “henchmen”, so that the world will become a better place
Stories of atrocities involving dead children are often used to help create this image
Leaders refer to the “theatre” of war and often use sports analogies and acronyms to soften as a form of euphemism to soften the real horrors of war
when jargon is used to manipulate or mislead, it becomes…
doublespeak
e.g. E.g. collateral damage - refers to unintended civiliand deaths
common propaganda strategies in times of war
Restrict free movement of journalists in conflict zones
Provide prepared information to journalists
Demonize the enemy and its leaders, using loaded language such as “evil empire” and stories of attrocities, fabricated or real, as justification for actions
Simplify the conflict to two sides when more are involved, ignoring the role played by groups such as TNCs or foreign governments
Use a double standard to judge atrocities and events of opposing sides
Narrow the focus of commentary; for example, use only retired military personnel
Treat gov. sources as fact instead of just one perspective
Omit historical and geopolitical context
Ignore critical perspectives or alternatives to violence and conflict
the role of journalists
Make useful information accessible to citizens so that they get a sense of the wider world around them
The system with its centralized control of editorial opinion about significant issues, is more likely to hire journalists that follow the values and truisms of mainstream media and who are interested in keeping their jobs
Editors tend to approve or alter stories to meet the expectations of corporate owners, acting as a filter for information
In developing countries, they face censorship or death threats for reporting views on issues that are not in the interests of the powerful groups in society
censorship
the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or “inconvenient”.
setting the agenda
Setting the agenda is the ability of media to influence the public, shape an agenda, and make the public believe what they want them to and they did this using propaganda and other techniques to trick the public into believing that they were at war with Albania.
gatekeeping
Gatekeeping is when they decide which messages to send and how to shape them, and Conrad and Stanley used this in the film to influence public opinion through the fake news footage and peace offering with the president, which made the public believe the war and became more devoted and loyal to their president.
coverage bias
Coverage bias is when the media chooses to report only the negative news about one country or party, and this is shown in the film during the Albania conference when the paparazzi spin the b3 bomber information into a Muslim fundamentalist and anti-American uprising issue and reports that instead.
How does this film connect to the concepts of setting the agenda and manufacturing consent?
This film connects to setting the agenda because it’s the ability of media to influence the public, shape an agenda, and make the public believe what they want them to, and this is what happened in the film. This film connects to manufacturing consent because it’s setting the news agenda by techniques like selecting the topics that will be reported, filtering info thru different viewpoints, and using a screening effect where one major event is used as a focus to distract from other significant events and this happens in the film. This is shown in the film when the president was involved in a scandal that would have ruined his re-election, but the people that work for him used a screening effect and came up with a fake war to distract the public.
global vs. local issues
Issues that are causing concern in many different parts of the world (e.g. the need for adequate housing or food insecurity). These problems are found globally but happen locally.
Issues that are interrelated and have no respect for boundaries (e.g. the ripple effects of a change in a major trading practice or the results of the loss of tropical rainforests). Such concerns are worldwide in their nature since their effects may be carried around the world.
issue
An issue is a complex problem requiring a solution. It has many different sides, involves some dispute and has become a matter of concern to many people.
My dog ran away from home is a problem, how people mistreat animals is an issue.
Issues arise because of disagreements about people’s aspirations for a desirable future.
How people see the future usually depends on their culture and experiential background, as well as, their worldview.
Issues can generate an array of feelings, including surprise, shock, concern, anger, or anxiety.
problem
range from minor to major issues and there’s always a solution to every one, doesn’t involve different viewpoints
environmental issue
Environmental – these issues are those that impact both the natural environment (ie rainforest) and the environment within which people interact with nature (ie a village or city)
political issue
Political – these issues are about power and control. Any organization that designs, administers and makes judgments about rules or control has power.
social/cultural issue
Social/Cultural – these issues are those having to do with interpersonal relations or relations among communities and include cultural factors.
economic issue
Economic – these issues are those involving the finances and the impact on the financial well-being of the country or countries involved.
euphemism
Euphemism: a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
jargon
Jargon: specialized terminology associated with a particular field or area of activity
