UPDATED - ColdType

EMBEDDED: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION
diversity of viewpoints.”
6. Radio: Years ago, radio actually acknowledged
the concept of orderly debates with
widely varying viewpoints. It should do so again.
Influential newspapers like the Washington
Post seem to be leading the charge to war.
Columnists Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman
surveyed Post coverage, concluding: “We
would say that the Post editorial pages have
become an outpost of the Defense Department –
except that there is probably more dissent about
the pending war in Iraq in the Pentagon than
there is on the Post editorial pages.
“In February alone, the Post editorialized nine
times in favor of war, the last of those a full two
columns of text, arguing against the considerable
critical reader response the page had received for
pounding the drums of war. Over the six-month
period from September through February, the
leading newspaper in the nation’s capital has editorialized
26 times in favor of war. It has sometimes
been critical of the Bush administration, it
has sometimes commented on developments in
the drive to war without offering an opinion on
the case for war itself, but it has never offered a
peep against military action in Iraq . . The op-ed
page, which might offer some balance, has also
been heavily slanted in favor of war.”
Even as it appears the bulk of the coverage has
joined the march towards war, the public still has
not fully enlisted, suggesting a growing gap
between what the polls are showing about popular
attitudes, and even support for anti-war
views, and the mainstream media’s enchantment
with the spin of the Washington consensus. In an
intensifying media war, alternative sources flood
the internet as anti war articles from European
media circulate in the American heartland.
96
This battle within the media, between new and
old, alternative and independent voices and
mainstream pundits is also heating up. At the
same time, a culture war is erupting as popular
musicians, actors and even athletes take sides.
“It’s ‘Law and Order’ versus ‘West Wing’” is how
one commentator put it. Stay tuned. ●
MEDIA JUMPS ABOARD THE
PRESIDENT’S WAR EXPRESS
THEIR pagers are at the ready with new batteries
installed. Newsrooms are on higher than high
alert. Journalists are at the front. The news
industry is as ready to roll as is the military with
the specter of war more and more imminent.
The sense of excitement is barely contained in
this internal memo sent to a few radio stations
by media powerhouse Clearchannel communications.
These are the people who sent out an advisory
to music DJs after September 11, 2001, suggesting
the stations play more patriotic music.
(John Lennon’s “Imagine” was on a list of songs
to avoid.) This new internal memo posted on an
internet site shows that many media companies
are gearing up while branding war coverage.
“Our Coverage will be called America’s War
with Iraq. In writing copy please call our coverage,
‘LIVE In-Depth Team Coverage of America’s
War with Iraq.’ Branding liners have been produced
and are in the system. Mike also make certain
that our cross promos on the FMs all
address Live in-depth team coverage of the War
with Iraq on Newstalk 1530 KFBK,
“Editors, producers get to work on a ‘war list’
immediately. Make sure it includes local experts,