Aw, hell no, I never would have suspescted THIS could happen!

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/7000/20051130/1035000002.htm&ewp=ewp_news_1105iraq

Surprise! Manufactured news is the new craze. It gets things done.

 

Not a big surprise after what happened with those reporters about No Child Left Behind....

 

??

 

welcome to last week.

What is wrong with getting our side of the story out there?

 

the unethical means by which we're doing it

 

the word propoganda comes to mind

 

Fighting truth with propaganda more rightly, especially given the Pentagon's long history of falshoods in theatres of US aggression.

Sadly, all too many dupes are ready to believe the lies, which justify, whitewash or otherwise excuse Washington's atrocities, out of purely nationalistic sentiments.

Time to wake up and admit that these war-lovers betray every principle our nation was founded to represent. Excuses for such practices only demean our national character all the more.

 

oh yes, the whole eye for an eye thingy
i prefer the ghandi ending though
no hypocrisy in this propaganda then
peacex

 

who says propaganda is lies?

 

nobody, just forced and biased

 

Somebody is actually trying to defend this? What the fuck? Doing this violates the first amendment; granted, not within US borders, but so what? I thought we were liberating Iraq, creating a democracy, a nation of free people. You can't be free when you're misinformed. If you only know the truth they want you to know then you become their slave.

 

Has anybody read this story anywhere else ?...

I ask because the link provided misses elements out .. if you read other sources it expands on the story ..

Netscape news has decieded to not include certain elements in the story gEo_tehaD_returns has decieded to post this particular version of the story.. gEo_tehaD_returns has echoed ''violates the first amendment'' .. is this a original thought or did you just parrot the link ? ..

Lick' have you read any of those story ? When did you first hear aboOUT this story ?

I am only asking these questions because we all 'plant' our POV in places and post stuff the 'proves a point' [well i try too ]

Now me i choose this link to convey the story

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-12-08-media-probe_x.htm

BAGHDAD — A U.S. investigation into allegations that the American military is buying positive coverage in the Iraqi media has expanded to examine a press club founded and financed by the U.S. Army.

The Baghdad Press Club was created last year by the U.S. military as a way to promote progress amid the violence and chaos of Iraq, said Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a military spokesman.

The Army acknowledges funding the club and offering "reporter compensation," but insists officers did not demand favorable coverage. "Members are not required nor asked to write favorably," said Lt. Col. Robert Whetstone. "They are simply invited to report on events." He said the military exercised no editorial control over the coverage.

The U.S. military investigation, headed by Rear Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, will look into whether there were efforts to place U.S.-produced stories into the local press without identifying the United States as the source. Paying reporters directly to write positive stories might also violate ethical guidelines.

The administration has expressed concerns about the allegations. Even if reporting is true, "it's got to be done in a way that reinforces a free media, not undermines it," national security adviser Stephen Hadley has said.

Ahmad al-Hamdani, a reporter at Alhurra, an American-funded television station, said press club members were invited to cover U.S.-led reconstruction efforts, such as restored sewage plants and newly-opened schools. The syndicate of 25 to 30 freelance reporters and staff employees for television stations and newspapers were paid about $25 for each story and $45 if the piece ran with photos, al-Hamdani said. Television reporters were paid $50 for pieces, he said. He said he did not participate.


Whetstone would not say how much the U.S. military paid the club, but said the budget included "basic journalism equipment, interpreters, assistant director, office employee, board members and reporter compensation."
It's not uncommon for Iraqi journalists to accept gifts or cash in exchange for favorable stories, said Emad al-Sharr, a reporter for Radio Dijla in Iraq. Cash or gifts such as watches and pens are often handed out following press conferences or on trips with Iraqi officials, he said. "The problem is you have poor journalists who will accept anything: $100, $50, $20 to publish articles under their names," al-Hamdani said. "They don't think it's wrong." Most monthly salaries in Iraq are under $300.

The investigation was launched after allegations surfaced that the U.S. military was paying to place stories and disguise the source. It centered on the Pentagon's contract with the Lincoln Group, a contractor hired to promote positive news about U.S. efforts in Iraq. The role of the Baghdad Press Club was first written about by Knight Ridder news service.

Laurie Adler, a spokeswoman for the Lincoln Group, said the firm "was not involved with the Baghdad Press Club."


why ?...

It seems to me to remove certain notions of 'propaganda' and i guess i am trying to 'defend' something along the way... we all manipulate information we have to make our point more favourable.. '' yeah but this is the goverment'' well the goverment seems to be investigated itself ''yeah but they are just covering their arses'' mmm well it seems a bit pointless to me ''yeah but..'' oh believe what you wish.


Most sources i read spinned this story for their own agenda ..why ? .. why are you letting the media manipulate you like this ??? .

 

[ cynical ]

I suppose i am sheep being manipulated by the Bush admin.. and the CIA backed.. etc etc etc ... [ cynical ]

 

I like propaganda.

 

Propaganda broders on lying. It's misleading.
Like trumpeing a sewage treatment plant (that the U.S. blew up in the first fucking place) being re-built but leaving out the fact that 2/3 of Iraqi's live with no or intermittent electricity and umeployment in some area's of Iraq is 40%.
Understand now Matt?

 

out of curiosity..do you have any proof that 2/3 of iraqis live with 'no or intermittent electricity' now(december 9th, 2005) but did before the invasion? I know people claim this, but i've never seen any facts. And i wonder if people have updated their statistics since right after the invasion when a lot of bombing took place that knocked out some of the infrastructure...

 

I do understand..but when groups blow up oil pipe lines or kill contractors that are trying to build a better infrastructure..i wonder what the point of that is... if they wish to get rid of us and and cleanse our 'evil deeds' from there country and bring about a better future for 'there people' why the hell blow things up.

Many things reported are misleading i don't have a naivety about that.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/iraq.html


It is who is to blame that people get all worked up about..the facts are clear.. interprete them how you wish.

 

Matthew - My hompage is netscape.com. I just noticed the link to that story when I opened my browser.

The first amendment of the constitution garuntees freedom of the press. I didn't need the article to tell me that this shits all over the first amendment. I suppose you could say the press is "free" to do this, but I'd say the people's right to truth is much more important than the media's freedom to misinform the public in order to make some extra money.

 

I was just curious.. i only slightly thought you were working a black ops operation on the truth..
I guess i spend to much time around here sometimes..