The Media and State

Evidence that the so-called “mainstream media” functions as voices for the state was provided by ABC-TV news here in Los Angeles tonight. In covering a (thus far) peaceful “Occupy LA” demonstration — with many busloads of police officers in riot gear being sent to the site — the ABC news reporter stated some reporters from this channel would be “embedded” with the police officers. Why? If this is a news story that was being covered, why wouldn’t this news channel have reporters “embedded” with the demonstrators as well? This practice carries with it the unavoidable (even if unintentional) bias — witnessed so clearly in journalists being embedded with military forces in battle — that arises from being physically close to one side (and distanced from the other) in a conflict.

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1:29 am on November 30, 2011