Herman & Chomsky: Pre-Class

It is my understanding that Herman and Chomsky's central theme in "A Propaganda Model" was that the media has the power to tell people what they are supposed to be and how they are supposed to act. They say that it is the media's function to, "amuse, entertain, and inform, and to inculcate individuals with the values, beliefs, and codes of behavior that will integrate into the institutional structures of the larger society" (204). The media may pretend to be a form of "free speech," allowing audiences to make their own conclusions about issues in the world around then, but in reality, the media is controlled by the very wealthy and institutions. These groups have the power to reinforce stereotypes and hegemonic standards, an agenda which may not always be so obvious to the viewer. Herman and Chomsky identify five "filters" that propaganda uses to harness its power: (1) media ownership and profit orientation, (2) the influence of advertising, (3) the role of experts, (4) "flak" as a means of disciplining the media, and (5) the rhetorical strategy of anticommunism. It is still unclear to me what the fourth filter means, so I am hoping that will be cleared up in class tomorrow.