Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media - Softcover

Parenti, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 031243474X ISBN 13: 9780312434748

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 1986

About this title

From Library Journal:

In this latest study of "who controls the media," political scientist Parenti continues the basic argument set forth in his earlier popular works Democracy for the Few ( LJ 11/15/77) and Power and the Powerless ( LJ 10/15/78)in which he portrayed the existing power structure as under the control of a corporate or political elite. Now he expands upon this theme and dissects the patterns and actions of network and newspaper ownership. A conservative, anti-communist, and anti-labor bias emerges from pages and pages of specific incidents. Parenti levels some serious charges against the media, including several astounding examples of the "Big Lie" (Soviet terrorism, the downing of KAL 007, the Bulgarian "Pope Killers"). This will be a controversial book, but Parenti's arguments and illustrations are well documented. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, Pa.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Parenti (Power and the Powerless; Democracy for the Few) forcefully presents his contention that the U.S. media are not independent, objective and truthful, but rather "create a view of reality supportive of existing social and economic class power." He demonstrates how the media shape the public's perception of reality not by telling us what to think but by determining what we will think about. Hence, not given news coverage, he argues, are the successes achieved by socialistic or left-leaning regimes, problems of American workers in their workplaces or the just claims of dissenters from "acceptable" viewpoints of the ruling elite and the government. Parenti claims that disputations of official positions on Chile and Nicaragua, for example, are not aired, that media creations like Joseph McCarthy are lionized until they begin to cast doubt on ruling circles. A controversial, stinging volume. January 28
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Publication date: 1986
• ISBN 10: 031243474X
• ISBN 13: 9780312434748
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 258