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Greece: the mainstream media lies

drum | 09.12.2008 20:01 | Analysis | Other Press | Liverpool | World

How do we counter the mainstream lies about the situation in Greece?



There's a certain inevitability about the lies, the bullshit that is found within the reporting by the mainstream media. But even this is a new low.

From the CNN report on the burial today of the 15 year old boy Alexandros Grigoropoulos shot dead by Greek police: "Six young protesters had pelted a police patrol car with stones, and the teen was shot as he tried to throw a fuel-filled bomb at the officers."

This contradicts all the eyewitness reports, and even most reports by other mainstream media outlets. It is unsubstantiated bullshit, with no references, no 'proof' of their assertion.

So how do we counter these lies?

drum

Comments

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Propaganda

09.12.2008 20:48

First off try to understand that the MSM will always approach official sources to get the story. For the most part this means police or government departments. In cases like this, civil disorder, there will always be attempts made to 'elaborate' stories such that there is an enemy and a hero. It makes for dramatic copy and sells newspapers or broadcast time.

So stories where 'dirty roten anarchists eat babies' will always appear because it keeps official sources happy and ensures that the publication concerned can return to that official source for stories in the future. You scratch our backs and we'll massage yours!

How to counter this..?

Report from the frontline yourself and operate in such a way that you are sensibly near the action at all times. Talk to those around you as much as possible and keep your ears open. If you hear something on the street don't simply 'assume' it to be a rumour, go and investigate. Carry a camera or video camera. Film everything you see and don't make judgements about whether what is happening is 'exciting' or 'boring'. TV tends to make things seem far more dramatic than they actually are. You could find yourself observing something with your own eyes that you find only mildly shocking only to see it later on the news and then find that it was actually quite serious.

If there is no footage, then journalists will be hesitant to listen...in the UK even if there is footage, publication isn't guaranteed. Censoreship is fact these days I'm afraid.

If none of that works then take comfort from this. The MSM are there to represent whatever power is in play at the time. They are there to sell newspapers and broadcast time and, essentially, what they publish is dependent on people and interests that journalists, in almost all cases, do not know and have never met.

This makes the average journalist pretty stupid and easily led...not always, but in the main this is the case. So if one looks at MSM as dependent on anything at all...it is this, accuracy.

If they publish something which is clearly false or misleading then the onus is on you to disprove it. And that is where Indymedia enters the fray...

There is nothing more disturbing and infuriating for the average citizen than having their media exposed for lying or politically 'flowering' their reporting.



Indy Journalist