There is an article on naturalnews.com named, “American news industry a far cry from genuine journalism.” This article describes the advertiser’s relationship with mass media and the media’s influence on the general population. Mike Adams, the author, is trying to persuade the audience not to be sucked into the present day, heavily commercial-based media but rather pay more attention to his website which is unfiltered or natural by his standards. This article could, in fact, be viewed as being written about propaganda or propaganda itself because of its persuasive nature and unexpected conclusion, where he plugs his site as being a breath of fresh air.
The meat of this article expresses how advertisers with deep pockets, looking for good press on their product, today finance the majority of news in America. Censorship goes hand in hand, blocking out all negative publicity about the products and big companies the news is selling. Big businesses hand the news sources agendas to follow in order for their publishers to rake in the cash. Several newspapers are printing so much corporate influences they hardly have enough other modifications to be considered news and not an infomercial.
Certain stories appear in many different newspapers because they are deemed by the “associated press” as news. A great deal of media outlets subscribes to this resource in order to recycle this information as their own. The press no longer speaks their mind they just through stories out there that will either garner praise from big business or boost their ratings. No matter how important certain stories may be to some people, if big brother doesn’t approve, they don’t see the light of day.
Adams is writing to an audience that seeks the truths in life. An audience that is open to adopt a source of news devoid of influential sponsors. As I mentioned before, his purpose is an attempt to open the publics to an un-biased, un-filtered brand of news, that which exists on his website. The author’s ethos is on display on his webpage. He is shown on the cover of many books, which makes me think he’s successful as well as creating a very organized out webpage. These credentials make it easier to take in whatever he’s writing. Logos is also present in his article. Adams says one thing and backs it up with logic that everyone can understand. For example, “Censor everything your advertisers don't want and keep the ad money pumping through your publishing company. This pleases advertisers and gets them to spend even more money with your organization” (Adams 1). Adams frequently addresses the audience with questions to keep them thinking and alert. It doesn’t seem like he’s writing for the masses when his tone is more like a conversation where it seems like the audience can participate. He uses emotionally powerful language at times to get the readers attention. A few lines that appeal to pathos are, “Where are the headlines about the EPA using low-income children as guinea pigs for experiments with pesticides? Where is the reporting on how anti-depressant drugs are causing our nation's schoolchildren to pick up firearms and blow each other away in classrooms across the country?” (Adams 2).
I never really stopped to think about how much money changes hands in advertising. It changes the way I view magazines, newspapers and television. Sometimes you think you’re hearing news when it’s merely a sales pitch. This makes it very important to discern the truth from the fake, the propaganda from backbreaking journalism. I found this article on the News Target Network which recently changed its domain name to Natural News which is in fact, a bit catchier. In his article Adams boasts “I remain committed to delivering honest, passionate news and commentary on topics that really matter, without commercial interference” (Adams 3). If everyone had such lofty aspirations in their news casting the general public would be more than well informed. This however would have to take place in a make-believe world where money and other forms of currency didn’t have firm control over everyone’s lives.
Believe it or not, there are some sizable newspapers out there that are willing to submit the truth about controversial topics. Of course, this makes them a minority by today’s standards, which are infested with censorship, biased press releases and the all-powerful advertiser. In this day and age a person can’t go anywhere or even open his eyes for that matter without being inundated with commercials telling you what’s good and what’s not, passing it off as genuine news.
http://www.naturalnews.com/007279.html.
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