The Persian Gulf TV War (Critical Studies in Communication and in the Cultural Industries)

Rather than focusing on the war between the allied troops and the Iraqis, this study examines instead the propaganda war waged by the American media. The author attacks the role of the media during the conflict, accusing them of silencing those wishing to voice their opposition to the war and so providing George Bush with the platform necessary to preach his war policies. By using their power and influence, the media were able to spoon-feed the American public with their version of the war. As a result of this action, they failed to assume their democratic responsibilities to report on all aspects of the conflict. Douglas Kellner's Persian Gulf Tv War Attacks The Myths, Disinformation, And Propaganda Disseminated During The Gulf War. At Once A Work Of Social Theory, Media Criticism, And Political History, This Book Demonstrates How Television Served As A Conduit For George Bush's War Policies While Silencing Antiwar Voices And Foregoing Spirited Discussion Of The Complex Issues Involved. In So Doing, The Medium Failed To Assume Its Democratic Responsibilities Of Adequately Informing The American Public And Debating Issues Of Common Concern. Kellner Analyzes The Dominant Frames Through Which Television Presented The War And Focuses On The Propaganda That Sold The War To The Public - One Of The Great Media Spectacles And Public Relations Campaigns Of The Post-world War Ii Era. In The Spirit Of Orwell And Marcuse, Kellner Studies The Language Surrounding The Gulf War And The Cynical Politics Of Distortion And Disinformation That Shaped The Mainstream Media Version Of The War, How The Bush Administration And Pentagon Manipulated The Media, And Why A Majority Of The American Public Accepted The War As Just And Moral. The Road To War. Big Lies, Compliant Media, And Yellow Journalism -- The Subversion Of Diplomacy -- Hidden Agendas And The Logics Of War -- The Crisis In The Gulf And The Mainstream Media. The Media And Hegemony -- Media Pools And Pentagon Control -- Cnn's Crisis In The Gulf -- Omissions, Silences, And Unasked Questions -- Bush Bombs Baghdad. Tv War -- Euphoria -- Disinformation, Media Management, And Technowar -- Surrender -- Out Of Control. Israel -- A Clean War? -- Scuds And Patriots -- The Media Propaganda War. Pows -- Disinformation And The Numbers Game -- Environmental Terrorism -- Tv Goes To War. The War At Home -- Demonstrations And Propaganda Campaigns -- Iraq Under Bombardment -- The Battle Of Khafji -- The Pounding Of Iraq. Allied Pounding Of Iraqi Targets Continues -- The Bombing Of Basra -- Baghdad Atrocity -- Iraqi Peace Communique -- A Cruel Hoax -- Countdown To The Ground War. Diplomatic Chess Game -- High Noon -- On The Threshold -- Airland War -- Cake Walk -- Endgame. The Destruction Of Iraq -- Desert Slaughter -- The War According To Schwarzkopf -- Days Of Shame -- The Perfect War -- Aftermath. Torture And Other Atrocities -- High-tech Massacre -- Environmental Holocaust -- Iraq Explodes: Saddam Hangs On -- The Militarization Of U.s. Culture And Society. Douglas Kellner. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.