The most successful propaganda phrase the Right ever deployed in the U.S is: "the liberal media".

[Tom Rinaldo]

Ever since they made that an accepted "buzz phrase" the preponderance of broadcast and print media in this country shifted significantly further to the right. I think the rapid rise of false equivalency reporting that overtook true journalism started to really gather steam when major media outlets began to bend over backwards to prove that they didn't have a built in liberal bias, and that includes National Public Radio also.

The stark truth remains however that major media has always had an intrinsic conservative bias simply because of the economics of ownership - ownership of major broadcast media and print outlets has always largely been out of the economic reach of the laboring classes in America. Furthermore that is compounded by the financial model that most media outlets employ, namely advertizing revenue covering operating expenses. The interests of the currently well to do are "baked into the mix" when major media decides what is and what is not news, and how it should be covered.

The apt counter to the term "liberal media"I believe is "corporate media". The term "mainstream media" in comparison to "liberal media" is unfocused and poorly defined. I intend to banish "mainstream media" from my vocabulary. Ever since the term "corporate outsourcing" became entrenched in the American vocabulary, "corporate" as an adjective has registered increasingly negative in the public mind The left has to regain the populist mantle. We will do so in ways both large and small. The phrases we use is part of that.

[Bonobo]

1. Yes, that and encouraging unremitting distrust of the government. nt

[el_bryanto]

2. The problem with it is the underlying problem is the same

Which is this - you can go to the Liberal Media or the Corporate Media when they present something you agree with. Back when I was listening to Limbaugh it always amused me how often he went to the New York Times when they presented information he agreed with.

It potentially enshrines confirmation bias as how you consume media - if you agree with it it is good information, but if the media presents any information that contradicts your beliefs, it's probably the corporate side of media coming out.

Bryant

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. When you succeed in labeling the media as biased against your position in general...

It becomes more valuable to point to instances where that media seems to agree with your position. It lends itself to arguments like "Even the liberal NY Times thinks Obamacare blah blah blah", or conversely; "Even the corporate Wall street Journal thinks the current minimum wage blah blah blah".

[rurallib]

3. I agree - it is sure used to fend off almost any criticism

and I believe that phrase may have been one of the first tactics used by the right after the infamous "Powell Memo." Bending the media to be shall we say more cooperative was one of the keys to taking over.

I am thinking that I first heard some variation of "liberal media" during the Nixon presidency. That was around the same time as the Powell Memo. IIRC (it has been a while since I have read Powell - there was discussion to the effect of "we own the media, why then do we let it do so much damage to us. Those who own it need to control it."

[Laelth]

4. "Liberal Media" has always been a fiction (in regards to economic issues).

And in regards to foreign policy and government, in general. On all those topics, the media has been conservative for as long as I have been following politics.

But, and this is a big but, on social issues, I will grant, the media is pretty liberal (and it is to this social liberalism in the media that social conservatives object). I can see their point, but only so far as it relates to social issues.

-Laelth

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. I mostly agree with your point

The corporate media is often somewhat liberal on social issues. Obviously not in all cases or issues; for example they largely ran with the meme about permissive parenting causing many social ills. The extent to which that holds any truth can be debated of course, but it is a conservative talking point. Still corporate media tends to be more liberal on social issues than on economic issues - no surprise there of course. But the Right paints the media with a very broad brush and calls them liberal, period end of story. Sure they use instances of "liberal" coverage on social issues to reenforce that stereotype, but they attack the "liberal media" over their so called liberal bias when it comes to economic issues also; anytime media coverage questions any aspect of their far right agenda, the economy included. Then when they find a story in the NY Times or whate3ver that gives any support to their position they call crow "See, even the liberal NY Times thinks the Democrats are being too radical".

[spanone]

5. ...and the least truthful

[Johonny]

8. I enjoy that FOX can boast to being the most watch news network

and make fun of liberals on the radio as not economically competitive with conservative dominate talk radio and in the next breath complain the the media is mostly liberal... yet it works!

[RobertEarl]

9. Interesting thread

But when presented with a powerful force, ie, liberal media, the way to win is to use that force against the force itself.

Embrace Liberal Media.

Example: The Liberal Media brings Christmas to us every year. The Liberal Media tells us when bad weather is coming, which roads are safe to drive on, what foods are safe to eat and what the government is doing with your money.

If we did not have a Liberal Media the news would be nothing but war and death and never the good things that make this country so great. It would all be conservative advertising for corporations and that's all. As it is, we have very Liberal advertising!

See what I mean? Liberal Media just needs to be re-defined.

[Tom Rinaldo]

13. I think we should embrace the word "liberal", but only when it is accurately applied

Democrats made a big mistake running from it years ago giving the Republicans free reign to brand liberal as a negative. But the corporate media is not liberal, except perhaps to the extent that it is still largely secular in orientation. That's not enough to legitimately earn the title liberal - conservatives used to be largely secular once also. In the economic sphere the corporate media is inherently conservative; not always reactionary but clearly center right in most instances at the very least. We shouldn't participate in shifting the political scale to the Right. Allowing the corporate media to be described as Liberal is akin to allowing blue dog Democrats to claim that they represent the traditional Democratic Party.

[RobertEarl]

14. Liberal Media is elephant large

It is planted in the minds of many. If you want to change the minds of those people to make them forget the term.... g'luck.

Easier to make them think of good things when they do think of Liberal Media. Everything Liberal, is good. We remind them: without a Liberal Media we'd all be in danger of being fed nothing but lies. A Liberal Media keeps us fair and balanced.

Do that and the power of the term is used against them.

Best media we have is Liberal Media.

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. I suppose the media is liberal the way a typical young hedge fund manger or investment

banker is liberal. On social issues they are either neutral or lean somewhat in the liberal direction. But when it comes to anything economic - they see the world through the same eyes the barons of Wall Street see the world. Still the charge of liberal bias seems to stick no matter what. When the media relentlessly campaigned against Clinton I thought, "well at least no one can claim the media has a liberal bias anymore." Then when they threw their whole support behind the Bush campaign in 2000 and declared him the winner without a shred of evidence. Then when they openly lied, tricked and deceived the public into supporting the invasion of Iraq. Then when they actively pushed GWB's reelection in 2004 - How could ANYONE claim they had a liberal bias? Now for the last three years the pushing of the idea of "Entitlement Reform" cutting Social Security and Medicare benefit and the labeling of anyone who wants to hold on to what remains of the New Deal and the Great Society as "far left" - how could anyone claim they had a liberal bias?

[Cha]

11. It sure as hell is one of them. I don't even like seeing "liberal media" in quotes.

I've been calling it the RW media/AKA/the GOPropaganda Machine for awhile now. They are the gop's lapdogs.. it's not as if there isn't enough proof.. Jon Karl, Chuck Todd, Lara Logan/Jeff Fager, David Gregory. Tom Brokaw(when they drag him out).. I'm sure there's many more but I haven't watched since 2002 and don't even have a tv now. As if I'd watch if I did.

thanks for the OP, TR.

[struggle4progress]

12. Yeah, and they started this "liberal media" BS long after it became clear to many of us

that there was very little "liberal" about the media

[brooklynite]

15. Disagree - the most successful propaganda phrase is: "Mainstream Media"...

...becaus eliberals have chosen to use it as well.

I've always found it fascinating that both groups feel the media represents the "other side"

[madfloridian]

16. Hi Tom, yes it worked just as they wanted.