Stories by Norman Solomon

Norman Solomon is founding director of the Institute for Public Accuracy and co-founder of RootsAction.org. He co-chairs the national Healthcare Not Warfare campaign organized by Progressive Democrats of America. His books include War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death. subscribe to Norman Solomon's feed

Media – Mourning in America

Posted on: Jun 10, 2004, Source: AlterNet

If journalism is history's first draft, the death of Ronald Reagan has caused a step-up in the mass production of falsified history.

Nader and the Green Party's Presidential Choice for 2004

Posted on: Jun 2, 2004, Source: AlterNet

Nader's presidential campaign has two trains running that will collide at an unfortunate intersection -- the Green Party's national convention in Milwaukee.

Major 'Liberal' Outlets Clog Media Diets

Posted on: May 27, 2004, Source: AlterNet

Putting our trust in bogus alternatives can be dangerous for our bodies. And for the body politic.

About That Invitation to Join the Bush-Cheney '04 Team...

Posted on: May 25, 2004, Source: AlterNet

It seems notably ungrateful for the chairman of the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign to complain about national media -- after all they've done for this administration.

The Coming Backlash Against Outrage

Posted on: May 12, 2004, Source: AlterNet

We're witnessing an overall upsurge of some healthy introspection in American news media covering the Abu Ghraib scandal.

This War and Racism -- Media Denial in Overdrive

Posted on: May 5, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The US press refuses to call a spade a spade with respect Abu Ghraib. But, those atrocities represent racism at its worst.

Staying the Media Course in Iraq

Posted on: Apr 28, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The disconnect between democracy rhetoric and imperial reality is being largely papered over in news coverage.

Country Joe Band, 2004 "Uncle Sam Needs Your Help Again"

Posted on: Apr 25, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The Country Joe Band exemplifies how rock music can transcend itself as an art form.

How the 'NewsHour' Changed History

Posted on: Apr 14, 2004, Source: AlterNet

With war intensifying in Iraq, a bizarre episode raises some very troubling concerns about the PBS' daily news show.

The Quest for a Monopoly on Violence

Posted on: Apr 7, 2004, Source: AlterNet

Iraq's newspapers 'are able to say whatever they wish' only if they wish to say what the occupiers accept.

Media Strategy Memo to George and Dick

Posted on: Apr 1, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The public will never get to see key memos from Karl Rove, but a typical one these days might read something like this.

The Media Politics of 9/11

Posted on: Mar 24, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The anger that we're now hearing from the White House is the sound of an administration being hoisted by its own 9/11 petard.

Spinning the Past, Threatening the Future

Posted on: Mar 18, 2004, Source: AlterNet

With scarcely seven months to go in the presidential campaign, Bush officials are most eager to obscure their own record.

They Shoot Journalists, Don't They?

Posted on: Mar 10, 2004, Source: AlterNet

To encourage restraint in war coverage, governments don't need to shoot journalists -- though sometimes that's helpful.

SOLOMON: Assuming the Right to Intervene

Posted on: Mar 4, 2004, Source: AlterNet

In the current era, it's rare for much ink or air time to challenge the right of the U.S. government to directly intervene in other countries.

U.N. Spying and Evasions of American Journalism

Posted on: Feb 26, 2004, Source: AlterNet

British spies closely monitored conversations of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan during the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq last year.

The Collapse of Howard Dean's Cyber-Bubble

Posted on: Feb 18, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The saga of Howard Dean is a cautionary tale about politics and the Internet. His campaign rode a big wave of cyberspace hype -- and then sank.

Nader Goes On the Defensive

Posted on: Feb 11, 2004, Source: AlterNet

While Nader is 100 percent correct that he has a right to run for president, that's not in dispute. The debate is over the wisdom of running this year.

The Deadly Lies of Reliable Sources

Posted on: Feb 4, 2004, Source: AlterNet

American journalists assumed that Iraqi officials were lying about weapons of mass destruction -- and also assumed that American officials were being truthful. Overall, the news media helped to create a great market for war.

Presidential Candidates--Compared to What?

Posted on: Feb 1, 2004, Source: AlterNet

Eager to dislodge George W. Bush from the White House, many voters lined up behind John Kerry in late January. But is Kerry good for progressives?

The State of the Media Union

Posted on: Jan 27, 2004, Source: AlterNet

Media consumers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your brains.

Too Much 'Vision' Without Hearing

Posted on: Jan 15, 2004, Source: AlterNet

With apparent self-assurance, politicians often have a way of filtering out the messages they don't want to hear, even from their own supporters.

Dixie Trap for Democrats in Presidential Race

Posted on: Jan 11, 2004, Source: AlterNet

For a Democratic presidential campaign in 2004 -- in terms of money, travel time, rhetoric and espoused ideology -- the South is a sinkhole.

George Will's Ethics

Posted on: Jan 5, 2004, Source: AlterNet

We can argue about George Will's political views. But there's no need to debate his professional ethics.

Announcing The P.U.-Litzer Prizes for 2003

Posted on: Dec 21, 2003, Source: AlterNet

It's time once again to give recognition to the foulest media performances of the year.

Breakthrough and Peril for the Green Party

Posted on: Dec 14, 2003, Source: AlterNet

A Nader campaign in 2004 would be -- at best -- beside the point. At worst, a gift to Karl Rove.

Breakthrough and Peril for the Green Party

Posted on: Dec 14, 2003, Source: AlterNet

A near miss for the Greens in San Francisco should be interpreted with caution: a Nader campaign in 2004 would be, at best, beside the point, and at worst, a gift to Karl Rove.

Dean and the Corporate Media Machine

Posted on: Dec 3, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Dean says he wants to 'break up giant media enterprises.' And that could spell trouble for his campaign.

Pew Poll on 'Trade' Doesn't Pass the Sniff Test

Posted on: Nov 30, 2003, Source: AlterNet

A recent report questions the validity of the anti-globalization sentiment.

Linking the Occupation of Iraq with the "War on Terrorism"

Posted on: Nov 20, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The matter-of-fact message that the Pentagon is fighting a "war on terrorism" in Iraq, amounts to a big journalistic gift for the Bush administration.

SOLOMON: Media Clash in Brazil: A Distant Mirror

Posted on: Nov 16, 2003, Source: AlterNet

After a quarter-century of intensive grassroots organizing and a victorious presidential campaign a year ago, Brazilian social movements are in a strong position as they push the left-wing Workers Party government to fulfill its promises.

The Iraq Trap Watch Out What You Ask For

Posted on: Nov 5, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Media outlets are filled with bad news about Iraq. A theme is emerging: This administration doesn't know how to run an occupation!

Cracking the Walls of Big Media

Posted on: Nov 3, 2003, Source: In These Times

The progressive media movement should strive to create a media ecology that recognizes and promotes authentic diversity.

The Steady Theft of Our Time

Posted on: Nov 2, 2003, Source: AlterNet

In ways large and small, our time is being nickeled and dimed by corporate interests and government agencies that view it as worthless.

The Politics of Media Filtration

Posted on: Oct 22, 2003, Source: AlterNet

From his presidential campaign to his march to war, Bush has taken great advantage of big media's filtration process.

Brand Loyalty and the Absence of Remorse

Posted on: Oct 15, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Many young people can recognize a growth industry, and the business of large-scale deception is booming.

Media Tips for the Next Recall

Posted on: Oct 9, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Now that California's electorate has rewarded a dramatic recall effort, some sequels are likely elsewhere in the near future.

Unmasking the Ugly 'Anti-American'

Posted on: Oct 1, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Even though vast numbers of people in the United States disagree with Washington's assumptions and military actions, some pundits can't resist grabbing onto a timeworn handle of pseudo-patriotic demagoguery.

'Wesley & Me' A Real-Life Docudrama

Posted on: Sep 24, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Wesley Clark would may be a major improvement over the current president. But those who recognize the importance of ousting the Bush team from the White House should resist the temptation to pretty up any Democratic challenger.

The Get-rich Con Are Media Values Better Now?

Posted on: Sep 18, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The hollowness of monetary dreams is scarcely mitigated when they are being fulfilled. Sadly, the media is not immune to such delusion.

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