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.

Triumph of the Media Mill

Posted on: Sep 14, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Without a hint of intended irony, the "NewsHour" on PBS concluded its Sept. 9 program with a warm interview of Henry Kissinger and then a segment about a renowned propagandist for the Nazi war machine.

The Political Capital of 9/11

Posted on: Sep 10, 2003, Source: AlterNet

In a cauldron of media alchemy, the human suffering of 9/11 became propaganda gold. Sorrow turned into political capital.

The Quagmire of Denouncing a "Quagmire"

Posted on: Sep 3, 2003, Source: AlterNet

These days, the editorial positions of major U.S. newspapers have an echo like a dirge.

The Ten Commandments -- Are They Fair and Balanced?

Posted on: Aug 27, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Let's consider some implications of the Ten Commandments for modern corporate media.

If Famous Journalists Became Honest Rappers

Posted on: Aug 20, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Lyrics that speak the truth and stand the test of time.

News Flash -- This Is Not a 'Silly Season'

Posted on: Aug 13, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Contrary to media cliches about "the silly season," this is a time of very serious -- and probably catastrophic -- political maneuvers.

To Err Is Human, To Truly Correct Is Divine

Posted on: Aug 6, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Here are some hypothetical newspaper corrections of the sort that Id like those.

The Gang That Couldn't Talk Straight

Posted on: Jul 30, 2003, Source: AlterNet

We're living in an era when news coverage often involves plenty of absurdity.

Green Party Taking the Plunge for 2004

Posted on: Jul 24, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Like it or not, they're going to run somebody for president.

Media's War Boosters Unlikely to Voice Regret

Posted on: Jul 15, 2003, Source: AlterNet

It's time to ask when the pundits who went after those that said President Bush would try to deceive the public might publicly concede that a valid and crucial point was made.

Summertime ... And the Politics of Money Is Easy

Posted on: Jul 9, 2003, Source: AlterNet

With the next national Election Day scarcely 15 months away, most signs point to a new triumph for the politics of money.

Visual Images and How We See the World

Posted on: Jun 29, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Media have a major impact on how people see the world. What those images tell us are shaped by the framing and context presented and our willingness to question their validity.

Tilting Democrats in the Presidential Race

Posted on: Jun 25, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The Democratic Leadership Council -- with its centrist, 'middle class' values -- can count on plenty of assistance from mainstream news media in 2004.

The Media Politics of Impeachment

Posted on: Jun 19, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Impeachment is still far from the national media echo chamber, but some rumblings are now audible as people begin to think about the almost unthinkable.

Britain -- Not Quite a Parallel Media Universe

Posted on: Jun 11, 2003, Source: AlterNet

In British newsprint, the spectrum of thought ranges so wide that a progressive-minded American might be tempted to move to England.

Trust, War and Terrorism

Posted on: Jun 5, 2003, Source: AlterNet

In the long run, if leaders want to gain and maintain trust, it's helpful for their logic to be reasonably plausible rather than Orwellian.

The Spamming of America Another Brick in the Wall

Posted on: Jun 2, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The most likely scenario for the spam problem is that it will keep getting worse. And we'll continue to do what we've already started to do -- get used to it.

Many a Jest Spoken as Truth

Posted on: May 28, 2003, Source: AlterNet

In the mass-media world deception is serious business.

Decoding the Media Fixation on Terrorism

Posted on: May 21, 2003, Source: AlterNet

We're kept well-informed about how worried to be at any particular time. But all that media churning includes remarkably little that has any practical utility.

Why the FCC's Rules Matter

Posted on: May 15, 2003, Source: AlterNet

If the dominant content of mainstream radio doesn't make you feel sick, then you're probably not paying close attention.

Introspective Media Not in the Cards

Posted on: May 7, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Reports on the downside of this war have been few and far between in the U.S. media.

A Different Approach for the 2004 Campaign

Posted on: Apr 30, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Too often, "supporting" a candidate means lying about the candidate. Flaws rapidly disappear; virtues suddenly appear.

SOLOMON: Media Nix -- From Blix to Kucinich to Dixie Chicks

Posted on: Apr 23, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Hans Blix, Dennis Kucinich and the Dixie Chicks are in very different lines of work -- but they're in the same line of fire from big media for the sin of strongly challenging the president's war agenda.

Media and the Politics of Empathy

Posted on: Apr 16, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Militarism in America is a runaway train on a death track.

A Lethal Way To "Dispatch" the News

Posted on: Apr 9, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The U.S. government's long-held hostility to Al-Jazeera seems to be boiling over during the war on Iraq.

SOLOMON: The Thick Fog of War on American Television

Posted on: Apr 2, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Correspondents in the field have bonded with troops to the point that their language and enunciated outlooks are often indistinguishable.

Media War Obsessed With Tactics and Technology

Posted on: Mar 26, 2003, Source: AlterNet

U.S. media outlets are hyping the military's superior technology and shrewd tactics and hoping to minimize coverage of civilian suffering, which might make the coalition "look bad."

Casualties of War -- First Truth, Then Conscience

Posted on: Mar 19, 2003, Source: AlterNet

In the domestic media siege being maintained by top-notch spinners and shrewd political advisers at the White House, conscience is in the cross hairs.

The Conventional Media Wisdom of Obedience

Posted on: Mar 12, 2003, Source: AlterNet

When a country – particularly "a democracy" – goes to war, the passive consent of the governed lubricates the machinery of slaughter.

American Media Dodging U.N. Surveillance Story

Posted on: Mar 5, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The mainstream U.S. press has wilfully ignored a leaked memo outlining the Bush administration's efforts to spy on members of the Security Council.

Newsweek's Iraq Report Falls on Deaf Ears

Posted on: Feb 26, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Did the U.N. and the CIA cover up the release of information that contradicts Bush's claims about Iraq's WMD program? And why has there been no follow-up to a Newsweek article on the issue?

"Globalization" and Its Malcontents

Posted on: Feb 19, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The same boosters of corporate "globalization" are upset about certain types of global action -- such as the current grassroots movement against a war on Iraq.

Colin Powell Is Flawless -- Inside a Media Bubble

Posted on: Feb 5, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Powell owes much of his touted credibility to the fact that he's functioning inside a media bubble that protects him from direct challenge.

Waiting for the Missiles in Baghdad

Posted on: Feb 2, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Nothing is certain, but one specter is close: The missiles are coming. Probably within a few weeks.

Memo When War is a Rush

Posted on: Jan 22, 2003, Source: AlterNet

How are people in Washington reacting to the shocking number of people opposed to war?

Mixed Messages Call For Healthy Skepticism

Posted on: Jan 16, 2003, Source: AlterNet

While the Jan. 20 issue of Time contains page after page of informative journalism, it also includes dozens of lucrative full-color ads pegged to the theme of health.

Not All White House Reporters Are Pushovers

Posted on: Jan 8, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Some White House reporters don't let their questions go unanswered.

Announcing the 2002 P.U.-litzer Prizes

Posted on: Jan 2, 2003, Source: AlterNet

The competition for P.U.-litzers -- the annual award that pays tribute to the nation's foulest media performances -- was unusually fierce this year.

Sean Penn In Baghdad: Substance Over Image

Posted on: Dec 19, 2002, Source: AlterNet

The actor has become conspicuous for his willingness to take some real risks on behalf of peace.

Decoding Some Top Buzz Words of 2002

Posted on: Dec 11, 2002, Source: AlterNet

With 2002 nearing its end in the midst of great international tension, here's a sampling of some top U.S. media jargon.

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