Manufacturing Consent

The Political Economy of the Mass Media

by Edward S. Herman, Noam Chomsky

Paperback, 412 pages

English language

Published Jan. 1, 1988 by Pantheon Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-679-72034-8
OCLC Number:: 51933218

(30 reviews)

In this work, Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky show that, contrary to the usual image of the news media as cantankerous, obstinate, and ubiquitous in their search for truth and defense of justice, in their actual practice they defend the economic, social, and political agendas of the privileged groups that dominate domestic society, the state, and the global order. Based on a series of case studies—including the media’s dichotomous treatment of “worthy” versus “unworthy” victims, “legitimizing” and “meaningless” Third World elections, and devastating critiques of media coverage of the U.S. wars against Indochina—Herman and Chomsky draw on decades of criticism and research to propose a Propaganda Model to explain the media’s behavior and performance. Their new introduction updates the Propaganda Model and the earlier case studies, and it discusses several other applications.

10 editions

khavorka reviewed Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky

Review of 'Manufacturing Consent' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

It is an engaging read, I wish there was some kind of academic project to see where we are at in 2019 and onwards with the data points brought up inside the book.

As others have noted the intellectuals, Chomsky & Herman, failed to illustrate an internal logic and thus have neither a theory or a working model for their ideas contained herein.

Nonetheless, they bring up a collection of interesting case studies and points. I hope someday this is developed into a working theory. Right now, I'd call it a conjecture.

Svalbard Sleeper District reviewed Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky

Review of 'Manufacturing Consent' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Even though the internet has changed the balance of power in media reporting and information dissemination since the era of the 20th century US gangster imperialism analysed in the work, what has not changed is the liberal intellectuals' and mainstream media organisations' service to causes of the Empire. They have never had potent arguments against Chomsky and others' analyses of their role, and reading about their actions that aided the military-industrial complex's rampant pillaging in the name of global power and corporate profits is important.