http://rt.com/news/information-war-media-us/

The US is losing the global information war, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared while appearing before a congressional committee to ask for extra funds to spread US propaganda through new media.

Clinton said existing private channels are not good enough to handle the job, naming as rivals Al Jazeera, China's CCTV and RT – which she watches, she added.

Clinton was defending her department’s budget in front of the House’s Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

Clinton said the US should step up its propaganda effort and get back “in the game” of doing “what we do best.”

“During the Cold War we did a great job in getting America’s message out. After the Berlin Wall fell we said, ‘Okay, fine, enough of that, we are done,’ and unfortunately we are paying a big price for it,” she said. “Our private media cannot fill that gap.”

“We are in an information war and we are losing that war. Al Jazeera is winning, the Chinese have opened a global multi-language television network, the Russians have opened up an English-language network. I’ve seen it in a few countries, and it is quite instructive,” she stated.

Things have changed a lot since the days when Western media outlets, including BBC and CNN, had a monopoly on the coverage of world news. More and more viewers across the world tune into various foreign media to get a fresh take on events.

It is all in the numbers. For instance, RT’s presence on YouTube is a real hit: almost 300 million views, when CNN is struggling to reach 3 million.

RT’s constantly growing audience is an indication that the days of media monopoly are over and that people are demanding more multi-polar thinking.

One of the latest examples is Al Jazeera’s coverage of the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, which by most accounts outshone the US media’s presentation of events.

Not everyone, however, is happy with the wider variety of media options. The head of the federal agency that manages the US’s government-run international broadcasting has basically called all those foreign media enemies.

Last year Walter Isaacson, who heads the federal agency that manages the US’s government-run international broadcasting, including the Voice of America, warned against the influence of foreign media.

“We can’t allow ourselves to be out-communicated by our enemies,” he said, in a now-infamous pitch to get his agency more funding. He did, however, later backtrack on his statement, saying that he was misunderstood.

­Journalist and filmmaker Danny Schechter says the US can no longer maintain a monopoly on information.

“The United States feels defensive in part because it can no longer monopolize not only the terms of authority in these countries, but also the terms of the debate,” he said. “There is other information out there. There are other points of view and those points of view are profoundly damaging to a country that believes that its point of view is the only point of view.”

Everytime you post stuff like this it makes me feel like a crappy American b/c i dont activley follow politics as much as i should

KEISER REPORT - BEIRUT SPECIAL

Last edited by eazyas 15 years ago

Originally posted by Zanej

Everytime you post stuff like this it makes me feel like a crappy American b/c i dont activley follow politics as much as i should

Bro, there is almost literally nothing you or we could do. Whatever is going to happen regardless of what we "want" to happen. There are actually 2 different entities in this country. One one hand we have the average, everyday hard working American people of all races (thought I would throw that in). Then on the other, we have our government and the super rich. I say the super rich because, well, who do you think kicks down money for votes?

Don't feel bad about not following politics. It's nothing but 30,40,50,60,70,80 year olds acting like 2nd graders not getting what they want. Just watch CSPAN when a hot button issue is on, ya you'll see people speaking out of turn, yelling at each other and name calling. It's quite pathetic actually.

Oh and those that think our vote matters. Well, here's some info for you. What if both people that are running for president are asshats? It's typical these days, any clue on what would happen? If you don't know, you need not worry. Old Uncle Sam is watching out for whats best for the government. In that instance the House of Reps would vote in a new President without a single vote from the American people.

Makes me laugh when people think we have any semblance of control or say in the U.S. anymore. Hopping off my soapbox now. lol

Its not really a case of following politics as much as just trying to find out how and why your society is functioning the way it does, and not accepting the status quo political spin put out on local and world events.

Are u on the right side of the infowar? mass media or alternative media ?