Fascination with satellite television and Internet technology has become an obsession. People throughout the world watch television and believe what they see and hear--without realizing that pictures are selected and stories are sometimes distorted. Concurrently, the world's elite are drawn to the increasing availability of news on the Internet, effectively widening the gap between those who have and do not have access to the new technologies. This analysis of the worldwide impact of new communications technologies shows how ordinary citizens can protect themselves from media brainwashing. Interviews from across the globe shed light on this dynamic and on the roles of viewers as victims or victors in different situations. This is a book for the media professional; students and scholars in the fields of journalism, communications, political science, international relations, and business; as well as for government officials and concerned citizens who do not want to be controlled by the media.

Today more than ever, the mass media are the dominant influence in our culture. Markets are becoming global, and simultaneously, media ownership is becoming concentrated in the hands of a very few select conglomerates who, along with media professionals and advertisers, effectively control the information and ideas that impact our society, politics, and lifestyles.

Focusing on TV news and television in general, this book examines why this media gate-keeping happens, how it works, who the gate-keepers are, as well as the destructive effects of structuring the viewpoints presented in news and entertainment. Through interviews with major media figures, professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, and civic leaders, the author explains exactly how this modern mind control thrives, and offers practical suggestions for breaking the media stranglehold.