How the Media Threatens Our Security and Our Democracy
Starred review from May 5, 2008
Former Senator Gravel and Eisenbach collaborate in this searing denunciation of the American media, which they posit is “the biggest threat to our democracy.” According to the authors, the media marginalize dissenting voices and fail to provide the public with accurate news coverage, being content with regurgitating unconfirmed—and often blatantly untrue—reports from establishment figures. The authors dissect the “media echo chamber” and contagion of lazy journalism, debunking the lies and half-truths that they argue the media have accepted without scrutiny and irresponsibly repeated to the public. In frightening detail, this book illustrates how political elites manipulated the media to deceive the world about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and attempt to pursue war with Iran, using staged photo ops (George W. Bush posing under the “Mission Accomplished” banner) and fabricating events—as in the case of the eventually disproved account of Pvt. Jessica Lynch's heroics. The authors call for “participatory journalism,” which will empower Americans to engage in online political debate. This important book is a valuable contribution to that debate and ought to be essential reading for all Americans.