Media and Propaganda

Before watching the video War Made Easy, I feel I was very naive about politics, information about the war and what was going on in the world. Because I occasionally watch the news, I feel I have had some sense of what is going on with the war in Iraq today and I have supported everything that was said on the news stations because they were bringing me the so called "facts". Although I have not fully agreed with our political leaders and what they are doing with our troops, I have still supported their decisions and believed what they said.

This video has frustrated me. Things that I used to believe in and words I would consume without a second thought have given me doubt with what I can believe. This video made me realize that propaganda is all over the media, made for citizens like me to believe everything that is said.

Propaganda can be defined as information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to influence opinions. Propaganda is used throughout the media in areas such as advertising, radio, television news, newspaper, books, and anything the government might send out to the widespread public.

The video War Made Easy showed me that the government and media use "fear based appeals" to gain audience viewership and public support. The media use words like evil and terrorism to make it seem like the war was what needed to happen. The forms of propaganda that the media use to tug at Americans' hearts and demonstrate to Americans that war is unavoidable.

After viewing the first half of this movie, I am at a loss for what to do next. My main sources of news comes from U.S. media and the internet however, because news changes so much and can be twisted into different angles, I don't know who I can trust to get information. I have come to realize that I cannot rely on everything I learn from the news.

My Life

My name is Megan Olson. I am twenty years old and attend Hamline University. I am in my Junior year at this school. My major is Communication studies with a minor in Sociology. I believe that I am fairly active within in the school, not only in my studies but I also compete in our schools Women's hockey team. A few of the reasons why I choose to go to Hamline University because of its high academic standards and because it is close to my family. Part of all my success as a student is because of my family. Growing up, I was taught to be a hard worker and be academically successful. My parents and siblings made me into the student I am today.

My hope for this Public Relations course is to give me the ability to learn more about the different types of cases that are happening and give me more insight with the public relations world.