Media coverage of the U.S. contribution to conflict in Colombia
Abstract
The Propaganda Model of communication by Herman and Chomsky has been in the periphery of academia as its authors predicted. The authors also predicted what dimensions media coverage will take when the mainstream media cover events in states where corporate-governed super powers have interests, especially the U.S. It is this prediction of media performance that this research is testing in relation to the conflict in Colombia. In recent years Latin America has achieved some nationalist governments, as in Venezuela and Bolivia, however, the U.S quest for hegemony is a fact in Latin America. How the media cover conflict in Colombia, especially in relation to contributions of the U.S and its interventions is the concern of this thesis. This research uses Critical Discourse Analysis as methodology and the PM as its conceptual framework. The Toronto Star, CBC, National Post, and the Globe and Mail are analyzed in this research. Conclusions arrived at support the PM as a good instrument for predicting media performance: Mainstream media coverage favours allies of the U.S., protects U.S. corporations, supports capitalist values and imperialist ideology, and generally neglects the interests of the masses and social justice, while the elite agenda is favoured.