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 Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/
Top right-hand corner of the above page. Click on the following heading for video:
| Quote: | | Fox scaring you into watching '24?' |
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16671533/
Transcript:
| Quote: |
OLBERMANN: “24” is back. It dropped the bomb, literally. Al Gore makes a movie about global warming and gets smeared as a fearmonger. Fox portrays a fictionalized America riddled with terrorists, which helps keep part of the real America convinced we really might be riddled with terrorists, and it wins five Emmys and two Golden Globes. Gripping drama, or thinly veiled propaganda?
Meredith Vieira‘s exclusive interview with Ben Ownby, one of the rescued teens in Missouri.
That‘s ahead. You‘re watching COUNTDOWN on MSNBC.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
OLBERMANN: It‘s a familiar tactic for grabbing and holding the public‘s attention, beloved by both the Bush administration and, just as another example, Fox News Channel. Step one, fear, and if step one does not work, step two, more fear.
In our fourth story on the COUNTDOWN, it is also evidently how the producers of the Fox series “24” plan to keep viewers during the show‘s sixth year, as evidenced in the first 30 seconds of the season premiere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, “24”)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: America has been victimized again. Last night‘s terrorist attack in San Antonio is now the latest in this series of bombings that began 11 weeks ago in 10 different cities. Over 900 people have been killed thus far. And while no one is claiming responsibility for this wave of death, evidence points to Islamic militants.
Here in Los Angeles, the mood can only be described as tense and fearful, and the Department of Homeland Security is urging all citizens to report without delay any suspicious persons or activities.
We spoke with a department spokesperson who says, quote, “We don‘t want to start a witch hunt, but we would rather err on the side of caution than become the next target.”
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OLBERMANN: If that wasn‘t enough to scare or outrage you, the rest of the four-hour, two-night show opener featured a mall attack, a would-be suicide bomber on a subway, and a successful suicide bombing on a passenger bus, not in places where these things have already happened, but in a country called the United States of America.
In case you missed the point, the show finished up with a nuclear weapon detonating in a major American (INAUDIBLE) city, literally conjuring up the administration‘s imagery for the war in Iraq, the good old mushroom cloud, right-wing Web sites leaving no doubt as to what they think viewers should take away from this fictional attack, case in point, Newsbusters.org says this scene, quote, “should be required viewing for all media members who question what‘s at risk and whether there really is a war on terror” and accuses the media of undermining the Bush administration and, quote, “downplaying the seriousness of terrorism.”
At least the rest of us didn‘t make it into a sitcom.
And by that logic, of course, somewhere in this country there really is a cheerleader who will never die, there‘s at least one real-life talking dog, and a mother and a daughter who patter back and forth like the “Gilmore Girls.”
Is “24” propaganda? Is it fear-mongering? Or is it a program-length commercial for one political party?
I‘m joined now by Robert Greenwald, who made the documentary film “Outfoxed.”
Thanks again for your time tonight, sir.
ROBERT GREENWALD, DIRECTOR, “OUTFOXED”: Thank you. Nice to be with you.
OLBERMANN: Most people obviously recognize the show‘s fictional, but how well does the fictionalizing of seemingly actual terror events, like subway and bus bombings, and (INAUDIBLE), sort of templating them over the United States‘ landscape, work as a fear tactic?
GREENWALD: Well, we know how susceptible people are to fear, some of it with good reason. The tragedy, as we know, has been how this administration has played on people‘s fears, and how Fox News and Fox in general has used it over and over and over again.
As you say, people can tell the difference. This is fiction. What we‘re dealing with in the world at times is fact. You know, of course, the question is, can this administration tell the difference, given that every day we get a different reason about who we should be afraid of, why we should be afraid, and why we went to war.
OLBERMANN: And the old line, of course, seems to apply here, about people insisting TV does not impact the public‘s perceptions, and then you point out, Well, gee whiz, all those advertisers must have wasted every dollar they ever spent on television.
But if the irrational right can claim that the news is fixed to try to alter people‘s minds, or that networks should be boycotted for nudity or for immorality, shouldn‘t those same groups be saying “24” should be taken off TV because it‘s naked brainwashing?
GREENWALD: Yes, well, I don‘t think those groups have ever talked about brainwashing. But it‘s a very good point, because I think one of the most devastating things that has happened with that show has been the narrative that torture works, where over and over again, they show that there‘s this ticking-bomb scenario, which is a false idea to begin with, right, that you have one second to get X information to save all these people lives. And the only way to solve it is by torturing somebody.
We‘ve seen the results of torture. It doesn‘t work, and you get false information. And that‘s where the show and other shows like it really do a disservice, because they affect the kind of narrative and a way that people throughout the country start to believe. Yes, well, I really don‘t like torture, but I better use it because it‘s the only way to save my country.
OLBERMANN: John McCain did a cameo in the series and joked about torture afterwards. Senator Cornyn has now done a promo on Fox News about this series. And, of course, there was a lovefest at the Heritage Foundation last year starring the producers, some of the actors, Secretary Chertoff from Homeland Security, and comedian Rush Limbaugh. I mean, we‘ve had lines between reality and TV blurred before. (INAUDIBLE) the whole (INAUDIBLE) -- alternate universe quality to “The West Wing.”
But does this not begin to look at this point like the blurring of the lines here is deliberate?
GREENWALD: Well, it certainly seems to be that way. And, of course, when you have the vice president and the former secretary of defense saying this is their favorite show, it does give you pause to wonder about what really is going on here. Now, I‘m not a conspiracy theorist. But, of course, the fact that the show is on Fox raises all of our eyebrows.
Now, having said that, you know, there‘s some very good execution in this show, and that‘s what makes the sort of moral questions that you‘re asking even more important. And more important that people tell the difference, and that we raise hell when they cross a line that shouldn‘t be crossed, blurring the fact with the fiction.
OLBERMANN: Is there some tangible way that this could actually help a president who has relied, who has campaigned on, you know, our party will protect you, and the other guys, well, you‘re on your own?
GREENWALD: Well, I don‘t know what‘s going to help this president, given where his ratings are. I don‘t know that an angel coming down would save him right now. But I think any time that one is using fear to create a concern among the electorate, to create a concern in our country, and to motivate and push people and say, you better be afraid, you better be very afraid, the more we keep hearing that message, I think the more we need to push back against it and ask the hard questions.
OLBERMANN: Maybe “Touched by an Angel” can make a comeback, as you just suggested it. Robert Greenwald, maker of the documentary “Outfoxed.” Thank you for joining us tonight, sir.
GREENWALD: Pleasure. |
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