Government Management of the News

[Gregory Matthews]

Charles Seife,  "How to Spin The Science News,"  SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, October, 2016, Pages 54 - 61.

It is common for people on the fringes of society talk about Big Government and spin fantastic tales as to how Big Government is doing this and that to feed lies and propaganda to the American public.

What is unexpected is to see a respected publication, such as Scientific American, publish an article that begins:

Quote

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been arm-twisting journalists into relinquishing their reportorial independence, our investigation reveals.  Other institutions are following suit.

 

 

[Gerr]

Surprised?  I have been increasingly suspicious of what is put out there even by our government and our "free press" ever since the Gary Powers incident.  It appears to me that the press is no longer satisfied with just reporting the news; they also now make or become part of the news.  I look at research sponsored by companies who have much to gain with a wary eye.

[pierrepaul]

15 hours ago, Gerry Cabalo said:

It appears to me that the press is no longer satisfied with just reporting the news;

The press has never been satisfied with just reporting the news. Press outlets have always existed either (a) to make money; (b) to promote their own ideas and/or the ideas of their sponsors; or (c) to make money while promoting their own ideas and/or the ideas of their sponsors.

To paraphrase the wise old man: this is nothing new under the sun.