the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, voters overwhelmingly believe “fake news” is a problem, and a majority agree with former President Donald Trump that the media have become “the enemy of the people.”
A new national telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters at least somewhat agree that the media are “truly the enemy of the people,” including 34% who Strongly Agree. Thirty-six percent (36%) don’t agree, including 23% who Strongly Disagree. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Propaganda must not investigate the truth objectively and, in so far as it is favorable to the other side, present it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that aspect of the truth which is favorable to its own side. (…) The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward. (…) Every change that is made in the subject of a propagandist message must always emphasize the same conclusion. The leading slogan must, of course, be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula.
The bottom line is the real numbers are people don’t believe 80% of the story. The same story could be on three different news channels and you get three different stories. In the days of people buying newspapers are over. You read the story online, and then two hours later it’s gone. I was told 40 years ago don’t believe everything you read. If you didn’t see with your own eyes then don’t believe it. And especially today with online information anyone can write about anyone online and say whatever they want.
58% is conservative. Overwhelming majority of Americans know media is just an advertisement industry. Sadly some of these people also believe hiding facts in the best interest of public (fill in the blanks here: to get rid of Trump, in the name of science, to solve global warming, etc) is acceptable.