US Media Issues
The “Balloon Boy” hoax, celebrity culture, and the American media
By Hiram Lee, October 22, 2009
The “Balloon Boy” hoax has been the subject of wall-to-wall coverage by the major US news networks. Yet another episode in which an unhealthy celebrity culture and media sensationalism have reveal...
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman glorifies American militarism
By Patrick Martin, October 13, 2009
In the Sunday edition of the New York Times, the newspaper’s chief commentator on foreign affairs, Thomas L. Friedman, devotes his entire column to celebrating the role of the American military, par...
New York Times: “everyone to blame” in Russia-Georgia war
By Niall Green, October 6, 2009
A New York Times editorial attempts to portray the recent report by EU investigators, which found the Georgian government legally responsible for initiating the conflict, as a vindication of the newsp...
The New York Times throws Roman Polanski to the wolves
By David Walsh and David North, October 1, 2009
The arrest of film director Roman Polanski in Switzerland and his threatened extradition to the US have stirred the baying hounds of ‘law and order’ into action. To these reactionary voices, we ca...
Demands to curtail war reporting after raid to free New York Times journalist
By Julie Hyland, September 14, 2009
Controversy over the SAS-led operation to free a New York Times journalist held captive in Afghanistan is being used to make demands that will curtail any objective and honest reporting from the war z...
Washington’s double standard: The elections in Iran and Afghanistan
By Patrick Martin, August 28, 2009
The Obama administration and the American media, after denouncing the presidential election in Iran as “rigged” and undemocratic (without any evidence), now uphold the legitimacy of the presidenti...
The Massachusetts model
The New York Times and Obama’s health care counterrevolution
By Kate Randall, August 14, 2009
The New York Times has again come to the defense of Obama’s health care proposals with an editorial praising the Massachusetts health care system.
New York Times on Northern Alliance war crime
A cover-up of US massacre at Mazar-i-Sharif
By Barry Grey, July 13, 2009
The New York Times on July 11 published a lengthy front-page article recalling the murder of hundreds of captured Taliban fighters by the US-allied Northern Alliance at the end of November, 2001, duri...
Tehran and Tegucigalpa: A tale of two capitals
By Barry Grey, July 9, 2009
The contrasting coverage of events in Iran and Honduras says a great deal about the character and role of the American media.
Washington Post offers its reporters to corporate sponsors
By David Walsh, July 6, 2009
The Washington Post, it was revealed last week, recently offered corporate sponsors—for a hefty fee—the opportunity to meet privately with key reporters, along with Congressional leaders and Obama...
Michael Jackson’s death
By David Walsh, June 27, 2009
One greets the death of singer Michael Jackson at the age of 50 with genuine sadness, but without extraordinary surprise. Given the entire set of circumstances, it was not clear how his saga might end...
The propaganda war against Iran
By Bill Van Auken, June 24, 2009
The US media, including its supposedly “left” representatives, is continuing a concerted propaganda campaign against Iran over allegations that the June 12 presidential election was rigged.
