The Timid Media Mix News and Propaganda

Re “Truth Is, Bush’s Propaganda Hurts the U.S.,” Commentary, March 16: The White House is producing so much propaganda these days that news channels may have to start labeling their product with tags such as, “This report was NOT paid for by the Bush administration.”

Rob Schmidt

Culver City

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When are you, along with the broadcast “news” networks, going to do a special edition on Bush administration propaganda? Perhaps you could title it “Pravda.” That seems to be an appropriate name for today’s American “news” media.

Then again, you could decide to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you have had it with Bush propaganda. You could stop it altogether without needing a new section. The only problem would be: Will the public ever trust your reporting again?

Tom Wieliczka

Windsor Locks, Conn.

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I am amazed at the lack of information being published regarding the control of the flow of news. The issue of our government controlling the news is the most frightening affront to freedom of the press.

Day after day there are more violations of honest information flow, and the refusal of the press and the major networks to investigate and condemn these policies is disappointing to say the least.

Here we are fighting a war in Iraq for democracy and freedom, and yet many of our freedoms are being slowly diminished through the use of scare tactics and a willing press to stay on the sidelines. I dare say that the current timidity of the press would probably never have uncovered the Watergate mess.

Our newspapers and television information flow are vital to a real democracy, but I do not have the faith in the media that I had 20 or 30 years ago. A little introspection and courage are indeed warranted.

Ronald Siegel

Palm Springs