The crisis of mass media lies at the heart of every other crisis we face today. Economic inequality, a ravaged planet, endless wars—none of these can be addressed if the public is systematically misled about their causes or distracted by manufactured moral panics with little connection to reality. How did we get here? How did we arrive at a world where disinformation thrives, right-wing narratives dominate public discourse, and the media—which is supposed to serve democracy—works systemically to undermine it?
This didn’t happen by accident. It accelerated in recent decades with deliberate policy shifts, like Reagan’s dismantling of the Fairness Doctrine, which opened the floodgates for partisan propaganda and consolidated media empires. It was fueled by billions of dollars invested in right-wing media machines and reinforced by corporate media giants whose veneer of liberalism or conservativism masks an allegiance to profit, war, and the state. These forces, working in concert, have left us with a media landscape that obscures the truth, divides the public, and keeps the root causes of systemic crises out of the national conversation.
This collection of 17 documentaries unpacks the history of this decline, revealing how mass media has long been weaponized to serve corporate and state power. By studying and sharing this history with friends, we equip ourselves and our communities with the critical tools to resist corporate manipulation and its many echo chambers.*
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157 min ·
Funny, provocative and surprisingly accessible, MANUFACTURING CONSENT explores the political life and ideas of Noam Chomsky, world-renowned linguist, intellectual and political activist. In a dynamic collage of new and original footage...
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50 min ·
Shadows of Liberty reveals the extraordinary truth behind the news media: censorship, cover-ups and corporate control.
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90 min ·
What happened to Dad? As filmmaker, Jen Senko, tries to understand the transformation of her father from a non political, life-long Democrat to an angry, right-wing fanatic, she uncovers the forces behind the media that changed him...
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60 min ·
If you think U.S. news has a liberal bias, this assumption-shattering film from Noam Chomsky, Edward Herman, and Justin Lewis will have you thinking again. Making the common-sense case that mainstream news media are more committed to...
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230 min ·
The Century of the Self tells the untold and sometimes controversial story of the growth of the mass-consumer society. How was the all-consuming self created, by whom, and in whose interests? (Includes all parts of this multi-part series.)
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47 min ·
Advertising & the End of the World features an illustrated presentation by Sut Jhally of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
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78 min ·
Outfoxed shows how the Fox News channel is used to promote and advocate right-wing views.
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25 min ·
Turning to issues of media policy, George Gerbner delivers a stinging indictment of the way the so-called "information superhighway" is being constructed. By examining the logic of globalization he shows the ineffectual nature of our...
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32 min ·
The media regularly use public opinion polls in their reporting of important news stories. But how exactly do they report them and to what end? In this insightful and accessible interview, Professor Justin Lewis demonstrates the way in...
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63 min ·
"Project Censored The Movie: Ending the Reign of Junk Food News" takes an in-depth look at what is wrong with the news media in the U.S. today and highlights the work of 40-year veteran media democracy organization Project Censored and...
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63 min ·
United States of Distraction chronicles critical media literacy and faculty experts, students, and media makers who provide contextual analysis for understanding the current rise of the so-called “fake news” phenomenon.
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95 min ·
Since it mysteriously appeared on YouTube on July 18, 2012, ‘Propaganda’ has been described as ‘1984 meets The Blair Witch Project’, ‘A mouthful of scary porridge’, and ‘Even better than Triumph of The Will.’
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99 min ·
This film explores the evolution of propaganda and public relations in the United States, with an emphasis on the "elitist theory of democracy" and the relationship between war, propaganda and class.
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161 min ·
We live in a time of great uncertainty and confusion. Events keep happening that seem inexplicable and out of control. Donald Trump, Brexit, the War in Syria, the endless migrant crisis, random bomb attacks. And those who are supposed...
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180 min ·
Orwell Rolls Over In His Grave expresses ideas that will never be heard in mainstream media. It is the consummate critical examination of the Fourth Estate, once the bastion of American democracy. Asking whether America has entered an...
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129 min ·
We live in a world of screens. The average adult spends the majority of their waking hours in front of some sort of screen or device. We're enthralled, we're addicted to these machines. How did we get here? Who benefits? What are the...
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98 min ·
There were two wars going on in Iraq - one was fought with armies of soldiers, bombs and a fearsome military force. The other was fought alongside it with cameras, satellites, armies of journalists and propaganda techniques. One war was...
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*It must be added that alternative right-wing media, which has grown into a lucrative industry fueled by culture war outrage-bait, offers no real solutions. While it positions itself as anti-establishment, it is often bankrolled by deep-pocketed interests that obscures its allegiance to power with anti-woke distractions. The same can be said for the thousands of conservative social media pages that exist merely to fuel the culture wars. Their intention is not to act as fierce critics of the Republican Party but to serve as their loyal foot soldiers, routing anti-establishment anger into support for one half of the political establishment over the other.
On the other hand, alternative media aligned with the Democratic Party—while generally more honest—still falls into the trap of omission and partisan games. These alternative outlets often mirror the same divisive tactics practiced by MSNBC, FOX, CNN, Prager U, and the Daily Wire, and they suffer from the same ideological constraints and blind spots. There are simply some things that they cannot say.
The best alternative media breaks this cycle. It fiercely criticizes all factions of concentrated power, prioritizes journalistic integrity above all, and is transparent about its values and who it serves. Such outlets speak for the people, not power.
A mass shift from consuming corporate, partisan news to truly independent journalism is not just important—it’s essential for the future of humanity. Without an informed public that can see past the distractions and unite against the shared crises we face, a better world will be impossible.
Alternative media to check out:
Democracy Now!
Common Dreams
Z Network
Ground News
Means TV
Waging Nonviolence
openDemocracy
Yes! Magazine
Resilience
Counterpunch
and many more…
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Media Literacy
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