[Wag the Dog: Media In a Question]Mass media is well known as watch dog of democracy, it’s one of the fourth states of any democratic country. Fruitful democracy many ways depend on active participation of media people. As mass people have only way to communicate with top level people of a country is ‘media’, whatever the issue is people want to put their faith on media message. But some cases holy faith of public goes down for unethical activities of media. Wag the Dog movie is one of the best examples of manipulation of the mass media and public opinion, with a comedic way.
If we want to find out the background of the movie Wag the Dog directed by Barry Levinson, we will find movie was produced in a time when, former president Bill Clinton was impeached by sex scandal during the year 1997. Although the movie also makes reference to the Persian Gulf War as an example of war used as an electoral topic. Through the movie we see, that American president was involved with sex scandal allegation by a girl, as the election time is just before the opponent candidates taking this opportunity. Opponent political parties started negative campaign of the existing president. During that time President was visiting China. As mass people are not getting any speech from president concerning this issue, one of the renowned producers of Hollywood took the opportunity to work in fever of president. Producer Dustin Hoffman contrasts a fake war against Albania. As media and mass people had full of concentration about sex scandal, it became more important issue for public. Once upon a time people forgot the negative face of president as usual they started thinking how logical this war is against Albania.
If we go through with whole movie, we will find that how much interpretations differ as to the meaning of this metaphor. Most of the time mass people fail to gather exact message from media. If we take the example of ‘Gulf War’ and contribution of media, especially English and American Media, the journalist covering that war had to take shelter from American or British Soldiers. As accommodation and all sorts of facilities are provided from them it’s not possible to be unbiased for a journalist. Ultimately mass people are not getting right information from Iraq. If we relate this experience with this movie we will find similarity.
If we want to find out the background of the movie Wag the Dog directed by Barry Levinson, we will find movie was produced in a time when, former president Bill Clinton was impeached by sex scandal during the year 1997. Although the movie also makes reference to the Persian Gulf War as an example of war used as an electoral topic. Through the movie we see, that American president was involved with sex scandal allegation by a girl, as the election time is just before the opponent candidates taking this opportunity. Opponent political parties started negative campaign of the existing president. During that time President was visiting China. As mass people are not getting any speech from president concerning this issue, one of the renowned producers of Hollywood took the opportunity to work in fever of president. Producer Dustin Hoffman contrasts a fake war against Albania. As media and mass people had full of concentration about sex scandal, it became more important issue for public. Once upon a time people forgot the negative face of president as usual they started thinking how logical this war is against Albania.
If we go through with whole movie, we will find that how much interpretations differ as to the meaning of this metaphor. Most of the time mass people fail to gather exact message from media. If we take the example of ‘Gulf War’ and contribution of media, especially English and American Media, the journalist covering that war had to take shelter from American or British Soldiers. As accommodation and all sorts of facilities are provided from them it’s not possible to be unbiased for a journalist. Ultimately mass people are not getting right information from Iraq. If we relate this experience with this movie we will find similarity.
1 comment:
Thank you, a very thoughtful post. You addressed the film, its historical background and its current relevance to today in a clear and concise way.
J-
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