EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THESIS – REALITY CHECK

EVEN POLARISATION IS OBEDIENT

Reality Check wraps up previous work in the series. The paper is available for preview or download (PDF 702KB). Data and results should be considered in view of paper 1 & 2 in Information Production Theory. The following text pinpoints some of the findings:

EMPIRICAL RESULTS

(1) Multivariate non-parametric simulations show that commercial and tax-funded outlets engage in terror-shaming of Palestinian victims in news items. However the likelihood of doing so is influenced by ideological outlook. Centre-left commercial journalism is least likely to engage in such practices; right-wing commercial outlets most; and Swedish Television has a pseudo-neutral position in between.

(2) Analysis of opinion pieces reveals polarisation in support of either side of the conflict, and divergence from state position, within a particular outlet.

<<Categorical claims of left-wing bias in media in general, Swedish Public Service in particular, remain as unsound as any unhinged conspiracy theory>>

IMPLICATIONS

Evidence supports Information Production Theory (Echeverría, 2021). A polarising topic is not a sufficient condition for polarised journalism. Master (top down) demand for ideology regulates supply. In Sweden Master demand in the divisive Assange case was specific and virtually unison, hence homogenous and obedient journalism was supplied (Echeverría 2018; 2020). Master demand was vague and divided, on the divisive Israeli occupation of Palestine, when violence escalated May 2021. Consequently, journalistic supply was allowed to be divergent and polarised.

GENERAL INTEREST

Categorical claims of left-wing bias in media in general, Swedish Public Service in particular, remain as unsound as any unhinged conspiracy theory. Evidence indicates that polarisation conforms to the demands of those in power.  Erratic polarising psychological mechanisms operate in close to perfect harmony when fired along the circuits of a hierarchical social fabric.

ipt-reality-check-2021-11-25Download

RELATED WORK

Work related/in the series relevant for the presentation above

Echeverría, M. (2018). WikiLeaks’ Unforgivable Liberalism. Libertarian Books – Sweden (Europe). Stockholm/Bergamo
archive.org/details/WikiLeaksUnforgivableLiberalism
This is an online-friendly (2.3mb Baskerville/Caslon). The official version was
published by Libertarian Books – Sweden (87.0 MB, MINION).

Echeverría, M. (2020). Footnotes on the Figures of Suppression: Footnote 1 – Propaganda Accounting.

Echeverría, M. (2021a). Palestine in Ruins and Mass Media in Information
Production Theory. Forthcoming

Also Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/ipt-reality-check-2021-11-25

Echeverría, M. (2021b). On Method in Information Production Theory. Forthcoming.