Media Control

I just read on the BBC that Anita Roddick (inspirational founder of the Body Shop) has Hepatitis C. Here official comment is: "I have Hepatitis C – it’s a bit of a bummer but you groan and move on" and she is now using her fame to promote awareness of the disease. She's a strong woman. Anyway, I visited her website and came across something interesting. I am currently revising for an oral this evening on intercultural communication, more specificially 'otherisation'. Otherisation is reducing the foreign other to less than what they are. It is linked to stereotyping and can be seen as a common phenomenon in the media. Everytime I go to the Guardian Online I find at least one article about Muslims in Britain, whether it be about the growth of extremism, their lack of integration, or a defence of Islam, in response to the negative discourse that is currently rife in the West. The extent of the media coverage of the activities of Muslims means that they no longer fit into British society. Muslims have a long history in Britain and they have never been the focus of attention before. Now, all of a sudden, they are the focus of everything and the fact that the focus is on 'Muslims', that is a set group of people, Muslims are now a separate group within society, a group that has certain characteristics (read: conservative, insular, extremist, unwilling to integrate), and a group that, due to the ridiculous amount of media coverage, the non-Muslims in British society are becoming increasingly suspicious of.
This is just one example of media's power to control discourse and the opinions and feelings of the public. The thing that I wanted to tell you about is linked to this. I found it on Anita's website. Before you visit the link though, I want you to think about all the images that spring to mind when you think of Iran. Think of the images created by the media, the way the country is currently being depicted, the comments by politicians about the country. Then watch THIS. Isn't the difference between the media representation and the actual reality frightening? It would be a lot harder to make a case for war if these were the images propagated by the media.