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These notes are an example of how ideologies, which are based on manipulated images, are embedded in forms of practice and in communications.
Ideology is like all the other forms of image manipulation described, here. It involves meanings and stories that embody claims about whether things are of positive or negative value. It also lays out action-programs, for what can and should be done, which it depicts as of positive value. Like the other forms of image manipulation, the claims of ideology are embedded and implicit in communications, in addition to being made explicit. In part, they take the form of implicit justifications or legitimations for whatever is being communicated and done. In the case of the news media, ideology is embedded in everything it does, in the form of the implicit claims it makes about the nature and validity of its enterprise, and the reasons it has for various kinds of action. All these claims, together, form a coherent ideology that protects the news media's prerogatives and position. The claim that the news media focuses on getting the story right, as described in the next section, is one part of its ideology. The justifications that are given for acts of credit and discredit, as described in the partial essay, "How Discrediting Attacks are Disguised" (not included) are another part of the ideology. Collectively, all these claims form a coherent system, based on a cognitive model, which journalists and others draw from to decide how to act, to explain and justify action, to respond to action, and to criticize it. In other words, they are part of the cultural value systems described earlier. Here are a few additional elements of news ideology: The idea that public figures have an obligation to answer to journalists and answer their questions, as part of their public accountability to the public. The idea that the news media is the fourth estate, playing a watchdog role on government and power. The idea that the most important thing journalists cover are the arenas of government and politics. The idea that journalists are the messenger only; that they report, rather than acting. The idea that there is an objective account of events that all reasonable observers would agree with. The idea that journalists are not beholden and should not be beholden to the business side of the organization and to management and ownership. The idea that journalists should tell both sides. The idea that journalists can and should leave their biases out of their stories. The pretense that there is no staging or conspiring to improve on stories between journalists and those they cover. The idea that progress is good. All the ideas about what audiences accept as good, which can then be presumed in stories. As you can see from this very quick and partial list, ideology permeates the entire realm of journalism. Ultimately, we can describe the entire system of thought embodied in these, mostly implicit, claims and we can do the same thing for political groups, corporate marketing programs, and so on. We can also do it for society at large. Ultimately we end up describing what some refer to as the social construction of "reality." Our description will also need to include discussions about whether the media (and others) does or does not live up to its claims, and discussions about what criteria should be used to determine the validity of claims. As this description also makes clear, this book is about ferreting out ideology, revealing it as a system of image-manipulation and action, of credit and discredit, that is often embedded in communication. It is about taking what is implicit in communication and making it explicit. Ideologies are systems of claims. Claims are manipulated images. Images are forms of action. |