Corruption-politics Quote by Noam Chomsky
““In effect, the large bureaucracies of the powerful subsidize the mass media, and gain special access by their contribution to reducing the media's costs of acquiring the raw materials of, and producing, news. The large entities that provide this subsidy become "routine" news sources have privileged access to the gates. Non-routine sources must struggle for access, and may be ignored by the arbitrary decision of the gatekeepers. It should also be noted that in the case of the largesse of the Pentagon and the State Department's Office of Public Diplomacy, the subsidy is at the taxpayers' expense, so that, in effect, the citizenry pays to be propagandized in the interest of powerful groups such as military contractors and other sponsors of state terrorism.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Media Control, 1989
Powerful institutions fund media, gaining preferential treatment and shaping news, while independent voices struggle for exposure.
In simple terms: Big groups pay for media influence, silencing outsiders.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and support independent media.
Themes
media control
power
propaganda
gatekeeping
public discourse
Mood
critical
skeptical
concerned
Type
analytical
political
educational
When to use this quote
- journalism
- activism
- public policy
- education
- media literacy
Key Concepts
political economy
information asymmetry
state sponsorship
media bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How does funding affect news credibility?
- What can individuals do to diversify information sources?
A Different Perspective
The subsidy can also create dependency on corporate funding, limiting diversity.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
