War and Television

Television, that ubiquitous box transmitting images, is watched daily by 2.5 billion people around the world. Its penetration in the U.S. is staggering. Almost every home has a TV set that is turned on for more than seven hours per day. Polls reveal that more people depend on TV for news and information than any other source. Once dismissed by Frank Lloyd Wright as “chewing gum for the mind,” TV has the power to inform and enlighten. It can also be an instrument of propaganda that shapes and mobilizes public opinion to support military action. Increasingly, TV plays a crucial role in the preparation, planning and execution of war.

Lecture followed by interview by David Barsamian.

Recorded at the University of Colorado.