Thom's blog - Tuesday December 21st, 2010

You need to know this. A new study by the Pew Research Center may explain why outrage isn't growing around the country over the unpopular war in Afghanistan. Simply – the media is not talking about it. This year – Afghanistan surpassed Vietnam as the longest military engagement in American history. It was also the bloodiest year on record in the 9-year war. In great detail – a release of wikileaks cables illuminated the conflict for Americans to see the brutality clearer. And – a strategy review released by President Obama stated the US military will likely be involved in the country for at least another 4 years. Yet – according to the new Pew study – the American media has only devoted 4% of it’s coverage to Afghanistan. The war costs taxpayers more than $160 billion a year – but it’s not even talked about in the public sphere – even in terms of deficit reduction - which has been a hot-button topic all year. Media outlets claim the story of the war simply doesn’t interest people – so they don’t cover it. And therein lies the problem with our news media – instead of reporting the news we NEED to know – they report what we WANT to know like partisan politics – or the royal wedding – or bed bugs. Ending this war is one of the greatest challenges facing all of us right now. Unfortunately – Americans can’t take a stand against the war if corporations who own our news media - and have interlocking boards of directors or company divisions in the defense industry - won’t cover it.

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