The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
How the war in Ukraine demonstrates the poverty of freedom of the press and speech in Western liberal democracies
THE LAST WORD | ANDREW MWENDA | The war between Russia and Ukraine (actually better described as the war between Russia and the Western world in Ukraine) is a classic case study on how to understand the concept of free speech and freedom of the press. Since the war began, the Western world has imposed absolute censorship of all content that is favourable to Russia. In all the “liberal democracies” of North America and Western Europe, Russia Today (or RT) television has been pulled down from the airwaves and also from YouTube, all Russian media outlets in those countries have been banned and all pro-Russian content has been systematically blocked on Google – so much to say for freedom.
Just imagine if this comprehensive censorship was done by China or Russia or any other country or region not defined as liberal-democratic. Western media, academia, diplomats, activists would be up in arms denouncing the “authoritarian” government and its “despotic” rulers who are stifling free speech. Yet in spite of this comprehensive censorship of pro-Russian content, I have not seen any Western human rights and free speech group raise a finger. As this reality dawned on me, I went back to re-reading Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s 1989 classic, Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media.
The basic argument of the book is that mass media in the USA express the views of powerful interests located in society generally and control the state. The representatives of these interests have vital interests and agendas they want to advance – whether through the state or the market. Given their power as owners and/or advertisers, they are able to shape or constrain what the media say. I would add that even the production of knowledge in Western societies is itself shaped by these powerful societal forces. How? It is they that finance academic institutions and programs, fund research by these institutions and individual scholars plus advocacy think tanks.
The lesson I learnt from the book is that there is “freedom” of the media in the Western world because the media promote the interests of these powerful societal forces; they act as representatives and spokespersons of power. As a corollary, the media may not be “free” in the so-called authoritarian or autocratic societies in large part because they are not spokespersons of powerful interests in those countries. Thus, freedom of the press in the West is actually a myth. If the media in the West propagated ideas, interests and values contrary to accepted doctrines and orthodoxies, they would face similar restrictions as in authoritarian societies.
Therefore the “success” of liberal democracy is not in giving freedom a free reign but in the ability to domesticate it. This is achieved by using more subtle methods to create a conformity of views among elites who dominate public debate like the selection of individuals who participate in public debate as journalists, pundits, and/or “authoritative” sources of information. Thus, when watching CNN, there are always military “experts” brought in the explain the progress of the war in Ukraine. The viewer is made to believe that these experts are neutral, independent, unbiased and objective analysts. Yet all too often they are on the payroll of the Pentagon.
Herman and Chomsky quote a 1971, Armed Forces Journal, survey that revealed that the Pentagon was publishing a total of 371 magazines at an annual cost of $57 million ($417 million in 2022 dollars), an operation larger than America’s largest publisher. In a 1982 update, the Airforce Journal International indicated that the Pentagon was publishing 1,203 periodicals. No other single institution or organisation was producing such volume of work. This gives the Pentagon a huge upper hand in the production of “knowledge”.
In 2008, New York Times reporter, David Barstow, revealed that the Pentagon had recruited a network of retired military officers who were given briefings and access to classified information. Media outlets looking for “expert military analysts” to appear on air were given the names of these “experts”. An internal Pentagon memo said these would act as “message force multipliers” and surrogates who “would appear as independent authoritative voices.” Participants were told not to reveal their relationship with the Pentagon and were expected to “stay on message.” If anyone refused or failed to follow this course, they would lose access. One of these “military experts” was dismissed after he went “off message” by telling Fox News that the war in Iraq was going badly.
It is on the basis of this information that I silently laugh at my friends who keep quoting “military experts” or researchers from “independent research institutions” who appear at public fora or on mass media talking about what is happening in the war in Ukraine. Almost without exception, they have all been reporting victory upon victory by the Ukrainian army against the Russian army. Almost eight months later Ukrainian forces have not yet entered Moscow. Instead, their country seems wrecked, 20% of their territory has held peaceful elections and voted to join Russia.
Here again is the sophistication of Western propaganda. It is not that they tell obvious lies. Rather, it is that they are selective on the “news” they report. It is possible every victory by Ukrainian forces they report in a given battle is true. However, I suspect they just don’t report victories by the Russian army. So, while the news we get is the truths and nothing but the truths, it is not the whole truths. Instead, each time they report anything done by the Russian army, it has bombed a school, a hospital, a kindergarten or an apartment block. Hence, the Ukrainian army only attacks military targets while the Russians attack civilians. The aim is to present Ukrainians as worthy victims and Russians as evil.
With this uniformity of views achieved in regard to a particular story or subject, debate in the Western world is left to take place over tactical differences. Thus, when you watch CNN or BBC, they may give you an illusion of vigorous debate. Yet these are disagreements only within acceptable parameters that power can tolerate. It is this superficiality that is presented as a free marketplace of ideas. It is true that some really divergent views from a few contrarians are sometimes presented. But they are always marginal, in fact given voice to demonstrate that there is some lunatic fringe within the society that holds these unorthodox views. In other words, they are presented, not to be given voice, but to be scorned.
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amwenda@independent.co.ug
Old Man of the clan,
I implore you to read (if you haven’t) Noam Chomsky’s (et al) “Manufacturing Cons(t)ent: The Political Economy of the Media. A must-read for all media practitioners, its about how western media promotes caricatures and criminals (that support and promote western values and interests) and criminalizes and demonizes potential good leaders, at the expense of individual country national interests…
How about you try on your pragmatic lenses like you often do when explaining away excesses of the NRM and also of Russia. To expect the west to adhere to their ethos diligently in all circumstances is naive to say the least. You do not get to rule the roost by being equitable and moralistic all the time
But Mwenda, sometimes I wonder whether you write these articles under the influence. Would this useless war have taken place if Russia hadn’t invaded Ukraine? How can you say the recent elections in those Ukraine territories were free and fair? Your problem, I assume, is because your murderous NRM regime supports Russia, and it’s the reason why amidst their genocide in Ukraine, you can’t condemn it. But rather beat around the bush by trying to blame the western media. So sad!!
Well said.
But I thought Herman and Chomsky were American publishers…. what makes them different?? The answer is in what you want to believe… How many stories have you published that the RPF killed Rwandans and it continues to kill Rwandans within and outside of Rwanda….are you part of their payroll
How about you talk about the media censorship in Russia? How much of pro-west or Ukraine content is allowed in Russia, where even calling the war in Ukraine a war is treasonable? I guess you have lost touch with your research team now.
1.Andrew seems to have watched so many Rambo movies;otherwise what is exciting about the war except destruction of property and humiliation of Putin?
2.PR is one of the best war tactics it motives both soldiers and citizens.
3. I was happy when Biden said that Putin had underestimated the war in Ukarine.
4.The impact of a war is felt when there are economic consequences for example; we know who supplies fertilizers,wheat and oil to the world.
5.I thank USA for sending the Navy seal to guard Zelensky.
6. Russia is using obsolete war equipment that’s why despite boarding Ukraine she is really struggling and even bombing Nursery schools.Dont underestimate the use of satellite and ICT during war,Even Russian trained Ugandan doctors and engineers are a disaster especially those trained during Obote’s regime.
7.The G7 nations always love fighting proxy wars because they need to control trade routes and military bases overseas;the Falklands war between Argentina and UK was over a trade route.
‘Freedom of Press in the West is a myth ‘
We all know that during the third Reich (Nazi Germany) there were people or journalists writing for the government to justify the regime narrative, but I do not expect an Independent Press to go to that lengths.
We do expect the investigative standards to be upheld. Trying to justify the sham elections in the Ukraine held territory by the Russian aggressor falls short of these standards, as you are straying into the gutter politics.
Mature democracies have press freedom to say what they want without fear of the state ‘torture or drones’.
Russia is seen as the aggressor just like Idi Amin was when he invaded Tanzania and captured its territory prompting Tanzania to fight back.
Please bear in mind any western direct involvement( troops on the ground ) as you incorrectly suggested, would lead to a Third World War with catastrophic consequences.
Just interesting , how Mwenda loves writing about the West and pooping its democracy but avoids writing about Uganda his home and all the shenanigans going on in that country. As he was writing this Article his hero M7 was about to sign into Law the Nsereko Bill which squeezes more the little Freedom of Speech poor and oppressed Ugandans are still remaining with.
In my limited intelligence, I would write a bit criticising this lazy and misleading Article.
Mwenda knows in his deeper true self , after doing his Post Graduate studies in Journalism in the West that any semblance of free speech is found there. Is it absolute? No No Society has absolute freedom of speech.
With Freedom of speech one finds recognition of the rule of law; human rights and Liberal Democracy. Values that the West propagates and truly practices. [ again I say “those values are not practised to perfection “] . For instance, people can freely demonstrates against the government in power and its policies without fear of being killed even when those demonstrations become violent; Ruling from courts of law are respected; there is a clear independence of the different arms of the government ; journalists can write anything any how against the ruling government , he policies , ways they are conducting affairs etc….. The opposite is true for the country he now loves – Russia. And same goes for Uganda / All African Countries except South Africa
In This way – Ukraine Way. Russia closed all independent media houses; people were told that the Army was conducting a Special Military Operation [ since Putin Expected to overrun Ukraine in a week or so and install a Russian Puppet on the people ] and anyone who referred to what was and still going on in Ukraine as a War was to be arrested and tried in the Russian Kangaroo courts for treason; the media allowed to operate was that that supported the Kremlin and produced news that was vetted by the Kremlin ; Those in the know about the war and atrocities Russia was and is still committing in Ukraine cannot demonstrate or voice any opposition; even after invading Ukraine, a week later Lavrov the foreign Secretary stood on the United Nations Floor and denied that there was a military invasion; Social media channels were all closed down so that people dont get the news from outside Russia. In those circumstances, the Western governments decided to shut down the Russian propaganda media houses because of he spurious news that the Kremlin was feeding the world while the latter was /still is under threat of burning. [In addition the banning of Russian media house was also part and parcel the overall Sanctions against Russia]
I want to follow the news but I dont want to be lied to. Lies ruin lives and societies. Who likes to be lied to? Maybe Mwenda as long as it comes from M7 and the Russians, whom he now dearly loves. Russians came to know the real truth when the war came knocking on their doors when Putin declared mobilisation to get 300,000 civilians to go and fight in Ukraine where he was losing the battle. There reaction was to run to Europe , Turkey and Georgia.
Another issue Mwenda brings up in his article is that the West is portraying Russia as evil and Ukraine as victims. Seriously Mwenda!! A big violent fight-hardened bully 35 years old with machetes and any weapons he can lay his hands, kicks down the simple home of a small and weak 18 year old and begins by smashing all his furniture , and little that the small man has then proceeds to kill his children with the aim of exterminating the whole family and occupy their land and property and the passer-by who knows the whole story says that it was the Bully who is the victim, leaves one to wonder whether that passer-by was sane. RUSSIA is evil. He was evil even before invading Ukraine and inflicting the damage that he has – destroying all her infrastructure; attacking, killing and torturing Ukraine’s civilians and all atrocities , he is committing there.
Since you are a Journalist and you want the world to know the truth, why dont you travel to Ukraine and Russia and broadcast the Russian victories to them. But I am very sure that the Western Media has written and broadcast all Russian gains in the small Country they invaded. The map is there for anyone to see what Russia’s gain are and you lie when you say that Western media do not highlight Russian gains and victories. But all that Western Media discussions have been that Russia is being spanked in Ukraine based on who Russia is ( A so – called World Power and failing to overcome a small country- in population ; wealth ; size of the army and weapons they have etc…… )
Lastly , You hate the West so much [ from your articles and love Russia ] why dont you tell your man M7 to begging in Russia next time he has a deficit in his budget and we also wait to see you and your beloved ones falling sick and going to Minsk or Moscow for treatment not to the Western countries.