'Shadows of Liberty' explores effect of corporate media on news reporting
At 7 p.m. Friday, July 24, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, 102 S. Second St., will show the 2012 documentary "Shadows of Liberty," which examines the effect of the corporate media on news reporting.
Paraphrasing John Lennon, director Jean-Philippe Tremblay decries the media's use of control to keep us "doped with sex and scandal." And yet, despite reporters' firsthand accounts of censorship in the name of sponsors, corporations, and government, some socially responsible news is being conveyed to those who seek it out. Join them to explore what can be done.
The documentary reveals the extraordinary truth behind commercial news media in the U.S. - censorship, cover-ups and corporate control. The filmmaker journeys through the corridors of the commercial U.S. media system, where global conglomerates call the shots. For decades, their overwhelming influence has distorted news journalism and compromised its values.
In revealing stories, renowned journalists, activists and academics give insider accounts of a broken media system. Controversial news reports are suppressed, people are censored for speaking out, and lives are shattered as the arena for public expression is turned into a private profit zone. Tracing the story of media manipulation through the years, "Shadows of Liberty" poses a crucial question: Why have we let a handful of powerful corporations write the news? We're left in no doubt: Media reform is urgent and freedom of the press is fundamental.
Some of those featured in the film include: Robert McChesney, former host of the Illinois Public Media's "Media Matters" radio show; author and journalist David Simon, maker of "The Wire;" John MacArthur, president and publisher of Harper's Magazine; "Democracy Now" host Amy Goodman; WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange; former CBS anchor Dan Rather; actor Danny Glover; Daniel Ellsberg, former military analyst who leaked the "Pentagon Papers"; former CBS News correspondent Roberta Baskin; Bob Bear, former CIA analyst whose memoir inspired film "Syriana"; and comedian Dick Gregory.
The film is part of the free monthly fourth-Friday Film programs that are sponsored by the Social Justice Team of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva. The public is encouraged to register at uusg.org/friday-flicks/ to receive email notices of future programs.
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, established in 1842 and the oldest church in Geneva, is a diverse, welcoming community that endeavors to make its covenant a living reality. It provides religious education and opportunities for spiritual growth. They encourage individual and mutual responsibility as together we work to be a liberal religious voice in the community and a force for compassionate social justice. For information, visit uusg.org.