Understanding Media Studies
Eli F. Bleich
Academic Plan:
One of the first things I learned along my professional career path was to go slow. And I think I’ll take that lesson along with me into my academic career. I’m not in a hurry to get anywhere.
Taking time to discover ‘things’… or letting those ‘things’ discover me… has always brought me the most joy in life. It’s the journey…not the destination… that counts.
This semester has exposed me (once again) to the rigors (and rigidity) of academic structure. But it has also exposed me to the opportunities that go along with that approach. It has certainly been interesting to meet many members of the faculty, along with many of my fellow colleagues. I have formed some opinions as to which members of the faculty I would like to study further with, as they seem to have something of interest to offer (at least to me).
While my background has been predominantly focused around politics and propaganda, there are other areas of study that I plan to pursue as well. The study of a foreign language like Spanish, for example, would seem useful for me in the pursuit of my goals… particularly in Latin America.
Other languages that I need to learn are those of all the newer technologies. Therefore, it seems that a number of classes in those disciplines will certainly need to be included in my studies.
At the heart of my study lies an interest in the role of the media in revolution (both violent, and non-violent). I'd like to take a closer look at how the application of different messages in different media affects the outcome of revolution, and compare outcomes in similar…and/or different situations.
Then I'd like to develop a media plan for revolution (based on historical experience), and see if it can be applied successfully in a real life situation.
While I am primarily interested in applying these methods in revolutionary situations like Spain’s conflict with the Basque (ETA), or the longstanding Israeli Palestinian state of affairs, or the IRA struggle against the British, or Columbia and the FARC and Peru and the Shining Path, or even Afghanistan (with the US) against the Taliban and Al Qaeda… even in non-violent revolutionary situations like Chavez’ Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela and the Anti-Chavez faction… how various media techniques are applied in support of…or in suppression of revolution… would be central to my study.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Political Communication 6794
Eli F. Bleich
Journal Entries 11-14 – 12-4
The elections in Venezuela exposed a major problem for Chavez. Districts he should have won, he did not.
Included in those districts that did not support Chavista candidates, were many urban environments, where Chavez’s policies of support of the poor should have carried the day. Yet even among these heavily Chavez populated areas, the poor are beginning to abandon… or at least begin to question… the revolution.
Chavez, now 2 years into his second term (4 years to go) having suffered this defeat immediately on the heals of having also lost the constitutional referendum (which would have allowed Chavez to remain in power for life) will only serve to prepare him for the battle ahead, as there is no doubt that Chavez will not relinquish power at the end of his term. It is just a matter of how he will have to go about retaining that power.
When Castro took power in Cuba, he immediately took control of the media and clamped down on any opposition messages. This was relatively easy to do, since there was not any history of a free media to start with. Chavez has had to attack the media (as opposition) from a different angle… clamping down and/or closing Globovision, Venevision, RCTV, Univeral, El Nacional, and Tal Cual (among others) through powers granted him by the National Assembly (100% controlled by Chavez at the time of his re-election) which made it possible for him to close any media source critical of himself as president.
He has done this very effectively; leaving just enough token opposition to make it appear that there is really still freedom of the press. In truth this is not the case, as everyone in Venezuela is afraid to oppose him at this time.
Chavez makes the mistake however of trying to tread too cautiously against the media, in contrast to Castro, who did not care what people thought about his actions in that regard. Castro is the more Machiavellian of the two… and the more successful. But Chavez is a quick study.
His recent electoral loses will certainly convince him of that, and we will certainly see far more curtailment of the media… other than for disseminating his own message… going forward.
Given the outcome of these two election defeats… following his own re-election success… Chavez will soon disregard any semblance of regard for any opposition, and simply shut it all down.
Eli F. Bleich
Journal Entries 11-14 – 12-4
The elections in Venezuela exposed a major problem for Chavez. Districts he should have won, he did not.
Included in those districts that did not support Chavista candidates, were many urban environments, where Chavez’s policies of support of the poor should have carried the day. Yet even among these heavily Chavez populated areas, the poor are beginning to abandon… or at least begin to question… the revolution.
Chavez, now 2 years into his second term (4 years to go) having suffered this defeat immediately on the heals of having also lost the constitutional referendum (which would have allowed Chavez to remain in power for life) will only serve to prepare him for the battle ahead, as there is no doubt that Chavez will not relinquish power at the end of his term. It is just a matter of how he will have to go about retaining that power.
When Castro took power in Cuba, he immediately took control of the media and clamped down on any opposition messages. This was relatively easy to do, since there was not any history of a free media to start with. Chavez has had to attack the media (as opposition) from a different angle… clamping down and/or closing Globovision, Venevision, RCTV, Univeral, El Nacional, and Tal Cual (among others) through powers granted him by the National Assembly (100% controlled by Chavez at the time of his re-election) which made it possible for him to close any media source critical of himself as president.
He has done this very effectively; leaving just enough token opposition to make it appear that there is really still freedom of the press. In truth this is not the case, as everyone in Venezuela is afraid to oppose him at this time.
Chavez makes the mistake however of trying to tread too cautiously against the media, in contrast to Castro, who did not care what people thought about his actions in that regard. Castro is the more Machiavellian of the two… and the more successful. But Chavez is a quick study.
His recent electoral loses will certainly convince him of that, and we will certainly see far more curtailment of the media… other than for disseminating his own message… going forward.
Given the outcome of these two election defeats… following his own re-election success… Chavez will soon disregard any semblance of regard for any opposition, and simply shut it all down.
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