UK political cartoons
Go to content

How corporate media demands and 24 rolling news created President Donald Trump

Political Cartoonist Gary Barker Cartoons
Published by in Opinion ·
Tags: TrumpDonaldPresidentMSMmediaFakeNewsBrexit.ProjectFear

To many the election of Donald Trump came as a great shock. To them it seemed unfathomable someone who openly states such ridiculous things be so popular that democracy could see them elected to become the world's most powerful leader.

But to some in the UK it came as no surprise as they saw similar ridiculous statements that saw  millions in the UK vote counter-intuitively to deliver an EU referedum result that will not only cost the country many billions, but also see themselves only become poorer because of it.

People in the UK may not have been shocked by either of these results, but that doesn't mean they understood why it had. Of course there was an unsavoury element of racism that could be attached to some who promoted and voted Brexit, but does that mean the millions who voted to leave are all racists? Of course not and in fact I firmly believe only a very small percentage are. So why did it happen?



Just this week we've heard Donald Trump bang on about 'Fake News' and he hit the nail on the head - but not because he is the victim of it, but rather because he is the ultimate result of deliberately constructed news stories with him at the centre. This is called Hypernormalisation and it was developed by far right Russian spin doctor Vladislav Surkoff and it has helped Vladmir Putin keep a firm grip on power with huge popularity ratings in Russia for years. This is how it works - Surkoff realised that national and global 24 hour rolling news had created an unquenchable thirst for news stories to fill our screens. He also recognised the need in a competitive market system for news agencies to be the first break stories. Once these factors are recognised as the driving force behind content then it is logical to conclude that no single story need ever be national nor global headlines for more than a day at most. Meaning spin doctors can release a new 'scandal' at will and no one story will ever receive the necessary thorough investigation it deserves, meaning the impact on the public psyche is minimal. This can then be used to create a political figure to whom nothing sticks and so that candidate can then suggest that everything that is said about them is lies and many will believe it. And finally the coup de grĂ¢ce - they can then suggest they are not only nothing to do with fake news, but that they are also the victim of it. Bringing is right back up to date with Donald Trump.

In the UK of course the right have their our own version of 'Fake News' i.e. 'Project Fear', which worked equally well for them and was thrown at any information the remain side tried to pass on to the electorate. So muddying the waters with similar shifting sands to those Donald Trump used to become elected.

So this week with Theresa May exclaiming she will set out her plan for the UK's 'Hard Brexit' and the inaugeration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America it will be a time for the far right to rejoice the triumph of Fake News. The  New World Order is upon us.



No comments

Political Cartoons and Illustrations
Lancashire, Fleetwood, UK
Email:info@garybarker.co.uk
Back to content