Real journalism correctly and adequately describes events, covers the position of the parties and correctly conveys the essence of phenomena, events, different points of view, comments. But it is opposed by such a phenomenon as the manipulation of public consciousness. In particular, if this is political manipulation, then here is how its methods are described:
“The ways of political manipulation are: direct falsification of facts, suppression of unfavorable information, biased interpretation of facts, provision of falsified information, labeling to compromise politicians, use of group interests, etc.”
Example: My previous fb post on the chaplaincy bill went viral in some media outlets. The essence of the post: “If guys who are loyal to the UOC are called into the army, then the army should have chaplains from the UOC. If you do not want and forbid the army to have chaplains from the UOC, then do not take our guys into the army. And that’s all. Because now it looks like our guys are being drafted into the army, but chaplains are being denied. This is the inequality of everyone before the law, this is discrimination … “.
And now here’s how it was presented (and twisted) by individual media outlets:
The “Spiritual Front of Ukraine” submitted with the following heading: “The ROCVU called on their believers not to join the army:” … do not take our guys into the army. And that’s all … “. At the same time, only two short phrases were left out of the entire comment, the entire text of the comment was not submitted, but only their interpretation was written and at the end of the news they added a lot of information, not related to the topic, but directed against the UOC. They were all wrong. The reader did not receive the full text of my commentary, and therefore did not understand the essence of the position I expressed.
As you can see, almost all the characteristics of the methods of political manipulation given above are present in the “DFU” filing:
a) direct falsification of facts (starting from the title),
b) suppression of unfavorable information (they did not submit the entire comment, or at least the main part of it, but only two short phrases),
c) biased interpretation of facts,
d) provision of falsified information (name and interpretation of the editorial office without my exact commentary),
e) hanging labels (ROCVU).
Just the bottom. Goebbels is resting. For your information, “DFU” is a propaganda resource of the OCU.
Next, I will cite the publications of the sites that submitted this news in such a way that it, to one degree or another, falls under some of the above characteristics of manipulation of public consciousness or under the definition of methods of political manipulation. Further I will describe it not in so much detail, but in general terms.
“Religious Truth” (the same propaganda resource of the OCU). Headline: “The ROCVU decided that their believers should not go to the Ukrainian army.” Here they gave a little more of my direct speech, but distorted the name and essence of my position. They did not give an active link to the text of my comment. A vivid example of manipulation and everything that I wrote about in the first sentences of this text.
Creed press. Russian liberal website critical of the Church. Headline: “Speaker of the UOC-MP, ask not to call the children of his Church into the Ukrainian army.” The title is manipulative and does not reflect the essence of my position. I do not ask, I simulate the situation and say: if … then. And this is done in order to show the imperfection of the bill if it is adopted without the amendments we have proposed. At the same time, the presentation of the text of the news itself there is more adequate than the title. There is a link to my fb. But still, many people only read the headlines. And people have a corresponding negative impression.
FIGURE. Headline: “The Moscow Patriarchate complains that their chaplains are not allowed to the military.” The title is less scandalous, especially compared to the first sites I mentioned, but it is still garbled. I am not complaining, but I speak in the style: either / or, or if …, then …. Despite this, the text of the news itself in the presentation of RISU is more adequate than in the submissions of previous sites. Almost all of my comment is reflected, there is a link and the reader has the opportunity to draw an adequate conclusion, since he has all the information about the essence of my comment. That is, the headline and the text of the news itself are significantly different.
In fact, this is all – an information war, impudent, low, disgusting. They twist, twist almost every word I say. Where it is more arrogant and unceremonious, where it is more delicate, but everywhere there is manipulation. And despite the fact that there is often no desire to read or comment on it, you should still expose it and show people the truth. We have no right to remain silent. After all, certain forces deliberately distort reality, and if we remain silent, then in this distorted reality they will force us to live.
