In this groundbreaking work, Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky demonstrate that, contrary to the usual stereotype of the news media as persistent, dogged, and omnipresent in pursuit of truth and justice, their actual practices champion the economic, political, and social goals of the groups dominating society, the state, and the global order. Drawing on a range of case studies—including the media's double standards in treating "sympathy-worthy" and "non-sympathy-worthy" victims, coverage of "legitimate" or "useless" Third World elections, and scathing criticisms of media coverage of the U.S. wars in Indochina—Herman and Chomsky attempt to propose a "propaganda model" that explains the behavior and performance of the media. This book is a powerful assessment of the propaganda practiced by the mass media and their systematic failure to live up to their common perception as the providers of the information people need to understand the world. Our understanding of the nature of the media's function will change dramatically.