Mass Media „Moments of Truth“ – from Political Communication and Political Marketing to the War Propaganda

• Main Authors: Nenad Vertovšek, Marija Andrić
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Center for Philosophy of Media and Media Research 2015-05-01
• Series: In Medias Res
• Subjects: mass media; political communication; political marketing; advertising; media manipulation
• Online Access: http://www.centar-fm.org/inmediasres/images/pdf/6/N.%20Vertovsek%20i%20M.%20Andric%20-Masmedijski%20trenuci%20istine%20od%20pol.komunikacije%20i%20pol.marketinga%20do%20ratne%20propagande.pdf

In this paper, we try to show how much (mass) media are increasing their impact on the public in the war. Information or credibility as a basic tool in shaping the media in times of crisis and war events lose their importance and, unfortunately, influenced by different political goals, swap places with promotional activities and propaganda. Therefore, it is important to consider the line that connects the political communication, political marketing and pure propaganda, or premeditated and systematic use of the media and their influence in other new, mostly (war) goals. It is interesting to use results from some reduced research and content analysis of newspapers Večernji list and Slobodna Dalmacija, and emphasizes the absurdity of some extreme and unfounded propaganda messages of the media in times of war in the former Yugoslavia.