Media Education Foundation - August 12, 2006

Tonight I was surfing around videos.google.com and came across a video called Propaganda, Peace & the Promised Land. It's a really interesting depiction of the difference between how the mideast conflict, specifically that between Israel and the Palestinians, is depicted in the American versus other media.

American media doesn't come out looking too good.

The video is produced by The Media Education Foundation. I was so intrigued by this free, 80 minute offering, that I went to their web site. Their most recent production is Class Dismissed - How TV Frames the Working Class. I watched the preview and decided I'd like to see it. Not being a collector of videos, and not thinking that this would be something I'd add to my library even if I was, I looked for it on Netflix. It was nowhere to be found.

So I followed the links on their site to buy it. I wasn't ready to do so, but I wanted to see how much it would set me back. Seems that the cheapest I can get it for is $125. And that's if I happen to be a high school or non-profit. If I'm a college or university, it will set me back $250.

Of course I'm neither. Even if I was prepared to pass myself off as one or the other, I'm not ready to pass myself off as someone with $125 to spend on a video.

So I'm thinking this might be something to get out of my local library. But I also have to say that I think the fact that I can't just rent such a thing is really a shame. I suspect that such a pricing scheme is probably typical of non-profit foundations with an educational mission. And I'm certainly not against such places trying to stay afloat financially. But if you're mission is one against big media, you're better off using the best weapon there is against big media: the free flow of information.

Ask me for a donation. I'll happily donate.