values for the public. The government and military uses television to present a certain bias toward events that will, in all probability, elicit a needed response from the public. This is accomplished primarily because television coverage allows a peculiar selectivity of images and events that may help certain emotional and intellectual responses to occur. Although all media
2 Joyce Nelson, The Perfect Image TV in the Nuclear Age, (Toronto: Between the Lines, 1987), 12 21; Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media The Extensions of Man, (New York: Mentor, 1964), 23 35.
3 Nelson, 36 8. reporting is somewhat selective, television brings more selectivity to bear in communication because it actually shows the public an event. Ostensibly, this would allow the public to have free will and make up its mind about particular events. However, in Nelson's view, this selectivity is a powerful tool to manipulate and perpetuate certain visions and attitudes.4
Nelson's evidence is presented as interpretations of cultural and journalistic articles and memoirs. For instance, Nelson uses factual events and television coverage to present arguments leading to conclusions that there are links between fact and fiction. She buttresses her interpretations with citations from other media analysts and draws conclusions between all interpretations. Although her evidence seems credible, it is likely that there are alternate ways of looking at events. For instance, one may be back to the chicken or the egg argument. While it is clear that television "interprets" events, and it is plausible that these events lead producers and other television executives to give the public certain kinds of programs, it is not altogether clear that a conscious decision to manipulate the public is evident in every case cited by Nelson.
Modern means of communication offer several options to the public. The media provides entertainment and information, but on...