The Gospel According to the New York Times: How the World's Most Powerful News Organization Shapes Your Mind and Values

by William Proctor

The New York Times is the nation's recognized newspaper of record. Through its unparalleled status as the nation's journalistic "bible," and the frequent replication of its views and articles in other... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805423478
• ISBN13: 9780805423471
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Are you a victim of Culture Creep? You bet.

This book should be studied by every high-school civics class. It's among the most useful and incisive studies of the print media's "idea" (or intellectual) content. This book is not so much about familiar "liberal bias" claims; rather, it shows what the New York Times does goes beyond simple bias, to a conscious, deliberate, planned attack on opposing world-views with the goal of substituting its own set of absolute values.A decision to engage in propaganda often arises from a strong set of beliefs or vested interests. Since the average person today has shallow or non-existent personal philosophies (generally developed by cobbling together beliefs based on what gratifies preconceptions one isn't even aware of), true-believers with convictions can often convince non-believers easily. But if you understand the propagandists presuppositions -- those things he assumes are true, often without even realizing it -- and can identify and understand links to other organizations and philosophies, you will be in a better position to recognize the pattern, evaluate which assumptions are in play, and thus the correctness of the message.This book can therefore serve as an excellent guide to fostering critical thinking when it comes to modern media, through its examination of the most powerful news organization in the world, the New York Times. Nearly all journalists determine what is important and 'the angle' from the NYT, thus extending it's influence to the smallest town or largest cable network. The author shows how the beliefs of a handful of people are able to shape perceptions of reality in hundreds of millions by implanting assumptions in the public via decisions of what types of stories are important, headlines, picture selection, subtly slanted writing and the placement of opinion-shaping stories cloaked as news reports. Sheer persistent repetition is able to completely change the thinking and values of a public lacking intellectual foundations. 30 years ago, who could have even imagined the Boy Scouts would be banned from public schools that now dispense condoms? Or the country would be managing its own dissolution by allowing the importation of 3rd world populations exceeding the size of France in just 10 years? And that criticism of such things is called "controversial" (if not a "hate-crime"!) and can ruin people? Curious about how the complete inversion of right and wrong could be engineered within a single generation? Read this book.The author also looks at conflicts of interest, giving examples where organizations the New York TImes had a direct undisclosed financial interest in were at the center of its reporting and editorializing to its benefit; the link between the NYT and the Pulitzer Prize committee which returns so many awards to it; the many examples in which Culture Creep techniques were used to alter public morality by using "the opinion piece in disguise", "the editorial blast", "the op-ed hit piece", and "the bombardment".The author

Most people are like sheep

Excellent book. It is amazing how so many people are lead down a predetermined path by the media. Just like the book says, everyone is afraid of being called uneducated or intolerant therefore they mindlessly mouth the same message delivered by the mainstream press. Just like sheep. They blindly follow the leader. Ignore the Media. Think For Yourself. (...)

Great Book

I really enjoyed this book as it provided good documentation on how the New York Times along with other media outlets tries to force their belief systems on us.The author does a great job with references and examples straight out of the paper.The book is a fast read but gives the reader a lot to ponder.

Read all about it!

The New York Times, unarguably the most influential news media in the world, has a way of shaping your way of thinking and beliefs. Such is the topic of "The Gospel According to The New York Times," by William Proctor. "The Gospel" awakens your sense of inquiry as you read newspapers and pay attention to other forms of media releases. In the book, you'll find suggestions on ways you can read or listen to the news in an active manner, as opposed to a passive one.I like the author's writing style of breaking down the subject matter in a simple way. "The Gospel" is easy to read and gives you a lot of food for thought. Anyone who gets news information from the radio, television, Internet, a magazine or newspaper, not only The New York Times, will be interested in picking up a copy of this book. Fafa Demasio