50 pages • 1 hour read
Edward S. Herman, Noam ChomskyManufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media
Nonfiction | Graphic Memoir | Adult | Published in 1988A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky, first published in 1988 and revised in 2002, argues that the mainstream news media acts as a propaganda tool for the status quo rather than an independent watchdog, through the "propaganda model," which includes filters like ownership, advertising, and sourcing. Sensitive topics addressed include murders of clergy, assassinations, and war.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky is praised for its thorough analysis of media manipulation and propaganda models, providing readers with a critical lens to understand media bias. Some critics find the arguments repetitive and feel the authors' perspectives can be overly cynical. Overall, it remains a seminal work in media studies.
Who Should Read Manufacturing Consent?
Readers interested in Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky are typically keen on media studies, political science, and critical theory. They enjoy analyzing media bias and corporate influence on news. Comparable works include The Media Monopoly by Ben H. Bagdikian and Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman.