PUBLIC OPINION, PROPAGANDA, AND MASS MEDIA
The mass media is still believed to have great power in the formation of public opinion and become an effective tool in propaganda. With the mass media, a particular person or group instills a particular message through information that its presentation is often set first. With the mass media people can imaged themselves, raise the prestige of certain figures or even drop the opponent figure. Mass media itself has various roles, one of which is in influencing attitudes and behavior of a person or a group of people or society. Media influences people's views in the process of forming their opinions or point of view. Mass media can be said is a powerful weapon for the seizure of image (image).
In Indonesia, the screening of the film "G 30 S / PKI" on September 30 of the New Order era is believed to be successful in instilling the idea that the PKI is the most violent and sadistic party whose actions are worthy of cruelty. The film is a Suharto era government propaganda tool that instills a sense of public fear of communist cruelty.
In the United States, the War on Terrorism campaign in Afghanistan after the World Trade Center (WTC) and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, was intensified with the aim of overthrowing the Taliban's rule allegedly protecting al-Qaeda. One such campaign in an effort to capture Osama bin Laden was exhumed by propaganda through the global mass media that could influence internationally, such as CNN, NBC, FOX, VOA, and others. With the message set in such a way, where the media reinforce the news that the terrorist movers are the people of the Middle East.
Public Opinion and Propaganda
In communication, propaganda is one of the methods used to embed messages. Propaganda comes from the Latin propagare which means developing or splitting. In its history, its initial propaganda was an attempt to develop and split the Roman Catholic religion both in Italy and in other countries. Propaganda arises from the phrase "sacra congregatio de propaganda fide" or from the word "congregatio de propaganda fide" or the 1622 Congregation for Propaganda of Faith when the 15th Paul Grogelius founded an organization aimed at developing Roman Catholicism in Italy and other countries . In line with the level of human development, propaganda is not only used in the field of religion but also in the field of development, politics, commercial, education, and others.
Nurudin means propaganda is an activity done by an individual or a group for the process of influencing others by ignoring ethics, morals, rules, values, norms and others in order to win the objectives to be achieved. As a result, anything will be done to win the goal to be achieved.
Modern propaganda according to Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O'Donnell, Propaganda And Persuasion, is a deliberate and systematic effort, to shape perception, manipulate the mind, and direct behavior to get the desired reaction of propaganda propagators.
In its activities, propaganda is characterized by several important components, namely:
there are those who spread the message; done continuously (continuous); there is a process of delivery, ideas / ideas, beliefs or doctrines; has a purpose to change the opinion, attitude and behavior of individuals or groups; a systematic and procedural systematic way; a program that has concrete objectives
In relation to public opinion, propaganda is one of the important methods of shaping public opinion itself. A message deliberately exhaled by a particular person or group vigorously, in an effort to influence the public will something discourse. In this case, those who become propagandists try to direct public opinion to change the actions and expectations of individual targets.
Public opinion and propaganda are closely related. Carl I Hovlan reveals that propaganda is an attempt to formulate firmly the principles of information dissemination and the formation of opinions and attitudes. Lasswell, in "Propaganda Technique in The World War" (1927) defines Propaganda: "Propaganda simply refers to the control of opinions with important symbols, or speaks more concretely and inaccurately through stories, rumors, news, images, other forms of social communication. Propaganda is done to influence or control the public opinion that is being targeted by propaganda. Public opinion mediates from changing attitudes and behaviors targeted by propagandists. Public opinion is prepared first then thrown (propagated) to influence public opinion. If public opinion is well established then democracy is upheld, then it will be influenced on the attitude and behavior of society. So public opinion becomes a good tool for realizing propaganda.
Adolf Hitler is well aware of the power of propaganda to print and shape public opinion. Hitler also wrote information in essay on the power of propaganda in his political autobiography, Mein Kampf. Hitler also uses propaganda, because propaganda is one of the best ways to control people for easy manipulation. Adolf Hitler, in his writings says "Propaganda is a terrible weapon in the hands of an expert" and by utilizing the method (propaganda) that Adolt Hitler can be a single dictatorial leader, military aggression, mass murder and genocide.
Public Opinion, Propaganda and Mass Media
Mass media is an important medium in propaganda. Characteristics of mass media such as the existence of a wide audience, heterogeneous, and the rapid dissemination of messages and simultaneously become a powerful reason many parties finally glance at the mass media as a means of spreading a particular message.
The power of mass media in shaping the issue can not be doubted. In this case of course media messages can not be separated away from the existence of the media institution itself. In its development it was later acknowledged that the mass media in practice were between the interests of the state and the market, certain elites or owners of the media itself.
The mass media carries the interests of certain parties. Through its content, mass media infiltrate the interests of certain groups to grab the public's attention. With the same incessant information attacks, the mass media seeks to influence public attitudes.
At the time of Plato, the mass media was believed to have influence. Therefore, it limits the reading material to a particular society. In the United States (US), since the 1960s, media studies have proven that mass media have an effect on the actions of society, including in aggressive and revolutionary actions. As far as the study of the experts, the interpretation of mass media into consideration for a social movement (Ray Eldon Hiebert and friends, 1982).
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, propaganda became an important tool in the world of politics along with the growth of information, the demand for freedom of press, opinion, organization, and involvement in government institutions.
Politicians and governments, at that time, realized how important propaganda and other persuasive methods to win / secure their positions. In order to achieve that goal, which is in control of society, they begin to create, establish and fund publications (newspaper) media to disseminate all forms of information. Until finally, the media turned into a battleground of public opinion about social, political, and religious.
In the first world war, propaganda took over the role of a very powerful weapon in the formation of public opinion and behavior. All the major countries involved in the war (Britain, France, Russia, Italy, America, Germany, and Austria-Hungary) employ a number of writers, artists and filmmakers to "fabricate" and convey political messages to mobilize support their society over the war they are doing, weaken their opponents' morale and spirit to fight, and take over the support of neutral countries.
In those days, British, American and French journalists described Germany as similar to the savage and brutal Barbarians who aspired to dominate the world and destroy western countries. The propaganda, in part, reinforces the atrocities that Germany is doing, and some are exaggerated lies to convince their people (Britain, America, etc.) for the truth of their moves and the continuation of the war they will take until the enemy is defeated.
In Indonesia, the screening of the film "G 30 S / PKI" on September 30 of the New Order era is believed to be successful in instilling the idea that the PKI is the most violent and sadistic party whose actions are worthy of cruelty. The film is a Suharto era government propaganda tool that instills a sense of public fear of communist cruelty.
After the World Trade Center (WTC) and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, the United States has intensively campaigned on the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan with the aim of overthrowing the Taliban's rule allegedly protecting al-Qaeda. The campaign was exhaled one of them in an attempt to capture Osama bin Laden.
Although the veracity of the bombing action is doubtful to some parties, it then raises the issue that the WTC event is an action designed by the United States itself, but the news about the WTC event is becoming a top issue in the world.
American propaganda against terrorism is delivered through global mass media that can influence internationally, through CNN, NBC, FOX, VOA, and others. With the message set in such a way, where the media reinforce the news that the terrorist movers are the people of the Middle East. The United States itself was later rivaled by the presence of Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiyya television, which later threatened CNN's television network Fox News or NBC in a fierce battle for public opinion.
US propaganda action is an attempt to spin public opinion of the world that acts of terrorism is an act worthy of destruction. In the end, the propaganda carried out by the United States through various mass media is a United States effort to gain world support for its attacks on Afghanistan, on allegations that Afghanistan is the party most responsible for the terrorism.
What this United States is doing is describing the definition of propaganda as an effort by a state's government to influence the behavior and public opinion of foreign or other countries so that it is in accordance with what is expected by the government of a propagating country. The Government seeks to influence the public opinion of foreign or other countries, and / or ethnic, religious, and certain economic groups in the hope that this public will in turn affect the behavior and policies of its government in accordance with the hopes of the government of the country which launches propaganda.
Political propaganda through the mass media is actually an attempt to package issues, objectives, influences, and political power by manipulating the psychology of audiences. Propaganda in the mass media can be done continuously so it can be a pressure. The advertisements, campaigns, news and information presented by the mass media are sometimes unconscious progams.
In the world of politics, for example in elections, mass media can also be used as a tool of interest and propaganda to gain power. In the theory of media analysis, Louis Althusser argues about the structural Marxism of mass media part of the state's idiological apparatus. Media and state power are intertwined. Not only with the state, the mass media in the political arena may present impartial news. Of course in the news, Metro TV will not be separated by the figure of Surya Paloh, or TV One with Bakrie. Media ownership by the political elite is what makes the mass media as propaganda tool its owner in his political interests.
Relation to the theory of Agenda Setting, mass media appear by raising an issue as if important to be raised as public opinion. Mass media to set news for important discourse, which ultimately can influence the community and agree, easily just follow and agree what is conveyed in the mass media. Mass media make important issues raised although not fully needed by the community. Thus the community seems to need messages and information that ultimately change thinking and even culture in the community.
COVER
Public opinion, propaganda, and mass media do have a close relationship. Mass media becomes the most important element in propaganda communication activities to carry out certain interests. These interests are then a problem because they are often spread unequally.
The mass media is used by a particular person or group, including the state to launch certain issues in an effort to influence the community to provide support for them.
The mass media is used to disseminate information, either as a self-image, or in the attempt to bring down an opponent or party, and of course the spread of this issue can not be separated from the practice of propaganda is done dirty and full of manipulation. The mass media operates with the various interests that lie behind it. For the political elite who owns the media, mass media can be a propaganda tool for self-image.
Propaganda is one of the things that can trigger the formation of public opinion and public reaction by just reading the newspaper or viewing the story on television. Propaganda has a strong influence in the world of politics, it can provide its own advantages for the countries concerned because if the propaganda works, then they will get support from many layers in order to achieve the goals of the countries concerned.
With the agenda setting, mass media setting news for important discourse, which ultimately can influence the community and agree, simply follow and agree what is conveyed in the mass media. The mass media has great power to lead society to a discourse, and influence them to follow it.
With such great power, the mass media then evolved into a tool for the state, political elite, and certain groups to benefit its interests.