This year we have noticed the power and persuasion of influence in the media. Reading Barstow and Stein's article verified my claim because of the efforts they made to interview people in the media who claim that many news reports are "scripted" by the Government in order to use propaganda, which the Government denies. This article was similar to Carr's article, for the claims they make are similar, but Barstow and Stein's presents evidence and interviews to support their claim, unlike Carr. This article may have been written back in 2005, but the concept, "What is believable and what is fake?" is still present here in 2010.

Barstow and Stein explain that the Government Accountability Office has made investigations into the Federal Government and discovered that they are using forms of "covert propaganda" through news reports about subjects like the War in Iraq. The Federal Government denies these reports, but it certainly questions us as Americans to what extent does the Government attempt to control us? The authors did deeper into the investigation by interviewing Karen Ryan, a former journalist who saw the Federal Governments "covert propaganda" first hand. She explained the backlash she received for being a "phony" because she tried to hid that her news report was coming straight from the Government, but in defense saying that she was reporting like every other news station, which questions how real these reports are and if they are scripted as well. Another point made that is certainly bothering is news stations cutting certain clips from the reports in order to censor ideas that could result costly to the stations reputation. This is upsetting because it shows that the stations are controlling only what they want the viewers to see, which may not always be the whole truth.

Carr's Google article was similar to this article, but his was more opinionated claims that make it harder for the reader to be convinced. Barstow and Stein presented evidence from the media that shows they had solid claims to support their argument about the influences of the media. They show strong evidence from Karen Ryan, as well as Tish Clark Dunning, who "unwittingly" reported an interview with an Afghani woman that was scripted by the State Department. This shows that even the reporters are unaware of the the power that the Government can influence not only on the viewers of the news, but the people who work for the news as well.

This article was released in 2005, but its content and claims still hold true today in 2010. Not much has changed since 2005, except since Obama has came into office, most reports have been on health care and other in country affairs, rather than the War in Iraq that was more intense in 2005. The debate on whether the Government has controlled the media has been long sought out, for some reporters still use it in order to receive more views. Others like Mike Stutz believe that news report are better off without the influences of a greater power like the Government. It goes to show that the Government truly does control our country because they are the ones behind the news and what the people see and hear. In a society where every individual has the right to be independent and free, its seems like it is not the case when we hear claims that the Government is controlling what we hear, think, and say.