Orwell Rolls in His grave is a documentary directed by Robert Kane Pappas. This film criticizes the fourth estate after the support of American democracy. This documentary explores and covers what the media avoids disclosing about itself. It also reveals different forums in which the media avoids airing. In addition, Orwell goes through the list of stories and questions that are never reported nor answered by the media because it is controlled (Orwell). Furthermore, this documentary also reveals how several Americans are uninformed and electronically lobotomized by the forth estate.
In this documentary, Orwell shows how the fourth estate manipulates, dismisses and distorts actual news and events. He explains how the media is no longer the voice and freedom of the American people instead it serves authoritarian political power structures and the elites in power. The media censors and manipulates the news in favor of media tycoons’ personal interests. Orwell explains how many news are under reported, others neglected while others which are not of the public interests aired. An example is how he explains how the war on Iraq story was pitched and sold by the media.
Our media culture can be connected with George Orwell’s 1984 themes of power control, manipulation war and violence. Many studies done on the fourth estate reveals that, it affects opinions and manipulates certain issues in favor of elites and those in power. Those in power have taken over the media and they dictate on what should be aired or announced (Orwell 167). They want everything aired to be in favor of their personal interests while stopping the media from airing what the citizens should know about the world and their leaders. The elites have suppressed communication.
A media system in which few have power is easily manipulative because the few are the ones who will be making decisions on the news that should be aired in news rooms. They will take over the media.
Media reform is the most important thing because it will give the media freedom and they will do their work freely without any fears. Media reforms will stop unethical behaviors like media manipulation, distortion and under reporting in news rooms. In addition, if the media reforms, it will give ordinary citizens protection and redress. Moreover, journalists and reporters will have the freedom to report news that are clearly in the public’s interests and will also be able to investigate and pursue even the people in power and all those who are involved in criminal activities. The media will be able to focus on important matters other than airing what they are ordered by those in power.
Works Cited
Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Signet Books. 1990. Print
Orwell Rolls in His grave. Dir. Robert Kane Pappas. Perf. Michael Moore, Charles Lewis, Danny Schechter, Bernie Sanders, Robert McChesney. Koch Entertainment, 2003. DVD.
