It’s remarkable that the protests in Kiev have been so neglected in the Canadian and U.S Media. If the media are not interested in dissecting the socio-political and economic environment of the Ukraine—and Russia’s relationship with all former members of the Soviet bloc—then one imagines they would at least be interested in the spectacle of a city at war. I understand their plight, after all they only have 24 hours in a day and there are too many other exciting things happening in Iraq, Syria and Egypt. Wait sorry, I meant to type Bieber, Rob Ford and Award Season.
The real reason for neglecting Kiev is not that Bieber’s antics or Ford’s drunken patois are so much more important, but that the very idea of showing these images of revolt and rebellion are dangerous. This isn’t some tinfoil-hat conspiracy about how the media tries to distract and pacify the masses; it’s actually what the who’s-who of the wold have been discussing at the World Economic Forum in Davos this past weekend. Look at the top 10 global risks according to the WEF 2014 report:
World Economic Forum 2014 Global Risks
Six out of 10 risks relate specifically to what’s going on in Kiev.
What the North American public needs is something that is digestible and easy to palate. This Rise of an Empire video put together by Vladislav Sheremeta is exactly the type of media that is ripe for consumption. Even if it doesn’t help clarify the pertinent details of the crisis, it does convey the size and scope of what’s going on. It is a spectacle in the fashion of Michael a Bay/Jerry Bruckheimer trailer for the next Hollywood blockbuster and it’s eye-opening. High definition mobile cameras and social media are the tools of the citizen propagandist and they can be very effective.
The Benign Propagandist 