The media’s war journalism perpetuated propaganda. Protesters were defined as “other,” thus the police brutality was justified as a means to protecting the “nation.” Public opinion was shaped and an imagined fear was created. This imagined fear was able to drown out a message rooted in political and social significance. Communication barriers were strengthened because the media failed to cover the event in a way that informed the public and allowed for public debate regarding our countries commitment to trade and labor agreements.
Most Americans know very little about the “Battle in Seattle,” or continue to hold on to the idea of nation vs. other. Fox News reported in 2007 that a Federal Jury found the state of Seattle guilty of violating the constitutional rights of WTO protesters. The outcome may have been unintentional, but the media was successful in normalizing conflict and allowing Americans to forget what happened.
