Conclusion

The chapter explains how the volume has presented evidence of the main hypotheses proposed by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky for validating the Propaganda Model (PM). It shows how chapters throughout the book confirm the first hypothesis which predicts that when elite opinion is strong and opposition weak, the most influential mass media will boldly and uncritically reflect elite consensus. Where elite consensus is absent, more voices are permitted limited access to media as with recent examples of new political movements and parties in Spain. It also explains how examples throughout the book demonstrated that the five filters comprising the model have a strong impact on media systems guided by market forces and have an even stronger influence nowadays in both analog and digital media (which has made news commodification easier) than in the past. Additionally, it explains evidence of the third hypothesis, how the PM itself, which predicts critical studies and general commentary, will be largely ignored and widely marginalised, especially in academia. Outlining how various chapters explore the general case for extending the PM through added filters to ‘improve’ the Model, the chapter shows how the PM continues to provide a robust framework for critical analysis that can help bring about the eventual transformation of both media and society toward a freer, more egalitarian and truly democratic direction.