Since the Iraq War, cases of American media producing and reporting false news have been frequently put on the spotlight. British media recently revealed that the supporter of the false news could be the US Government.

Media has reported that investigation conducted by the related bureau found that during the 10-month Iraq War, there were at least 77 US TV stations that took the TV News programs made by the US's Government and big companies. For example, there was a scene in the TV news that an Iraqi-American shouted excitingly in Kansas, "thank you Bush, thank you", when he heard that the US army had taken over Baghdad. However, this video was actually made by the US Department of State. Otherwise, there is not even one TV station that has told the audience this "secret". However, this kind of news "had been broadly and frequently broadcast which has exceeded people's expectation".

The purpose the US Government and its media alliance in propagating false news during the war had been to promote their own interests. On the one hand, the American media attempted to amplify its influence with the aid of people extremely concerning about the war, and to flatter the government; on the other hand, the US's Government expected to influence the public opinion and furthermore, make the public support its war by controlling and directing the media. Zhang Juyan, doctor of the Missouri School of Journalism said in his book Voice of the Power that, when reporting the war abroad, the American media often reported false results and news in order to vilify the enemies and prettify herself to inspire the US soldiers with enthusiasm.

When the coalition army of the US and Britain invaded Iraq in 2003, most of the news about the war was controlled by the military. Therefore, it was difficult for the outside to make judgment about the truth of the war. Instigated by the Pentagon, the American media disseminated lots of false news, such as killing Saddam in the first round of bombardment, etc. A British newspaper has listed 20 pieces of false news of the war released by the American media, which made the News Briefing of war become the "launching silo" of false news. Although the false news soon collapsed in on itself, it has played an inestimable role in influencing the development of the war.

Although the US Government and its media obtained lots of interests by producing false news, they paid a huge price for it. When the false news was exposed to the public, the media's public credit degraded a lot. A survey conducted by a polling agency found that 55% of Americans believed the accuracy of the American media a decade ago. However, this rate has come decreased to 36%. And the rate is still falling.

The American media has the unparalleled resources of politics, economic and technique. It is the superpower controlling the public opinion. They provide most of the news across the world every day. Therefore, if they are not strict with themselves, but act according to their own taste to mislead the public, there will not be objectiveness, fairness and truth any more, which the international society does not hope to see.

(People's Daily Online June 22, 2006)