Markup View

Author: OmarKarindu

Feb 26th 2013 at 9:06:00 AM

The ''CitizenKane'' example could work if the real-life context were omitted, but I think the fictional version is too close to the real one for the resemblance to go unremarked.

More examples:

Comic Books
* In ''Comicbook/VForVendetta'', much of the fascist [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Norsefire government's]] success is built on its use of television and radio propaganda such as the racist programme ''The Adventures of Storm Saxon,'' where a stereotypical Aryan hero battles racist caricatures to save defenseless [[WhereTheWhiteWomenAt white women]]. Indeed, prominent broadcaster Lewis Prothero, who reads the pronouncements of the FATE computer, is so central to the public's continuing acceptance of the regime that Norsefire suffers a major blow when V [[spoiler: drives him mad and thus]] takes him off the air.

Film
* The entire plot of ''{{Videodrome}}'' revolves around an extreme example of Media Mind Control in which people can be made to imitate any behavior through marathon viewing sessions, though by the end of the film some plain old MindControl also proves to be part of the final stages of the process. 
* While Lewis Prothero is changed from a radio broadcaster to [[PragmaticAdaptation a television personality]] in the film version of ''Film/VForVendetta'', his popular editorial show still turns out to be a vital part of the public's support of the fascist Norsefire regime. More generally, all the racist television shows from the comic are still there, albeit less prominently. On the other side of the coin, V and rebellious Norsefire broadcaster Gordon Dietrich both use television to criticize Norsefire in order to exploit this trope themselves. [[spoiler: V's methods succeed; Dietrich just winds up killed by Norsefire.]]
* Both an InvokedTrope and DoubleSubverted in ''{{Network}}'', where the [[MadOracle "mad prophet"]] Howard Beale rants about Media Mind Control, among other things, on his current affairs show...much to the delight of the network owners, who see Beale's ratings go through the roof. [[spoiler: When Beale's ranting starts to threaten the bottom line, he's quickly killed by a network-hired assassin.]]
* The SpiritualSuccessor to ''Network'', ''BroadcastNews'', contains a few elements of Media Is Mind Control as well, 
* Part of [[spoiler: Dudley Smith]]'s plan to take over the Los Angeles underworld while remaining [[spoiler: a respected police captain]] in ''Film/LAConfidential'' revolves around selectively providing exclusive information to the popular but sleazy gossip magazine ''Hush Hush''.
* In the film adaptation of ''FatSlags'', a media magnate uses his press influence over fashion trends to popularize an alternative body image. Within short order, most of British society turns into [[ChubbyChaser Chubby Chasers]] after being bombarded with glamorised images of BigBeautifulWomen in advertisements and television shows.
* The film ''WagTheDog'' revolves around an unpopular PresidentEvil and his spin doctors creating fake footage and news reports about a completely [[spoiler: nonexistent war with Albania]] so that he can look like a strong leader and make the public forget about a particularly awful sex scandal. By the end of the movie, it's implied that the ruse is so successful that [[spoiler: real violence is now happening in Albania.]]

Literature
* JorgeLuisBorges's famous short story ''[[TlonUqbarOrbisTertius Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius]]'' revolves around a conspiracy of intellectuals who plant a fake encyclopedia article about an imaginary civilization and, later, a few fake artifacts. As more and more people become convinced the fictional place exists, eventually [[spoiler: [[YourMindMakesItReal reality itself is overtaken by the fiction.]] ]]

Live Action TV
* In the fifth season of ''TheWire'', [[spoiler: McNulty's]] plot to create a fake [[spoiler: SerialKiller]] in order to [[spoiler: obtain extra funding for the police department]] owes much of its temporary success to the equally fake coverage provided by a corrupt newspaper reporter. Eventually, inspired by the media reports,  a disturbed man becomes [[spoiler: a CopycatKiller]], and that is used by both [[spoiler: the Baltimore Police]] and the reporter to convince the public that [[spoiler: the killer has been caught]].