Cop/Crime-shows being funded by the government/military

[GoldcoastOCB]

Did you guys know that alot of todays shows are partly sponsored by government defense-budgets? It's part of the White House-campaign to create a false sense of security after 9/11. To make us think the governments are on top of things while they're not and thus have to reside to funding copshows/movies about the military.Stargate and CSI are examples of that and there are lots of others, movies as well.What is your take on that, MV-fans?

[Flagler]

In Germany, the things are a little bit different. If here any officials would sponsor something in the TV, it would be the ministerium of finances and they only support gameshows like "Who want to be a millionaire". Why that? Quite simple: They know, that the typical German deposits his money preferably by banking. So, the first thing they have to do, is the sending of the tax decision for the interests...

[Daytona74]

The idea is not really new. One of the most prominent examples was the movie "Top Gun" in 1985/86. Production was heavily subsidized by the U.S. government, namely the Department of Defense, so that the producers had whatever Army gear they needed at their disposal, even including an aircraft carrier. Aside from being a great action flick, the DoD made sure that the movie showed a very positive image of the U.S. military. And it worked, too - following its theater premiere, military enlistment figures went up across the country.Budgetwise, many of today's television series and of course big-screen movies would be unthinkable without some outside help from the U.S. government - and since producers know better than to bite the hand that feeds them, they will play along. Whether or not they are selling their souls by doing so is more than just a matter of interpretation. But then again, they still hit a nerve with most Americans who will unquestioningly enjoy the show while being instilled with government propaganda. Quite a tradeoff!There is some government funding for television and movie projects here in Germany; most states have an office of film funding ("Filmförderung"), but you will hardly ever see any propaganda oozing from their subsidized movies. For example, a few years ago, the stoner comedy "Lammbock" was a sizeable box office success and received government money in the making. Can you seriously imagine any branch of U.S. government ever throwing cash at a movie that shows the lighter side of doing drugs? I think not!

[Guest Don]

Never heard from America´s Army? http://www.americasarmy.comThe entire games is sponsored by the US Army and it is for free

Original von Daytona74But then again, they still hit a nerve with most Americans who will unquestioningly enjoy the show while being instilled with government propaganda. Quite a tradeoff!

So for how long did you live in the US?

[Daytona74]

Original von DonSo for how long did you live in the US?

I am sorry, I am well aware that my statement is a bit over-simplified and polemic and maybe I just wrote it to kick up some (conversational) dust.... But to answer your question, I lived in the US for about a year and I met a greater number of people who fit that description perfectly. It seems the further you travel from the major cities into the country (I stayed in rural Missouri, 40 miles north of Kansas City and returned to the U.S. a number of times for travel after that), the more likely will you run into what are so affectionately called "flag wavers", especially among the less educated.Sure, there are quite a few Americans, particularly on the more liberal-minded east coast and in the major cities, who will take this kind of government propaganda for what it really is and just shrug it off - but my perception was always that average Americans, quite possibly because they were fed a certain kind of patriotism with their mother's milk that is incomprehensible to us, have a tendency to be less sceptical of their government(s) than us Germans (that is, not counting the "Feds" or "Bundesbeamte"; as portrayed even on "Vice", they are often reviled by locals). Moreover, despite increasing opposition, a notable number of Americans still tend to turn a blind eye to what their government and military are _really_ doing overseas, believing that their country is still the most generous in the world. And what choice would they ever have, given that big media outlets like CNN , NBC and Fox still back the Bush administration!Also, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, for quite some time Americans proved to be more vulnerable to government propaganda simply because their government had figured out how to play on their fears and exploit them to its own advantage. However, many of them have since woken up and begun asking questions - which could in fact give authoritative bodies like the DoD and the military a hard time trying to keep pushing their agenda through media funding.To get one thing straight: I enjoyed my year in the U.S. very much, even today it still is one of my fondest memories ever. But there's nothing wrong with a little criticism when you feel up to it, is there?

[GoldcoastOCB]

I agree completely with you, Daytona.It's difficult for us europeans to understand why american have this weakness for patriotism but when youre born and raised in the US it makes alot of sense.I've lived in San Diego for about 2 years and even though it was a great time, it's difficult for alot of folks over there to be critical towards their government.It's like it was in the 50's with the McCarthy-comission where everyone who didn't agree with the views of the government was called a communist. Nowadays theyre callled unpatriottic or even supporters of terrorism. Add the power of the media to the mix and bingo, you have a recipe for disaster.By the way, i enjoyed Top Gun very much, it's one of my fave 80's movie. Great music too.

[Daytona74]

Before this turns into a full-blown sociology debate, let me just say that although many of us think they have heard of Americans being distinctly patriotic, seeing is believing!Patriotism is deeply engrained in the American psyche. School children as young as first grade are taught patriotic hymns with lyrics that would make any self-doubting German blush. They go on to learn about all those great achievements that Americans have brought about since their nation's inception - about all the little and big things that supposedly make America Number One in the world. Imagine their resentment when I tried to convince some people that it was in fact us Germans/Europeans who invented such modern-day amenities as cars, telephones or even television and CD players!While labeling itself the "Land of the Free" and even granting freedom of speech under the first amendment, America has always had a problem with self-criticism and those who voiced it. Worse even, if you are a foreigner, unless you happen to meet some of the more open-minded people, they will more likely tell you to shut the f*** up than be interested in your thoughts (happened to me, for one!). Today, it's once again "If you're not with us, you're with the terrorists". In this kind of socio-political climate, it should come as no real surprise that the Department of Defense has engaged heavily in media funding to push its cause.But still, to most Germans, the true nature of brand American patriotism will always remain unintelligible. It took me almost all of my time there to really get to the bottom of it and begin to understand (and eventually so much as appreciate!) what it's really all about.