Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media | Rotten Tomatoes

Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media

Released Dec 4, 1999

2 hr. 48 min.

Documentary

List

78%

9 Reviews

Tomatometer

94%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this documentary, linguist and liberal political activist Noam Chomsky presents his thoughts on how the mass media works against democracy's best interests. The corporations and investors controlling the outlets where most people get their news, he argues, selectively choose what to cover for reasons having to do with personal agendas and retaining power, rather than what's best for readers and viewers. After discussing examples, Chomsky gives suggestions on how to be a well-informed citizen.

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Audience Member

The greatest 02 hours: and 48 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Never has there ever been a more in-depth pertinent and scathing criticism of our modern news media landscape, dominated by corporate and vested interests.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An insightful explanation of the propaganda used through education and media to keep Americans subservient to the status-quo. Chomsky doesn't lament or complain about the current state of affairs he suggests alternatives to the chocolate vs. vanilla buffoonery we engaged in every four years.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is an astute observation on media and democracy. This bleak depiction of media is still relevant today.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An astonishingly well-crafted survey of Chomsky's political thought and career that is truly epic in scale. Although it is primarily focused on his work in media theory, it dedicates a large portion of time to two of his most exciting and scandalous forays: His alleged support for the Khmer Rouge and his alleged Holocaust denial. This film, much like "Is The Man Who Is Tall Happy?" serves not only as an introduction to Chomsky's body of work but to critical thinking in general. It is a rare piece of work that both enlightens and inspires, yet this documentary does both with relative ease. It is a large time-investment (running at almost 3 hours), but every minute is undoubtedly well spent.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This 3-hour long documentary (split into 2 parts) is not entertainment, nor does it try to be. But the information is fascinating & the analysis is powerfully insightful. It's also an excellent introduction to Noam Chomsky for those who haven't come across any of his work. Manufacturing Consent is not for those who care more about style than substance, like Chomsky himself, there is no intellectual snobbery or pseudo-intellectual flourishing. Anyone can understand the points within, although some are so illuminating they're worth revisiting. This documentary was extremely influential for me, it completely altered my perception of the world & triggered an interest in politics, which I hitherto thought myself totally apathetic towards (I am still apathetic towards the mainstream conception of politics, but justifiably so). I would say Manufacturing Consent is the single most important thing I've ever experienced & recommend it to anyone with a conscience.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

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Mark Achbar

Director

Peter Wintonick

Director

Mark Achbar

Self

Noam Chomsky

Self

Edward S. Herman

Self

William F. Buckley

Self

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Joshua Rothkopf

In These Times

[A] well-intentioned but undeniably dull take...

Mar 16, 2020

Full Review

Sheila Johnston

Independent (UK)

It's as manipulative as the corporate media it places under fire.

Nov 14, 2017

Full Review

Marc Savlov

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 4.5/5

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Essential.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 13, 2007

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

A long, fascinating docu about the noted MIT professor and his lifelong work about propaganda in American society, or more specifically how the mass media set the agenda by selecting, distorting, framing--and also ignoring--major social issues.

Rated: A-

Dec 26, 2006

Full Review

Thomas Delapa

Boulder Weekly

Rated: 4/5

Jun 9, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

In this documentary, linguist and liberal political activist Noam Chomsky presents his thoughts on how the mass media works against democracy's best interests. The corporations and investors controlling the outlets where most people get their news, he argues, selectively choose what to cover for reasons having to do with personal agendas and retaining power, rather than what's best for readers and viewers. After discussing examples, Chomsky gives suggestions on how to be a well-informed citizen.

Director: Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick
Executive Producer: Dennis R. Murphy, Colin Neale
Distributor: Zeitgeist Films, BuyIndies.com Inc., Films Transit International [ca/nl/us]
Production Co: National Film Board of Canada, Necessary Illusions Productions Inc.
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 4, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 19, 2017
Sound Mix: Mono

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