Government use of media for disinformation and propaganda, page 1

I searched ATS and was rather surprised to find no record of this, which I think is rather important.

It is a video of US attorney and disinformation expert, William Schaap, giving testimony to at the 1999 Martin Luther King Conspiracy Trial. Schaap discusses the origin of government disinformation; gives examples of when and how it has been (and continues to be) used; and explains why it works, particularly in the US.

Here's an interesting extract:

Q. Why is it so effective over time?

SCHAAP. Well, this is an area where I had to consult with other experts because it turns out really to be a neurological function. And that was first explained to me by a -- a professor at Harvard Medical School. And it has to do with the way the human brain remembers things, the way we learn things, the way we create patterns and associations and reinforce -- well, I don't know how you -- it sort of like channels in the brain when certain things trigger certain collateral thoughts. And when you associate one thing with another over time, just the mention of the one brings the association of the other.

What this will sometimes mean is that even when something is later exposed as a lie, if it was accepted as a truth for a long time, the exposure of it as a lie is not believed. It's in one ear and out the other.

He then goes on to give an example of a series of articles that were written by a CIA agent in order to discredit the Cubans in Angola in the mid-70s.

The video is presented in 8 parts. If any fail to play properly, please refer to the full transcript of Schaarp's testimony which, together with that of others, is available at The King Center.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8