How Media Manipulates Public Opinion During War: Propaganda, Fake Narratives and Real Historical Examples
How Media Manipulates Public Opinion During War: Propaganda, Fear, and the Battle for Narrative War is fought on battlefields, but it is also fought in newspapers, on television screens, and across digital platforms. Governments understand that public opinion can determine whether a war continues or collapses. Media institutions—whether independent, state-controlled, or influenced by political power—play a decisive role in shaping how citizens perceive conflict. During wartime, information becomes a strategic weapon. Selective reporting, emotional framing, repetition of official narratives, and suppression of dissent can gradually influence how societies think, react, and justify violence. To understand how media manipulates public opinion during war, we must examine propaganda techniques, censorship systems, emotional framing, misinformation campaigns, and real historical events where media shaped or distorted public perception. The Power of Framing: How Language Shapes Perception One...