Watch Bernie Blackout

Bernie Blackout is a 2020 documentary released by Vice. The show is all about the coverage of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, and how it was suppressed by mainstream media. It delves into the world of corporate media, political campaigns, and the role of media in shaping public opinion.

Directed by Pat McGee, the documentary begins by highlighting the similarities between the 2016 and 2020 elections. In 2016, Bernie Sanders came out of nowhere to challenge the Democratic establishment. He had no corporate donors, but his message of democratic socialism resonated with many working-class people. Despite being repeatedly called unelectable by the media, he won 23 states and almost 13 million votes in the primaries. In 2020, Bernie Sanders again ran for the presidency with full force. But this time the corporate media, especially MSNBC, put in a conscious effort to dismiss Sanders and his campaign.

The documentary uses interviews with Bernie Sanders' supporters, independent journalists, and media insiders to bring out the facts. It highlights how the corporate media narrative was set up to either ignore Bernie Sanders or tarnish him. The media portrayal of Bernie Sanders was often negative, despite his campaign's popularity with people. The show emphasizes that the corporate media in America is owned by a small group of wealthy individuals, and how these individuals have a vested interest in backing establishment candidates.

Bernie Blackout shows how media bias was not limited to big corporations, but it extended to liberal outlets like MSNBC. The documentary points out the hypocrisy of MSNBC's coverage of Bernie Sanders, who was often attacked with selective clips and a lack of attention to his proposals. Meanwhile, candidates like Joe Biden and Michael Bloomberg, whose campaigns were financially backed by the media giants, received favorable coverage. The documentary also highlights the role of female journalists in supporting certain candidates and purposely sidelining Sanders.

Moreover, the show emphasizes that the suppression of Bernie Sanders by the media has very real consequences. The documentary argues that not only did the mainstream media black out Bernie Sanders, but they also blacked out important topics he wished to discuss, such as climate change, universal healthcare, and income inequality. The show suggests that by ignoring Sanders, corporate media effectively silenced the voice of millions of people fighting for change.

Bernie Blackout also throws light on the difference between independent media and corporate media. Independent media is seen as a major source of counter-narrative to mainstream media. It is seen as bold and unbiased in their reporting. The documentary features interviews with independent journalists who support Bernie Sanders, such as Matt Taibbi, Krystal Ball, and Glenn Greenwald. They reflect on the corporate media's role in shaping public opinion, the questionable ethics of cable news, and how this narrative has impacted the overall democratic process.

All in all, Bernie Blackout is a compelling documentary that highlights the limitations of democracy in a capitalist society. It shows how the media, which is supposed to give voice to the people, is influenced by wealthy individuals who profit from the status quo. The documentary is a warning that the media we consume and trust is not an impartial entity, and this has significant implications for our democracy. Bernie Blackout is a must-watch for anyone who cares about democracy and is interested in understanding the inner workings of corporate America.