Words / C1

prop-uh-GAND-uh/ˌprɒpəˈɡændə/

Propaganda is information shaped — often biased or misleading — to promote a cause: political propaganda, propaganda film. Rhetoric (already in the dictionary) is persuasive language; advertising sells; journalism aspires to report. Do not call every campaign video propaganda, and do not excuse a fabricated n as “comms”.

Meaning

Information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a cause or view.

Examples

• “A campaign video is not automatically propaganda; a fabricated n is.”
• “Bias is the everyday/academic cousin. Rhetoric is already in this course. Public information can be straight. Spin is informal. If the number is invented, the genre name will not save the paper.”

Good to know

Persuasion dressed as information (often biased). Close: rhetoric / bias. Not every video is propaganda; a fake n is.

Near in meaning

rhetoric

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