Fox News Highlights CIA’s Operation Mockingbird and Its Influence on US Media

Jesse Watters of Fox News sheds light on the CIA’s Operation Mockingbird, revealing the agency’s historical practice of placing journalists within major US media outlets to influence public opinion.

By yourNEWS Media Staff

Image Credit: yourNEWS Media Illustration

In a recent segment, Fox News host Jesse Watters brought attention to Operation Mockingbird, a covert CIA initiative designed to manipulate public perception through the media. This operation involved the placement of journalists and informants within prominent US media organizations, aiming to propagate the federal government’s viewpoints and political agendas.

During his show, Watters commented, “Langley was laundering narratives to the press and into the public’s veins,” highlighting the extent of the CIA’s influence on the media landscape. According to Watters, at least 22 American news organizations, ranging from The New York Times to Life magazine and CBS, had individuals on the CIA payroll, acting either knowingly or unknowingly as channels for disseminating disinformation.

WATCH:

The New York Times is doing PR for the Deep State. The Times said we should rally around them because they’re good old American public servants who do Pilates and eat Lucky Charms. But at the same time, the Deep State sent the guy behind the CIA letter to put a big fat target on… pic.twitter.com/ezA0TbL2Ju

— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) March 20, 2024

The discussion on Operation Mockingbird was sparked by a recent acknowledgment from The New York Times, which described the existence of a “Deep State” network—a term often used to refer to a shadowy group of government and media personnel working to undermine elected officials or push specific agendas. The newspaper portrayed this network in a surprisingly positive light, suggesting it played a beneficial role in the federal government.

Watters also referenced the 1975 Church Committee hearings, a pivotal moment when the public became aware of Operation Mockingbird’s existence. The hearings featured a testimony from William Colby, the outgoing CIA Director, who confirmed the agency’s efforts to embed assets within major media outlets, a revelation that shocked the American public at the time.

This revisitation of Operation Mockingbird by Fox News underscores ongoing concerns regarding the relationship between the media and government agencies. It raises questions about the integrity of news organizations and the potential for covert operations to shape public discourse and opinion, echoing historical instances where the boundary between journalism and state influence became blurred.