On Fareed Zakaria’s GPS

Media can use its power to manipulate peoples’ thoughts and perceptions about something/someone. I used to enjoy watching Fareed Zakaria’s Global Public Square (GPS) on CNN Network since he seemed to offer an outsider’s perspective on worldly affairs. He spoke with an accent and that gave me some comfort, a departure from rest of political pundits and analysts who all speak the same language and sing glories of the United States of America. But after listening closely to his shows, his biasness towards America is manifest. In all of his shows, he talks about how and what should be done for the US can maintain its economic and political superiority in the world.

If you look at his recent ten or more episodes of GPS, he is either talking about how to fix American economy or how the US can tackle China’s growing power and influence in the world. He talks about the need for innovation and how an innovation in the US can be universally good for rest of the world. Yet he is threatened by innovation in manufacturing in China and elsewhere. He invites guest speakers to analyse China’s growing economy and always forces the impression that a stronger China is feared and disliked not only by America but even Asia. Any guest speaker who dares to differ suffers fierce rebuttal from Fareed and his team of other guest speakers. Fareed criticizes China’s policy to keep its currency devalued but never talks about impact of huge subsidies to US farmers on farmers of developing countries. Among all, US farmers would be the last ones to need subsidies.

I was shellshocked at Fareed’s behaviour towards one of his guest speakers who was also a Zihadi. Many of guest speakers offer opinions different than Fareed’s, however none have suffered as much humiliation as this Zihadi guy from London. His utter lack of respect for his guest speaker was unprofessional. I have read one of Fareed’s books and he has written very candidly what he thinks of US foreign policy. Yet when he talks on CNN, his views take a U-turn and he is always singing glories of the US and criticizes anyone who does not subscribe to this. I don’t understand why a guy of his stature would have to do boot-licking to remain at CNN. He could easily speak his mind candidly and still get a more than decent job. Fareed’s GPS show has become very shallow and disappointing; he should rename his show from Global Public Square to American Public Square. (I hope he reads this. If not, somebody please direct his attention to this.)