Interstellar Network News
Interstellar Network News (ISN) is a fictional TV news network in the Babylon 5 universe. ISN was modelled on real-world news outlets, such as CNN. In the Babylon 5 fictional universe, ISN is the sole Earth broadcaster, based in Geneva,[1]:106 and is featured in many episodes such that the changes in tone are readily discerned as the show progresses.
As the series unfolds, ISN evolves from a free press to a blatant propaganda organ. In the final episode of Season 2, ISN broadcasts, unedited, Lt. Keffer's footage of a Shadow vessel attacking him in hyperspace,[2]:250-251 which only later is investigated by Earthforce.[2]:257-258 During the Earth Alliance Civil War, the ISN studios were forcibly seized during a live broadcast in the Season 3 episode, Severed Dreams,[2]:295 after which the network was absent from the show until Ship of Tears, four episodes later,[2]:312 but the public reaction to ISN after it returns is more skeptical.[3]:200
The season 4 episode, The Illusion of Truth is a frank study in propaganda.[4] Rather than a traditional episode format, the Babylon 5 command staff grant interviews to an ISN news team. The final segment of the episode is the resultant piece of propaganda, carefully edited to portray Captain Sheridan, Delenn, and others in as bad a light as possible.[5]:75-78
Following the Earth Alliance Civil War, the ISN anchors removed in Severed Dreams are returned to the air in Endgame.[5]:107
ISN also broadcasts news magazine-style shows, including "36 hours" featured in the episodes And Now For a Word[3]:128-132 and The Deconstruction of Falling Stars.[5]:114 During the former, short pro-Psi Corps messages are seen, representing subliminal propaganda, but actually being shown twice as long as a 'real' subliminal ad, in part to avoid running afoul of the actual laws regarding subliminal broadcasts.[2]:226
Series creator J. Michael Straczynski noted that ISN broadcasts were designed to "reveal more about what was happening on Earth than what was going on aboard Babylon 5"[3]:129
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. "But once we have watched The Illusion of Truth--an episode in which we first see the cast go about their business while being recorded by a news crew and then watch the distorted broadcast of those events--how can we believe in news objectivity?"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
