Disinformation in Mass Media: Gluck, Piccinni and the Journal de Paris

The founding of the Journal de Paris in 1777 was an early example of disinformation used for political gain, profit, and societal division. It launched a campaign of anonymous lies, mockery, and defamation against two prominent members of the Académie Française who wished the Opéra to be open to all deserving composers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 134 pages
Publication date: 22 December 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The establishment of the Journal de Paris in 1777 marked a significant milestone in the history of disinformation, as it became France's inaugural daily and distinctly commercial newspaper. This pioneering venture employed disinformation as a powerful tool to achieve political gain, financial prosperity, and societal division. In order to attract a substantial readership and counter competition from C.W. Glucks's works at the Paris Opéra, the Journal launched a protracted campaign of anonymous lies, mockery, and defamation against two prominent members of the Académie Française. These individuals advocated for the Opéra to be open to all deserving composers, regardless of their background or lack of a daily forum to defend their ideas.

However, they faced opposition from those who believed that the Opéra should maintain its exclusivity and only allow compositions by members of the Académie Française. To undermine their arguments and gain an advantage, the Journal resorted to spreading false information, ridiculing their ideas, and tarnishing their reputations.

Interestingly, music was used as a cover for this purely political drama, serving as a smokescreen to divert attention from the underlying motives. The Journal's campaign against the Académie Française was driven by a desire to control the artistic landscape and promote their own agenda. By using music as a weapon, they hoped to sway public opinion and gain support for their vision of a closed and exclusive musical community.

This episode highlights the early use of disinformation as a tool for political gain and the manipulation of public opinion. It serves as a reminder of the importance of critical thinking, fact-checking, and media literacy in today's society, where the spread of false information can have far-reaching consequences.

Weight: 270g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367515836