In the context of El Salvador's 1989 presidential campaign, MEDIA WAR IN EL SALVADOR analyzes the television barrage mounted by the Christian Democrats and ARENA which, supervised by American advertising consultants, imitated the successful 1984 "Morning in America" drive created by the Reagan/Bush "Tuesday Team." The FMLN/FDR has long broadcast regularly over Radio Venceremos, but radio, along with leafleting and staged rallies, is becoming obsolete as the various parties engage in a more sophisticated media war that encourages voters to disregard complicated issues and concentrate on image.

MEDIA WAR IN EL SALVADOR examines the export of Madison Avenue style political advertising into the tumultuous situation in El Salvador, raising important questions about media's impact on the future of Latin American democracy.

"This is the only documentary available on this specialized topic, and it could be used in advanced university classes in communications, political science, and Latin American studies."—Choice