The year 2014 was notable not only for the political crises that often dominated the headlines, but very often for the way in which these events were distorted by the mainstream media.

Events overtaking Ukraine were a particular case in point. While the Western Press blames Russian President Vladmir Putin for the instability and tragic loss of life in the Eastern Donbass region, it consistently ignores the role of the West in backing the forces that overthrew the democratically elected government, and even employed Neo-Nazi operatives in the coup and subsequent anti-coup resistance.

Likewise, inadequate coverage of a new bogeyman in the form of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, has allowed political leaders like Canadian Prime Minister Harper to galvanize a confused and frightened public behind a neo-conservative program of military warfare and further erosions of our civil liberties.

Mainstream media generally works to foster agendas that serve elite purposes, and media plays a crucial role in providing the information and analysis that can help the public to determine responsible policies.

The Global Research News Hour and the Global Research website has tried to bring necessary critical perspectives during these historic times.

This week, on our first new radio broadcast of 2015, we provide a digest of some of the many stories we have covered over the previous year.

Includes contributions by Richard Sanders, Robin Philpot, Jon Rappoport, Yves Engler, Peter Dale Scott, James Petras, Henri Feron, Jacques Pauwels, Barrie Zwicker, Guy McPherson, Michel Chossudovsky, and Roger Annis.