Media activists score victory
Patrick Garner
Issue date: 4/18/05 Section: Opinion
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Last Thursday media advocates won an important victory when the Senate voted 98-0 for a measure that puts an end to the government being able to use taxpayer money to create video press releases that air as real news on television. The measure came about as a result to public outrage over President George W. Bush using taxpayer money to put together propaganda footage that advanced his agendas, and which was aired on television without any mention of having been put together by the Bush administration.
"Karen Ryan," a woman who pretended to be a news reporter, narrated Bush's video releases.
Public sentiment was so strong against the fake news that all Republican senators and even Bush jumped on the media activist bandwagon. Bush is quoted by the Associated Press as saying, "It's deceptive to the American people if it's not disclosed, but it's incumbent upon people who use them to say, 'This news clip was produced by the federal government.'"
I feel that conservatives should have a right to publish conservative magazines and newspapers and air conservative television. Liberals, likewise, should have a right to publish liberal magazines, newspapers and air liberal television. But I also feel the American public should have easy access to a news source with minimal biases and hard facts. This way, Americans can be informed about what's going on around them, and participate in the shaping of their country accordingly. Hopefully, the media activists who put pressure on the Senate to end the fake news will continue to apply the pressure until advertisers and the government have less power over what is printed or televised.
The major media outlets are essentially giant corporations that have the same interests as big business, and are dependent on big business to pay for advertising, which is how media corporations make money. Because Republicans promise greater access to cheap labor, and fewer regulations, big media and corporate power tend to favor Republicans, hence all the rightwing talk shows, all the conservative guests and dubious think tank commentary, and the minimal presence of liberals in the media. For more information that documents media bias, visit mediamatters.org and fair.org.
With media activism being so popular right now, why not pressure the Senate to pass sweeping legislation regulating televised news on the major networks? Laws can be passed that would state for every conservative guest, there must be a liberal guest, and only so much airtime can be used for personal editorial comments as opposed to hard news. Also, news channels shouldn't be allowed to air news that caters to their advertisers. An independent government organization could monitor televised news, and if the networks don't clean up their act, they lose the right to be on television.
In a perfect world, such legislation would be unnecessary, and maybe eventually we won't need media regulation. In the meantime, grassroots media activists need to stay organized and continue applying the pressure.
"Karen Ryan," a woman who pretended to be a news reporter, narrated Bush's video releases.
Public sentiment was so strong against the fake news that all Republican senators and even Bush jumped on the media activist bandwagon. Bush is quoted by the Associated Press as saying, "It's deceptive to the American people if it's not disclosed, but it's incumbent upon people who use them to say, 'This news clip was produced by the federal government.'"
I feel that conservatives should have a right to publish conservative magazines and newspapers and air conservative television. Liberals, likewise, should have a right to publish liberal magazines, newspapers and air liberal television. But I also feel the American public should have easy access to a news source with minimal biases and hard facts. This way, Americans can be informed about what's going on around them, and participate in the shaping of their country accordingly. Hopefully, the media activists who put pressure on the Senate to end the fake news will continue to apply the pressure until advertisers and the government have less power over what is printed or televised.
The major media outlets are essentially giant corporations that have the same interests as big business, and are dependent on big business to pay for advertising, which is how media corporations make money. Because Republicans promise greater access to cheap labor, and fewer regulations, big media and corporate power tend to favor Republicans, hence all the rightwing talk shows, all the conservative guests and dubious think tank commentary, and the minimal presence of liberals in the media. For more information that documents media bias, visit mediamatters.org and fair.org.
With media activism being so popular right now, why not pressure the Senate to pass sweeping legislation regulating televised news on the major networks? Laws can be passed that would state for every conservative guest, there must be a liberal guest, and only so much airtime can be used for personal editorial comments as opposed to hard news. Also, news channels shouldn't be allowed to air news that caters to their advertisers. An independent government organization could monitor televised news, and if the networks don't clean up their act, they lose the right to be on television.
In a perfect world, such legislation would be unnecessary, and maybe eventually we won't need media regulation. In the meantime, grassroots media activists need to stay organized and continue applying the pressure.
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