Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts
Friday, April 10, 2009
Deborah Orr: A Tribute to the Propaganda Box
Sean Madden (inoodle.com) tackles one of my all time pet peeves: our mindless addiction to the overwhelmingly mindless Boob Tube. It's an interesting piece worth checking out here in its entirety.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
ACT NOW! Tell John McCain and Sarah Palin to Reject the Politics of Division
ColorOfChange.org:
The Republican nominees are increasingly relying on a strategy of race-baiting and fear-mongering to win this election. It's completely unacceptable and it has to stop.
— Click here to see the email we sent to our members. —
Watch the video from Brave New Films showing the McCain/Palin campaign and its supporters in action. Then, please sign the open letter demanding that they reject the politics of division and fear. We'll publicize the letter and make the sure the McCain campaign has to respond.
When you're done, please pass the video and the letter on to your friends and family and ask them to do the same.
Add your voice, now!
This is the open letter we're publishing and sending to to the McCain/Palin campaign.
Dear Senator McCain and Governor Palin,
Time and again in America, people of all races and backgrounds have overcome division and fear, and come together to uplift the country and create a more equal and just society. It's part of what makes this country great.
With an African-American nominee running on a major party ticket and a woman on the Republican ticket for the first time in history, this campaign has seen Americans--men and women of all races--inspired to continue that great tradition, coming together to bridge the gaps that history has set between us in service of our national progress.
But let us be clear: while we have made great strides in this country when it comes to racial equality, we are not finished. Now, more than ever, we need leadership that understands that we live in complex times where too many are quick to judge another by the complexion of their skin or the sound of their name.
In the last few weeks, Senator McCain and Governor Palin, rhetoric at your campaign events has taken an increasingly dangerous tone that seems to ignore the precarious state of our progress when it comes to race and ethnicity.
Supporters at your rallies and other events have used hateful language and called for violence against Sen. Obama yelling "kill him!" "off with his head!" and "bomb Obama."
For the most part, you have stood by in silence. In addition, you have also repeatedly made statements that somehow connect Senator Obama with terrorism. Your surrogates have emphasized his middle name. This is problematic and dangerous, and we believe helps create the conditions that have given rise to these incidents of violent rhetoric from some of your supporters.
Today, we're standing together as Americans of all political persuasions to express our deep concern that the decisions of your campaign are contributing to a dangerous atmosphere of paranoia, division, and hate that, as we have already seen, has the potential to seriously harm our country and its progress.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
In these trying times, candidates seeking the highest offices in the land must call on the best in each of us, and call off the worst.
We urge you to join people of conscience from all races and backgrounds to reject the politics of division and fear, and come together to uplift the country and create a more equal and just society.
-- The undersigned --
The Republican nominees are increasingly relying on a strategy of race-baiting and fear-mongering to win this election. It's completely unacceptable and it has to stop.
— Click here to see the email we sent to our members. —
Watch the video from Brave New Films showing the McCain/Palin campaign and its supporters in action. Then, please sign the open letter demanding that they reject the politics of division and fear. We'll publicize the letter and make the sure the McCain campaign has to respond.
When you're done, please pass the video and the letter on to your friends and family and ask them to do the same.
Add your voice, now!
This is the open letter we're publishing and sending to to the McCain/Palin campaign.
Dear Senator McCain and Governor Palin,
Time and again in America, people of all races and backgrounds have overcome division and fear, and come together to uplift the country and create a more equal and just society. It's part of what makes this country great.
With an African-American nominee running on a major party ticket and a woman on the Republican ticket for the first time in history, this campaign has seen Americans--men and women of all races--inspired to continue that great tradition, coming together to bridge the gaps that history has set between us in service of our national progress.
But let us be clear: while we have made great strides in this country when it comes to racial equality, we are not finished. Now, more than ever, we need leadership that understands that we live in complex times where too many are quick to judge another by the complexion of their skin or the sound of their name.
In the last few weeks, Senator McCain and Governor Palin, rhetoric at your campaign events has taken an increasingly dangerous tone that seems to ignore the precarious state of our progress when it comes to race and ethnicity.
Supporters at your rallies and other events have used hateful language and called for violence against Sen. Obama yelling "kill him!" "off with his head!" and "bomb Obama."
For the most part, you have stood by in silence. In addition, you have also repeatedly made statements that somehow connect Senator Obama with terrorism. Your surrogates have emphasized his middle name. This is problematic and dangerous, and we believe helps create the conditions that have given rise to these incidents of violent rhetoric from some of your supporters.
Today, we're standing together as Americans of all political persuasions to express our deep concern that the decisions of your campaign are contributing to a dangerous atmosphere of paranoia, division, and hate that, as we have already seen, has the potential to seriously harm our country and its progress.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
In these trying times, candidates seeking the highest offices in the land must call on the best in each of us, and call off the worst.
We urge you to join people of conscience from all races and backgrounds to reject the politics of division and fear, and come together to uplift the country and create a more equal and just society.
-- The undersigned --
Technorati tags: media, John McCain, Sarah Palin, activism, hate mongering, hate speech, robo calls, smear campaign
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Christopher Buckley Resigns From National Review After Obama Endorsement
Jason Linkins (Huffington Post):
"Within hours of my endorsement appearing in The Daily Beast it became clear that National Review had a serious problem on its hands. So the next morning, I thought the only decent thing to do would be to offer to resign my column there. This offer was accepted--rather briskly!--by Rich Lowry, NR's editor, and its publisher, the superb and able and fine Jack Fowler. I retain the fondest feelings for the magazine that my father founded, but I will admit to a certain sadness that an act of publishing a reasoned argument for the opposition should result in acrimony and disavowal...." Continue Reading.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Why After 75 Years, Esquire Endorsed a Pres. Candidate
Esquire:
Two years ago, in our issue that hit newsstands a month before the midterm elections, we decided to make a statement about how important the '06 elections were (and how important it was for our readers to participate) that we endorsed a candidate in every federal election in the country, and for good measure, in gubernatorial races as well...read more | digg story
Sunday, September 07, 2008
MSNBC REMOVES OLBERMANN, MATTHEWS FROM ANCHOR SEAT
CALL, WRITE, E-MAIL NBC-- THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. The only news anchor that ISN'T A BLATANT MOUTHPIECE FOR THE CONSERVATIVE RIGHT-- KEITH OLBERMANN -- is being removed from his anchor position during the coming political debates and election night. This, despite Countdowns' "higher television rating than any other show in the troubled 12-year history of the network." Read and weep:
MSNBC Takes Incendiary Hosts From Anchor Seat - NYTimes.com
Also See:
Technorati tags: MSNBC, NBC, News, Media, 2008 Election, Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Demotion. Anchor, Politics
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Jon Stewart Hits Karl Rove, Bill O'Reilly, Dick Morris On Sarah Palin Hypocrisy
Wednesday night on "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart hit Karl Rove and Bill O'Reilly with damning evidence of their hypocrisy regarding Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
While Rove recently praised Palin's experience as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Stewart showed video of Rove trashing Virginia Governor — and former Richmond Mayor — Tim Kaine's executive experience, listing all the cities that are bigger than Richmond and calling such a pick "political."
Then, after recent video of O'Reilly describing Bristol Palin's pregnancy as a family issue, Stewart showed a clip of the Fox News host blaming Jamie Lynn Spears' parents for her teenage pregnancy.
Finally, after showing video of Dick Morris complaining about the rampant sexism in the media coverage of Sarah Palin, Stewart unveiled a clip of Morris saying that Hillary hides behind the sexism defense, and that anytime "the big boys" pick on Hillary, "she retreats behind the apron strings."
"In Dick Morris' defense," Stewart said, "he is a lying sack of sh*t."
Watch:
Thanks to Huffington Post.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
CNN Interviews Putin
The following three-part series is an interview, held on August 28, between CNN's Matthew Chance and Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin. The CNN transcript is available here. Following the three-part series is the truncated version broadcast for Western audiences.Please Watch and Share Widely:
iNoodle.com: CNN Interviews Putin (Video-English subtitles)
Related:
Thanks to Sean Madden, iNoodle.comMonday, September 01, 2008
Amy Goodman and Two Democracy Now! Producers Unlawfully Arrested At the RNC
Democracy Now! reports:
ST. PAUL, MN—Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her. Video of her arrest can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ
Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.
Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.
Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman’s office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).
Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amenmdent rights of these journalists.
During the demonstration in which they were arrested law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action.
Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism’s top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar is a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists from the nation’s leading independent news outlet.
Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.
Video of Amy Goodman’s Arrest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ
Living in a Lying Nation
Below is a piece written by Sean M. Madden, iNoodle.com, in response to today's BBC Radio 4's Today program about the conflict in Georgia and, specifically, today's scheduled EU summit meeting to decide what the West's response will be "in the wake of [Russia's] invasion of Georgia." This is a must read (as is Sean's Blog, iNoodle.com):
Living in a Lying Nation
By Sean M. Madden
iNoodle.com
"... I had hoped when I moved to Britain three years ago—for my wife to return to her native home after living in the U.S. with me for twelve years—that the world-renowned British press would prove to be more critical of, less beholden to, the criminal powers that be.Photo credit: Sean M. Madden. (iNoodle.com)
Worse, they are every bit as criminally complicit as their American counterparts...."
Sean M. Madden is an American writer-educator living in East Sussex, England. His articles have been headlined by a wide range of online media outlets, including Information Clearing House, United Press International’s ReligionAndSpirituality.com, Guerrilla News Network, Online Journal, Atlantic Free Press, Scoop, OpEdNews.com, Thomas Paine’s Corner, Carolyn Baker’s popular website and the Populist Party of America’s website. Sean also edits and writes for his iNoodle.com and MindfulLivingGuide.com blogs, and welcomes correspondence from readers. His email address is sean@inoodle.com.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Is the Fourth Estate a Fifth Column?
Bill Moyers, In These Times: Corporate media colludes with democracy's demisePhoto: Bill Moyers is the president of the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy and the host of Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. (InTheseTimes.com)
...Sadly, in many respects, the Fourth Estate has become the fifth column of democracy, colluding with the powers that be in a culture of deception that subverts the thing most necessary to freedom, and that is the truth.
But we're not alone and we know what we need to say. So let us all go tell it on the mountains and in the cities. From our websites and laptops, the street corners and coffeehouses, the delis and diners, the factory floors and the bookstores. On campus, at the mall, the synagogue, sanctuary and mosque, let's tell it where we can, when we can and while we still can.
Democracy only works when ordinary people claim it as their own.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Why You Should Stop Watching Mainstream News
Paul Jay, CEO of The Real News Network, is interviewed by Daljit Dhaliwal, host of PBS Foreign Exchange:
The Real News Network:
The Real News Network:
Paul Jay, is CEO and Senior Editor of The Real News Network. TRNN is independent of political parties, is viewer supported and not-for-profit. TRNN does not accept advertising, government or corporate funding. This funding model allows for uncompromising broadcast journalism. Now in ‘start up’ phase, its mission is to be a daily video news service for a mass audience – online and on television. Prior to TRNN, Jay was for ten seasons the creator and executive producer of CBC Newsworld's flagship debate programs, counterSpin and FaceOff. Jay has produced and directed more than 20 major documentary films including "Return to Kandahar", “Lost in Las Vegas” and Hitman Hart: wrestling with shadows, a feature length documentary, that was screened in 25 major festivals and won more than a dozen awards. It's been called "one of the most acclaimed Canadian films in years"(eye magazine), "A tale as bizarre as Kafka and as tragic as Shakespeare" (Ottawa Citizen) and "one of the best films of 1998"(Peter Plagens, art critic for Newsweek). A past chair of the Documentary Organization of Canada, Jay is the founding chair of Hot Docs!, the Canadian international documentary film festival.
Technorati tags: The Real News, News, Journalism, Mainstream Media, Corporate News, Propaganda, Government Propaganda
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
How Public Opinion Has Been Made Irrelevant in America
Glen Greenwald (Salon.com) writes:
read more | digg story
One of the most striking aspects of our political discourse, particularly during election time, is how efficiently certain views that deviate from the elite consensus are banished from sight -- simply prohibited -- even when those views are held by the vast majority of citizens.This discrepancy is a potent commentary on how our democracy functions....
read more | digg story
Saturday, July 19, 2008
John McCain: "It's All In Your Head"
Courtesy of MoveOn.org:
We've been listening to John McCain and George Bush talk about the economy, and we've noticed a pattern: they keep saying the problems are all in our heads.
McCain's campaign co-chair Phil Gramm had to step down because of controversy over his comment that we were in the middle of a "mental recession." But the truth is, John McCain threw Phil Gramm under the bus for saying, less artfully, what he himself has said repeatedly. See it by clicking the video below. Once you've watched, pass it on!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Stop Big Media: Veto the FCC New Rules
After receiving thousands of your phone calls and more than 250,000 letters, the Senate rejected the FCC's plan to let the biggest media companies get even bigger. Tell the House of Representative to take a stand and veto the FCC.
Take Action: Tell the House to Veto the FCC | digg story
Take Action: Tell the House to Veto the FCC | digg story
Friday, June 20, 2008
The Canonization of St. Tim
Alexander Cockburn, The Nation, reports:
"The delirium in the press at Tim Russert's passing has been strange. As a broadcaster he was not much better than average, which is saying very little. He could be a sharp questioner, but not when it really counted and when courage was required. He was tough with George Bush in a February 2004 interview. He taxed him with faking the reasons to attack Iraq. But in the years before the 2003 attack, I used to hear Russert being merciless to those questioning whether Saddam Hussein had the nukes and bioweapons alleged by the Bush Administration and its co-conspirators in the press, prominent among them Russert himself...."Photo credit: Tim Russert. www.centre.edu
Continue reading.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Barack Obama Has Even Won the Matt Drudge Primary
Now, as Obama and Senator John McCain look toward the fall, Drudge has emerged unexpectedly as more of a threat to the Republican than to the Democrat...reflecting a major shift from the last two presidential elections, a matter of open alarm to Republican strategists and surprised satisfaction to Democrats.read more | digg story
Bill Moyers Addresses NCMR 2008
Legendary journalist Bill Moyers addresses the National Conference for Media Reform in Minneapolis, June 7, 2008. Presented by FreePress.net. For more speakers, press coverage, and info, visit: http://www.freepress.net/conference
Trouble viewing this video? Click Here.
Trouble viewing this video? Click Here.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Obama: Let's Challenge the Murdochization of Our Media
The Nation reports:"In a speech Sunday, Barack Obama said he would pursue a vigorous antitrust policy if he becomes U.S. president and singled out the media industry as one area where government regulators would need to be watchful as consolidation increases.Cartoon Credit: THE iPINIONS JOURNAL
His statement signals a key opening for media and democracy reformers and the movement they have spawned in this last decade--a movement The Nation has been centrally involved in ever since we launched our National-Entertainment series (complete with glossy centerfolds) in 1996. Working with this movement, an Obama Administration could effectively challenge the destructive and concentrated attack by corporate media consolidation on the integrity of our democracy...."
read more | digg story
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Fox News Jokes About Killing Obama
Brace yourself! And if your bothered by this, voice your displeasure to: FNS@foxnews.com
While commenting on Hillary's RFK gaffe, Liz Trotta on Fox News Channel first referred to Barack Obama as "Osama" and then laughed that they should both be killed...
read more | digg story
While commenting on Hillary's RFK gaffe, Liz Trotta on Fox News Channel first referred to Barack Obama as "Osama" and then laughed that they should both be killed...
read more | digg story
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