Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Convention coverage and media reform - Josh Silver To: Thursday, September 02, 2004 4:14 PM Convention coverage and media reform Dear Media Reformer, With the GOP convention wrapping up today and Congress returning to Washington next week, media reform advocates are gearing up for a busy season. Media coverage of the election is a disaster. Corporate media are avoiding substantial analysis and debate in favor of sensationalistic sound-bite journalism, gossip and horserace-style speculation. Celebrity journalists mute the tough questions and amplify partisan spin, and rarely point out the inaccurate and misleading statements made by candidates and their proxies. As outgoing head of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Juan Gonzales quipped: " If (a government official) said the world was flat, today's corporate media would dutifully report, 'Breaking News: There Appear to be Differing Views on The World's Shape.' " The facts are damning. Networks will carry a mere three hours of convention coverage this week. During the 2000 election, we heard directly from presidential candidates an average of only 9 seconds per night on the news. Four years later, as election reporting declines, networks are raking in a record $1.5 billion in political ad revenue - hardly an incentive to expand their coverage. Campaign advertisements outnumber campaign news stories four to one. Many conservative organizations and Republican members of Congress have expressed strong support for media reform. Nonetheless, the GOP platform fails to include any support for limits on media consolidation. Once again, Big Media lobbyists are having their way with public policy through close ties with elected officials. Despite these dark days, media reform has more momentum than at any point in our nation's history. In Washington and across the country, activists are redoubling efforts to fight back: 1) Communities nationwide are fighting monopoly cable providers (like Comcast and Time Warner) to ensure that cable and broadband services serve the community and not just the bottom line, with increased public access and more non-commercial channels. 2) Advocates are pressing Congress to force cable monopolies to carry new, independent networks and to make access to cable more affordable through measures like 'a la carte' programming that let viewers choose which channels they pay for. 3) With last year's disastrous loosening of media ownership rules rejected by the courts, activists are pushing for more public involvement in the FCC's creation of new rules. 4) Legislation to license thousands of new low power FM radio stations is working its way through Congress. 5) A growing coalition is demanding increased access to the public airwaves for low-cost, high-speed, wireless broadband that would turn Internet access into a public right instead of a luxury. This is just a glimpse of what's going on in the fight for media reform. Americans understand that our democracy will not survive without tougher journalism, more diverse and independent voices, and a stronger noncommercial media sector. It is up to you to keep the momentum going. The Free Press website (www.freepress.net) is now even easier to use, containing resources and tools to help you get more involved, raise awareness, and hold our elected officials and the media accountable. The time is now - to fight organized media corporations with organized people - and create a media system that puts the public interest before profits. Onward, Josh Silver Free Press P.S. The city of Philadelphia is looking to launch a groundbreaking municipal wireless program that would revolutionize Internet access there. The story can be found on our newswire. P.P.S. Our friends at Common Cause are working on a creative get out the vote campaign that needs ground troops. Go to www.voteforamerica.org. -------- are receiving this message as a r of the Free Press E-Activist list. To discontinue receiving messages, please visit www.freepress.net/action/unsub.php. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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