Thoughts on journalism and the media
Keith Olbermann was on PBS last night, Bill Moyers Journal. Very thought provoking. He was asked if his anti-right screeching was any different than Limbaugh's anti-left screeching. Here's a link in case you missed it:
Also, an important vote is coming up next week in the Federal Communications Commission -- whether to let Big Media corporations swallow up even more of our local media.
Hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens think this is unacceptable and are speaking out. One of the main reasons for the pathetic state of journalism today is because media titans like Rupert Murdoch keep buying up and controlling more media.
To drive home the point, Free Press launched a 3-minute "Junk Media" video to sound the alarm and rally opposition to the December 18th vote; it has an important message and a catchy tune:
Who is this FCC guy...this Kevin J. Martin!? How can one man who was never elected have so much power over public airwaves!? Yes, the airwaves belong to we the people! How can Martin totally ignore the opinions of the vast majority of Americans AND the Congress?:
LA Times: "Facing growing criticism of his agenda and tactics, a defiant Kevin J. Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, refused senators' requests Thursday to delay a vote next week on his plan to loosen restrictions on owning a newspaper and broadcast station in the same city.
Martin endured three hours of aggressive questioning from the Senate Commerce Committee, with members accusing him of rushing to help big media companies at the public's expense.[..]"
How long will it be before we find out how Martin got into Murdoch's back pocket?
It's certainly not news that all those mega corporations controlling mainstream media have only one purpose--MONEY.
As long as they can rake in all those lovely advertising dollars they don't care about the content. That's why info-tainment has swallowed hard news. And we the Amuse Me! people just sit back and wait for the next titaliting scandal.
Topics like Iraq veteran suicides, billions of missing war dollars and war equipment and White House corruption...well, all that reality just isn't as sexy as Britney's crotch shots.
I watch PBS for the truth. I don't want to see stories about drunken celebrities, missing wives and senseless shootings 24/7...a little bit is okay for levity, but not 24/7.
Not to mention the incessant Viagra commercials...
I guess it's too much to ask for in depth coverage of what's going on in our government -- ignorance and incompetence, arrogance...corporation manipulation of public policy...
Bill Moyer's Journal, Jim Lehrer's News Hour and other programs on PBS are the last pillars of unbiased TV reporting. Too bad the general public is too addicted to/ hopped up on cable news sugar to realize it.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
