Taking the media message to the people

[hellbound-liberal]

I admit that I have fired off many angry responses to the slanted coverage that I see and hear on a daily basis, however, I am beginning to believe that we are going at it from the wrong direction. I don't believe that we can count on the media to publicize the fact that they aren't doing their jobs. I think we need to take the message directly to the people. We all need to develop lists of examples of the most biased reporting as it is demonstrated by our local and the national media and distribute these door to door in our neighborhoods. We need to let people know that when they are coming home at night and switching on the tube for their daily dose of "news" that they are seeing only what the editors of these organizations want them to see and that they are being manipulated. We need to include ALL of the major news organizations in our lists, including the Petroleum Broadcasting Service, and the sacrosanct Washington Post and the "liberal" New York Times. We need to do it in a way that is non-confrontational but in a way that clearly shows that we cannot count on the mainstream media to make us informed citizens. We might include links to nonpartisan media watchdog groups that people may wish to consult for further examples. I just had the idea so I haven't filled in all the details but I would like whatever feedback you might have on this idea. This plan will not convince everyone but I think it will reach the people in the middle who are more likely to tink for themselves.

[Dover]

1. I think we ought to get 1000 or more people to go directly to the

corporate headquarters of the major media, with each participant holding a t.v. and a sledgehammer.......and make a statement. A BIG statement about just what we think of what comes across our tubes.

[Kierkegaard]

2. I've mentioned this before

It might be easier to get them to turn on one another. Pick any one offending network, gather several well documented pieces of obvious partisan bias for ammunition, and make a lot of noise with a viscious boycott of their biggest advertiser, to the point of grabbing the attention of the other networks. Other outlets may in turn pick up the 'story' and make our case for us. To attack multiple outlets at once probably wouldn't get much in the way of results.

on edit: stupid spelling error

[volosong]

4. Whether they are listening or not, we still must try

I know of no way to get his message into print other than doing what this participant has suggested, plus writing massive amounts of letters to the editors of our state newspapers.


Although folks may not appear to be "listening," the information is filtering down to them and they are getting subliminal messages courtesy of the fascist media like FOX.

Here is a great media link: http://congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/


I wrote the following on Media Bias and sent it to about 25 newspapers.

Next I will write a letter about "Strong Leadership" in the Presidency, since Bush continues to lead Kerry on leadership.

NEWS MEDIA A PARTISAN APPENDAGE

It is evident that the honored and traditional roles of the reporter and news services are dead. Out of the ashes of the golden age of journalism, an anemic albatross rather than a phoenix has risen.

Empowered yet impotent, timid reporters repeatedly fail to challenge and expose the duplicities of ALL our political leaders. When Bush split his crotch on Kerry’s war record, no one seemed to notice. An objective examination of the Bush blabbers shows 2-5 times more flips than Kerry. Many regard Bush as a total FLOP whose stupid policies are killing people and wasting billions while Americans are suffering.

Kerry-Edwards were greeted by the largest crowd in Portland history estimated between 40,000-60,000. This was ignored by most major US news services. Instead, we saw Bush with a crowd of invited guests, many looking embalmed, listening while Bush stammered and slandered.

If you don't know for whom to vote, all you have to do is look in your wallet, and then look into the eyes of your children. Do you want four more years of a man (who in my opinion has a “cognitive disorder” and is unfit), who has his hands in your pocketbook, his finger on the nuclear trigger, and his head down kissing up to big business and corporate polluters all at your expense?

The third party candidate is effectively not Nader, but the media who are in fact running as a “parasitic appendage” prostituting themselves to Bush in the manner of John McCain. The result is the loss of journalistic integrity, a violation of the public trust, and suffocation of democracy.

I am a veteran and a gun owner. I am not formally affiliated with any candidate. What is notable is not my Doctorate in Political Science, or my Medical Degree, but the fact that I am old enough to remember when reporters and news services used to be a class act: They were aggressive, incisive, and fair instead of playing the court jesters and palace eunuchs.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Are people listening to the news any more?

In the little town where I work, I'm amazed at how many people don't listen to the news at all! The folks I've talked to seem to know that it is biased-I've even been asked by some to tell them what is really going on from what I've read on the Internet, because they don't trust Fox or CNN, and they don't have computers at home!

I think the disjoint happened when the news people trumpeted the tripe about the great economy, how well our troops are being equipped before going over to Iraq, etc, etc. People know from experience or experience of friends and loved ones what is really going on, and they trust what their neighbors say above anything they hear on the box. Maybe its just a rural Ozarks phenonmenom, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

[KharmaTrain]

5. I Post Alternative Suggestions...Not A Response

Yes, telling the media how bad they are is a major waste...especially with the self-righteous egos we're dealing with here. There are others way to go that can be effective and put CNN and other networks on notice they're really being watched.

It's going after the troika that really supports this network...cable companies, advertisers and Time/Warner. CNN will ignore protesters running around NYC with CNN Sucks signs, but a corporation may have a problem with pickets outide their corporate headquarters or a local word-of-mouth campaign against a local cable operator or avoiding using or buying Time/Warner products.

Well...i'm sure this post is going to die, too.

Good luck.

[blondeatlast]

7. I'm all for a slick, organized, PROMINENT boycott of a product.

Most of us can handle putting off purchasing an auto in the next few months, and they are major advertisers. Not only that, their sales have a far-reaching effect; finance, insurance, oil, etc ad infinitum.


Even a slight decrease in auto sales won't be good for Bunnypants, etiher.

Edit: it also hits locally, when dealers can't afford to advertise!

[KharmaTrain]

8. It's more direct...letting the advertiser know why you won't buy...

This isn't the boycott in the sense of not buying as much as alerting these corporations that there's a large consumer base out there that can connect their product with a controversial or unfavorable company or issue.

It's letting the local car dealer or bank that you had considered purchasing their product, or had in the past, and as long as they sponsor corporations that offend me and my family, my dollars will go to your competitor. Stating specific purchases, an upcoming purchase and the competitor helps a lot, too.

You'd be amazed as the reaction...

Cheers!

[checks-n-balances]

6. The media is going to adopt whatever angle rakes in the most $

When the ideas of democracy start catching on with those who will make a financial difference to them, they'll start listening.

Either that, or they need to be convinced that they may be making money right NOW from their support of BushCo, but that he's leading us all into the financial toilet - ultimately - THEMSELVES included.

Somehow the media AND the general public must be roused out of their sleep to realize that the GOP would be the demise of ALL of us, not just Democrats and the powerless.