Should Democrats REALLY hold the media responsible for their biases?

[malachibk]

Should they (NOT Kerry who must stay above the fray) hijack conversations when on-air and start pointing out the inconsistencies, and omissions that are so endemic? Use facts, stay calm but take Wolf et al to task.

I have to admit that I am tired of being told to contact CNN, FOX, ABC etc. I have. Dozens of times. THEY DON'T LISTEN. THEY DON'T CHANGE.

Thus, I have concluded that we have no power here. Our voice, in this instance, does not carry any weight -- we should use it elsewhere.

The media are not going to cover their own faults -- even if the NYT takes them to task again -- and our bitching does nothing.

Is it time for Democrats WITH A VOICE, with ACCESS and INVITATIONS TO SPEAK on these cable "news" outlets to stir shit up? Or should they fear the repercussions of such mutiny?

[movonne]

1. If we all would shut off all cable news...then it might work...but I

don't think that will happen. It would impact the advertisers..remember there is a lot more of us.

[BJ]

2. Oh, faint of heart........

Look, the reactionary Christian right has inundated the media for years with complaint letters so pay-back's way overdue. So what if Faux, NBC etc., etc., don't listen right away. Threaten to boycott their advertisers.

What if all progressive Democratic beer-drinkers threaten to boycott Budweiser products? The nets'ld listen.

[Nordic]

6. threaten to sue them as well

I have, and I've gotten responses.

Lawsuits are about the only thing in this counttry that corporations pay any attention to

[Memekiller]

3. You're completely wrong...

The reason the media is so terrified of drifting off White House talking points is the angry calls and e-mails they get every time they do, and the lack of them they get when they beat up on Democrats. Believe me, harassing the media works. It's proven to work. It's the reason Matthews found his backbone for a week, and it silenced Scarborough. It's why FOX News is on the defensive, trying to assert theiir "objectivity", and trying to trash Media Matters. They're still God awful, but not as bad as they would be if we were silent.

It works, big time. And we should do more of it.

[Nordic]

5. yes, don't choose, but do all of it

you actually don't know if contacting the media is working or not.

I've actually gotten some responses from people I've contacted.

Doesn't mean they're changing, but it at least means they read what I wrote and didn't just hit "delete".

We just don't hit them hard ENOUGH.

Look at those Yahoo stories, look at how the right-wing votes on them, almost immediately, votes down stories like "5 marines killed in Iraq in 24 hours" and rates them down into the 2's.

It's disgusting that they would do that, but they're doing that.

They are still more organized than we are (they're kinda like ants, or bees).

So we have to hit them on ALL fronts, not just one or two, and we can't give up on any of the fronts.

Sound and fury, that's what we have to be. Sound and fury.

[CarolynEC]

4. Definitely seize the microphone at every opportunity

Howard Dean does this very well usually. A recent example: Candy Crowley asks him a question about some swiftboat crap or another, Howard -- in the process of answering -- turns it into an opportunity to talk about how Bush is untrustworthy.

Home run, our side!

Just like you said: No ranting, no raving. No dodging questions. Just calmly and expertly turn every question into a chance to slam Bush, promote Kerry.

Remember that, as a surrogate or as the candidate himself, you are talking to the viewers, NOT the interviewers. This should be drummed into every Dem appearing on TV, the radio or in the newspaper from now until November -- JK included.

[cybildisobedience]

7. my two cents:

how about we do both -- we continue to keep the heat on and call them on their blatant whoring for Bush AND the party representatives and Kerry spokespeople get tough with the media.
These media people are like bullies -- they'll push and push until someone pushes back. If Dem spokespeople continue to allow them to frame the debate to favor Repukes and to slip in their little lies and rumors, they'll continue doing it. If someone calls them on this crap, they'll back down. THEY don't want to be humiliated in front of a national audience -- and really, let's face it, all they care about are themselves.
We sometimes ascribe -- childishly, I would add -- all these grand notions to the media, assuming that it's made of up professionals concerned with the greater good, peace and social justice.
I really don't think we can go wrong assuming that they're the lowest of the low, and then be pleasantly surprised when they prove to be otherwise.