You're not far off 22!

And thinking is not un-American. The corporate/government greed-structure has created that lie too.

I remember the days when I still fell for the thinking-is-uncool hegemony.

Now if this page could be put to pictures and music, played at every TV advertising kiosk, I bet Americans would be very interested in thinking, again.

Or, they can just go to their local theater and see it all:

WAR, Inc.!

"General Electric has never, and will never, interfere in the editorial process at NBC News."

I know for a fact that this is a lie. When GE was poisoning workers in it's NM plants during the 90's, and Clinton was forced to sign the executive order on Environmental Justice, The Today Show was in town (ABQ) to do a story on us. We wanted to talk about the workers being poisoned, and the community members living with GE's toxins around the plant - and the execs said no. Since then, workers and fenceline communities - those most impacted by industrial toxics - have been divided and pit against one another for corporate gain.

When people ask how I'm doing I say, "people are dying"; I don't know what else to say.

I have expressed outrage in every way I know how. Where is the outrage in this article? People are still dying, profiteering from war is still the reason, and people continue to talk like this is some philosophical abstract suitable for Sunday brunch.

I have tried to be part of something and change it from within; it has not worked. I denounce the broken American so called two party system which cannot be repaired; I reject the MSM propaganda machine and refuse to be subjected to it.

Until America en masse adopts that position, in effect revolt against the new tyranny that oppresses our people, nothing will change but for the worse.

g

It takes courage and integrity to bite the hand that feeds you, and the corporate media have kept the fourth estate very well fed. So what do you expect? When jurnalists become millionaires, they start acting like millionaires.

BeForKids

Shame on all the media. Couric, you make me ILL! Go sign another multi-million dolar contract and sell the rest of your soul!

Journalistic + Courage = Oxymoron in the "New World Dis-Order".

At least Couric was more honest than the fatuous Gibson, who may as well be back on Fox News.

jj

These disgusting media whores want to come clean now? To cleanse their cesspool souls? Too late. I'm sure the thousands of dead soldiers and civilians are thrilled to hear them now come out & say, "But we were under such pressure!!" Cry me a freekin river. And make it deep! Do you mean pressure like the pressure of metal fragments tearing through your bodies? Or was it the pressure of your main income provider being sent to an unneccessary war? Or the pressure of your daddy dying in some bombed out litter box?

I think perhaps it is more the pressure of maybe losing your cushy corporate BS job and possibly losing that summer home and one of the cars.

Honest? Not one of these whores is an honest human being! You want honesty? I want honesty! I want to see dumbass Couric go on TV tonight prime time and spill ALL the beans on everything she knows, has been told, and has been told to supress about this war and this administration. Spill the beans! You want to cleanse your putrid soul? Spill it tonight on TV. That would be the only way to start making it up to the dead for the LIES that helped begin this bloody usseless war.

Disgusting.

I don't think "traitor" is too strong of a word for the MSM not just about Iraq, but for quite some time. See Norman Solomon's "War Made Easy."

It's not just the reporters that are to blame here.
The entire MSM and all it's employees are at blame.

When the "nightly news" is marketed as entertainment, and ratings are the only criteria for keeping on air staff, those 'on air' folks will do anything that they can to keep their jobs. The sabre rattling and so called 'patriotic fever' that was sweeping aside voices of reason during the invasion of Iraq had a lot to do with the way this illegal war was marketed.
Any reporter that asked the "wrong" questions would be out of a job. Even many enterainers saw their ratings drop when they spoke out against the war or sung an anti war song. The Dixie Chicks had a real hard time after presenting anti war comments, as did Michael Moore at the Oscar's. Even some popular songs were banned from the air by Clear Channel.

Of course the owners of those stations that caused the on air staff to report murder and maiming in a positive light had their own agenda; by sucking up to and bribing the bush administration with what is known as campaign contributions, they could see that they could control a larger percentage of the news through additional media ownership.

As far as I can tell nothing has changed. This article talks in the past tense. So you guys know it's wrong but you do it anyway. Is this some kind of addiction? I know you don't need the money badly enough to sell out your country, admit it, and keep doing it.

What's going on here?

"General Electric has never, and will never, interfere in the editorial process at NBC News."

No, they don't "interfere," unless you count firing journalists who don't toe the corporate line and hiring people eager to do so. Witness the rise of Couric, Gibson and Williams. CBS is probably surprised that their soft-news darling/cheerleader turns out to be smarter and more conscientious than the other two.

Government officials and corporate executives. What's the difference? We have a banking and corporate oligarchy.

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to
tremble for the safety of my country; corporations have been enthroned, an era of
corruption in High Places will follow, and the Money Power of the Country will
endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the People, until
the wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic is destroyed."
Abraham Lincoln
Source:http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Abraham.Lincoln.Quote.4F97

All this retrospective self reflection among TV journalists about what questions should have been asked but weren't, and what sort of implicit and explicit pressures were focused on the networks during the invasion of Iraq to marginalize antiwar voices is of course constructive, but why cast this issue of media enabling solely in the past tense?

Today's White House/Pentagon approved spin script insists that the Petraeus surge, the arming of Sunni militias in the great Anbar Awakening, and the fomenting of Shiite versus Shiite warfare central to the ongoing assault into Sadr City all be characterized as evidence of "progress" and "success" however fragile, on a long and winding road towards something invariably labeled "stability" or even "victory."

I still don't hear any of the talking heads on my cable spectrum asking candid questions about how the United States military mission in Iraq has clearly become that of an army of occupation - which is the way the continued American presence in the Middle East is universally perceived by the locals, and by most of the rest of the world - and why perpetuating this occupation is supposedly in our national interest.

Bill from Saginaw

So we sit back and blame the media---and that makes us feel better. Hey it's not our fault, right...

Sounds a bit like Bush blaming faulty intelligence about WMDs...

The real blame lies in all those Americans who sat back and watched the farce take place and didn't do a thing about it. Americans are too fat and too lazy to dig a little deeper. The truth was, and is, out there, but most would rather sit back and take in the propaganda and not question authority.

What did you do to stop the war?

" Mr. Gibson ... It is not our job to debate them. It is our job to ask the questions."

What a TOOL. A legitimate press would do more than just ask questions, and a legitimate press would definitely question their answers.

madcow --

I spoke out, I wrote letters, I marched in protests, I told my 100s of U.S. history students about the history of U.S. government lies and deception and how this was more of the same.

Let us not blame the people for being lied to. People don't generally engage in critical thinking until they're reminded of the consequences of passivity. I think we're approaching a teachable moment. And, I would add, Americans are just like people anywhere else, although it is true we have more stuff. People are still people.

The Left all too often plays into the hands of the right-wing propagandists that we're arrogant elitists. If we're supposed to be about putting people first and the social welfare of our fair land generally, we should have some compassion. We're not going to win anyone over by telling them how ignorant or stupid or fat or lazy they are.

Is this Lucy setting up the football for Charlie Brown yet again? Corporate media cannot be trusted. Sorry Wormtongue, no deal.

Around 911 I still had a TV and I sat glued to it for days watching the spiders spin for their weapons dealing masters. They never asked the questions that I was shouting at the television. How is it a dummy like me could have fifteen or twenty more relevant questions, each and every hour, than these million dollar journalists?

When they were done and the bombs began to fall, I fully grokked and I unhooked the cable from my TV. Now, on a steady diet of Common Dreams and Chomsky and Naomi Klein and Luis Lapham and George Monbiot, I'm seeing more clearly -and like a reformed smoker who can't stand the smell of an ashtray, I get physically revolted by mainstream media bullshit. I had a root canal last month and the worst part was the television screen built into the dentist's office ceiling pumping out brain-sewage MSM news.

Have you noticed that everybody now belatedly 'whistleblowing' on pentagon and media complicity in manufacturing consent for the invasion has already 'got their nut'? They've got a whack of cash tucked away safe, they're retired, and now the outrage must be exposed! It's all Tammy-Faye tears and elaborate self-delusion.

You can't spell DIShoNEstY without DISNEY host. Whatever that means.

As one who has stood up and lost both a career and government job because of it, I have no sympathy for Couric, Gibson, and the rest of them. They sold their souls for money. They have neither courage nor character. Apology not accepted.

They continue to deny and lie. Phil Donahue was fired or cancelled from MSNBC because of his opposition to the war. Only after the polls showed that the majority of Americans opposed the war did they allow dissenting hosts air time.
So sad. Goodbye MSM.

Well it makes sense if you look at it this way - the corporate media is interested in one thing only, and this thing are ratings. The more people you get to watch, the more money you make on advertisement.
Of course, people watch news they "like" way more (That is what makes FOX so succesful) then news that actually challenge people to thing about issues.
TRUTH does not sell well, EMOTIONS are way better at this, and people at the top do know this very well...

There does not seem to be much of a difference between news and propaganda these days...

You got to be kidding: is this really news to anyone?

News? What is that? The Ameri(k)an people have been getting tripe for decades now. Consider Katie Couric: what could be more pathetic than poor little Katie marching lock step with her corporate handlers and doing their bidding rahter than actually present something news worthy and reflecting the hegemony of the forces of our demise.

Just in case this Cat did not GET IT before. The 'game' has been fixed for years. Wake up, moron.

RE:
Most members of the US press deserve to be set before Nuremberg-style tribunals, and given Nuremberg-style sentences.

I agree.

But lets throw in the entire administration and congress as well. We know they are all guilty. For selling out our country to the highest bidders - the military industrial complex, the oil cartels. And their interests are placed above all of the peoples' interests at every junction.

When government no longer serves the people, when they pass laws to criminalize non-purchase of insurance whether it be for cars or health, when they pass laws to make it legal to infringe on privacy to drug test to allow for education and employment, when they take away habeus corpus and our rights to sue for damages from corporate product liability, they are tools of corporate interests and not serving the peoples' interests any longer.

When government wither away our rights for democratic due process and free speech and rights of free assembly, the people must revolt and remove said government. It is a civic duty. It is a patriotic duty to our country and all those who fought for and died for our inaliable rights as a free people.

The Supreme Court that gave us the 2000 debacle, that made a farce of our democratic process, should also stand trial and impeachment and their punishment should be severe enough as to deter ever again an activist decision as they made. They have proven themselves to be a totally lawless court. They have been criminal in their intent to roll back 200 years of precedence.

I have one more thing to say - to Scalia - the masses WILL one day come for you and it will be messy and you sir will deserve everything that will come to pass when that day dawns. (HA! HA! as if Scalia reads CD!)

To Ms. Couric, Mr. Gibson, and Mr. Williams, et al I bid a hearty "Fuck YOU". You lying, groveling worms did your damage and now want to pretend it was all gubmint and corporate "pressure"? Since late 2001 not one of you had the guts and integrity to stand up and tell the truth. So now it's CYA time, eh?

Too little, and way too late. One can only hope that you'll find the decency somewhere in your craven hearts to commit suicide, and thus the public you "serve" would be much better off.

The evidence was there for all to see in spite of the lack of MSM coverage.

Many of us as well as others attempted to get attention of the 'sheepies' but failed. We did not do enough, no matter what. We failed.

So, even with that in mind, and the uncontrovertible fact that we have not 'voted with our feet'. we must accept complicity in the war crimes committed by our elected (and unelected) leaders.

I did not hear of too many people who burned their US id cards and renounced citizenship to protest the crimes against humanity carried out in their names.

So, ergo, we are just as guilty!!!

I could be wrong, but I feel that I failed in some way.

I saw a promotional commercial the other day for CBS nightly news with Katie Couric. They flashed glimpses of Cronkite and I about lost it. They're trying to give her some instant credibility and compare her with Cronkite. Shes a piece of shit and there hasnt been any news on television since 2000. if you want to see a news program and actually find out what is going on in the world you need to watch the BBC news. Its amazing the stark difference you immediately see. Katie Couric is reporting on Britney Spears and the BBC about the world food crisis. Where oh where is the fucking outrage.....

As soon as the chaos in Houston materialized, a moment of clarity hit Americans. Just as American Idol was interrupted for a news flash, so was the consciousness of an increasingly knowing republic. That same moment as last time, the moment of clarity that teased meaning into lives directly after the towers were knocked out of the sky, and right before that moment was hijacked by the government's occupation of a complicit media, the moment resurfaced, just like an old dream.

Meanwhile, as the latest Idol was debated and as people continue to be disgusted by the Obama/Clinton media circus, Blackwater & Co. had already begun deploying and preparing for the Hell in Houston--had already given it its media tag.

However, this fact was known because an underground web, a high speed train, an information freedom train, if you will, an underground RR, freeing America's slaves, had been building for an unspecified amount of years, years before Blackwater's evil seed of destruction germinated.

With the last attack on 9/11, the underground web was loosely formed, not very large, and had made the mistake of trusting its government. This time, the message, the train of free thought's movement, had gained a viral momentum, speeding faster, carrying a growing network of passengers who went to work by day, lived normal lives, and took any chance they could to subvert the government/corporate power structure by not buying crap, by turning off televisions, by going under code names like Tuxedo1 and finding pathways into media, by urging people to think, even by voting.

When Houston was destroyed the Peace Train didn't wait to hear CNN's news cast. Instead, the large underground movement steamed into every major news source and gave the people the truth. The people, assuming it was a genuine CNN/ABC/CBS/MSBSC/TSBS broadcast, became outraged. They found a candidate that was as outraged as they were, new candidates cropped up in every state, new parties emerged, the government fell back into the hands of the people. And the poor souls left to defend a complicit Media Industrial Complex repented and faded to black--but never saw that defense printed or broadcast.

Sorry, but the press doesn't go in front of a Neuremburg type trial. They did nothing wrong. The press is all about profit, in a profit driven world. They were just giving us what we want.

Even NPR got it wrong, and still does. And how many of us give them money without saying "here's this because I like this program, and there would be more if you'd tell the truth about..."

Now maybe someone will say "maybe this new truth will sell. Maybe I can get rich exposing these people. Maybe people will actually buy it." But the right has deep coffers and can offer up a quick buyout of the truth.

I guess the right was correct about the "liberal media." Boy, they sure screwed up again didn't they? That damned liberal media, you just can't believe them.

WHY DON'T I HEAR PEOPLE ON HERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE LIBERAL MEDIA WASN"T SO BAD, AND HOW IF THE TRUTH IS LIBERAL THAN WE NEED MORE OF IT, AND HOW IT MIGHT HAVE ITS DAY IN THE SUN RIGHT NOW AND HOW WE NEED TO TAKE IT BACK? Now's the time to snap back. Now's the time to talk openly about how this is what happens when the propaganda paints the truth as "liberal" and equating that to being evil.

I've always said that the public was more critical in communist Russia than in this country. There, whatever the media told you, you knew it was party-driven propaganda. Here, it's whatever the masses are willing to believe; or worse, whatever they're willing to put up with in a 20 second sound byte sndwiched between superbowl halves.

We need talking points. Here's one: "Oh for the days of the 'liberal media'."

Or "FOX news, Better than that damned liberal media?"

Or "FOX news, fair and balanced corporate propaganda"

Or "FOX news, basically the truth in reverse"

Or "MSM, if it zigs you're well-advised to zag."

A century ago a town would send a snake-oil salesman packing for duping townspeople of their hard-earned money. Then came the right with their "Caveat Emptor" and "nobody ever said life was fair" (i'm sure it wasn't a poor man that originated that, but somehow he's been willing to repeat it). Now instead of a slick-talking snakeoil salesman we are barraged with corporate sales pitches from birth in the morning to grave at night. How are we to defend ourselves?

Damn that liberal media for getting us into this.

" Another broadcast journalist also weighed in. Jessica Yellin, who worked for MSNBC in 2003 and now reports for CNN, said on Wednesday that journalists had been "under enormous pressure from corporate executives, frankly, to make sure that this was a war presented in a way that was consistent with the patriotic fever in the nation."

On Thursday, she clarified her comments in a blog post, writing that her producers at MSNBC had wanted their coverage to reflect the patriotic mood of the country."

PATRIOTIC FEVER??? PATRIOTIC MOOD??? And just where did this supposed fever come from? The ones who pointed to the Mideast and cried "It was them! They are stealing YOUR oil! Kill them!"

Journalists, politicians, corporations, religion. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse.

After all this, CBS wonders why their news ratings are tanking. If they'd report the news in an honest, unbiased fashion I'd probably still be watching. But with the right-wing corporatist/fascist slant, I'm sorry. I'll switch to PBS, thank you.

Goodbye and good riddance, Katie Couric and CBS News!

I'm old enough to remember Nixon's demise. Afterwards, you couldn't find ANYONE who voted for him in the previous landslide victory. Flag decals and "America, Love It or Leave It" bumper stickers disappeared almost overnight.

The Haters of the so-called "Silent Majority" went silent, biding their time. A few came out with Reagan, but all were strutting proudly by 2000.

"Sig Heil!" has been heard resounding around the country and across the airwaves for 7 years now. But wait! Bush falters! The rats begin leaving the sinking ship.

And so again, the Haters creep back into their holes. By this time next year, you won't be able to find ANYONE who supported Bush.

Yet, I will remember. Will you?

All these years I mistakenly thought it stood for Corporate Broadcasting Shills. But it doesn't really stand for anything. It just means exactly what it says. If you want to see BS, you've come to the right place.

Couric's mea culpa still doesn't transform her into Edward R. Murrow. She's still nothing more than a vapid sorority sister reading horse shit off a teleprompter. Do what Charles Gibson contemplates - leave after your contract runs out (if not before). No one will miss you and the horse shit will still smell the same, merely delivered by someone else with a Trent Lott haircut and teeth as large and straight as Norman Rockwell's picket fence.

and let's remember the punditocracy's knee-jerk response to the bombing of the murrah federal building in oklahoma city: "the A-RABS're comin' t' GETCHA!"

after a few isolated but predictable cases of muslim bashing, including several fatalities, it turned out the perps were a couple of buzz-cut, corn-fed, decorated gulf war vets. you might think that some sort of self-examination and contrition would have been appropriate, and you'd be right---but disappointed.

being a media star means never having to say you're sorry. we trust them at our peril.

Phil Donahue was fired from MSNBC and his show eliminated because he took anti-war stance before the invasion.

ASSESSMENT? INDEED!

The media above all must be changed from corporate control of a few. We all know this has become the official propaganda to keep the public told what they are supposed to know, not too much different from Pravda. We don't have a democracy regardless of how misled the public is by the media to think this is a functioning democracy. Change is necessary to give democratic exposure to the all-important ideas the public must know to make an informed decision.

The media must present an understanding of the complex thought necessary to be brought to bear on global complex issues of survival. Certainly a departure is required from the simplistic superficial treatment ad-nauseam we witness each day, which passes for news presented by the Barby-Doll class of newsreader called journalist.

The media who carries their continued assault against progressive ideas and those, who would in any way, attempt to bring different thinking to bear on the so called "American Dream" which has become the world's nightmare. The media must begin to understand its roll as an objective commentator to the necessary changes that must be made to the USA and the world if humanity is to survive. It above all must also be changed to once again give exposure to ideas that facilitate understanding of complex thought on complex issues. A departure from the simplistic superficial treatment ad-nauseam we witness which passes for news.

The media is out of control this election has shown us just how far it has gone to dumb-down the public. The recent move by ABC to remove candidates from the debates was outrageous. They are trying to determine the fate of the country and the world being mouthpiece for special interests and the government, in the process silencing dissent. Scott McClellan showed us the above propaganda that now passes for news and its complicity in pushing this country into war.

Media censure is unheard, the FCC should rule for the public but like the EPA its teeth are continually drawn. The media has no right to exclude any politician who is running for office as happened recently with the ABC debate. The ABC's license would be lifted if the rules were changed but the congress, with the exception of a few push for more media conglomeration supported by special interests. I hope that someone picks up on this thought. We have seen the obsession by FOX and CNN, and others in the form of Wolf Blitzer, and the FOX rabid journalists constantly referring to the Rev. Wright controversy.

Blitzer's bias is clear. He is quick to use every possible negative he can against Obama from the Flag Pin to anything else he could get his mouth around. His support for Clinton has been clear and inappropriate, for CNN to call itself a "fair and balanced" news network. I quote Mr. Nichols: 
" The media pretense of being a fly on the wall has often been preposterous. In the real world of politics — where power brokers and manipulators proceed with the cynical axiom that perception is reality — the fly on the wall is the wall. The political press corps is not observing reality as much as redefining it while obstructing outlooks and constraining public perceptions."

As usual, few are able to see the stampede of the public sheep created by media. I support the change that Obama represents! He is intelligent and wants America once again to be looked upon as a great nation that it could still be and once was. The present "lack of experience" cry of Clinton is preposterous. But picked up by the media who far from being Liberal, has tried to bury Obama with Rev. Wright and nearly succeeded. Could anyone having been near the White house as long as Bush done as badly for the USA? There is experience! However, the discovery of a job approval rating for him at about 28% of the American people speaks volumes about experience. Yet the media seeing this clearly has remained silent! No one could have been as bad as the Bush team, yet McCain still raises this issue with the corporate media thundering silence.

A flight from entrenched American politics is necessary . . . it has ruined this country and made greed the single value of importance. The young people once again embrace hope as a result of the Obama campaign. The Hillary political group and entrenched politics have virtually destroyed America with its policies and exclusive power clubs. She has believed this form government is America and should continue in the face of this catastrophe but no such discussion is ever enjoined in this media. Israel has dropped CNN in favor of Al Jazerza this is the state of American media.

Mr. Gore Vidal, has pointedly criticized mainstream media as one of the major problems, and what is wrong with the USA. The corporate media conglomerates control the message and that message is perversely distorted and panders to its advertising portfolio! Wolf Blitzer one of the glaring examples of this criticism and shows clearly those distorted ideas with his reporting, which is nothing more than partially factual opinion dictated by his bosses.

He is a person who has no right to shape public opinion far from being the "fly on the wall" he espouses to be. We must remember flies morph from maggots. He displays ignorance as a virtue for the entire world to see, an example of what is considered, by many in America to be news reporting. If Blitzer were billed as a CNN commentator, at least the public would not be hoodwinked to believe his reporting to be the truth, while it is lack of concern for accuracy, rectitude and fairness to be considered to be news rather than opinion.

The future leaders, Obama or McCain, should discuss the problems America and the world faces. The questions should have the quality and courage of the ideas that might be an anathema to the public but the government does not want this kind of discussion. The problem of public ignorance of the issues caused by the media is serious. In the heat of elections the media panders to voter ignorance. The emphasis, as we see on nightly, so-called news, is constant repetition of candidate's miscues. The result of the media sensationalism becomes, the wrong problem and the wrong message at a crucial time in world history. The emphasis on having the politicians address a credible platform of ideas based on an American and global interaction in the world is critical but it does not occur.

There is not enough time left for civilization to focus on rubbish. The energy and environmental issues for example or food and health care are the problems the media should be focusing upon. But to use the Rev, Wright issue for one week, to try and hurt the candidacy of Obama is a travesty. The issues most pressing are once again avoided, those really important issues that must be put before the congress and the electorate; the environment, continued funding of Iraq, energy issues, education, health care and so many others not dealt with, all impacting upon the economy, the failure of public dialog is outrageous!

The issues of this election will impact on the environment, economy and the future of the USA as never before. Still, if more than 50% of eligible voters cast their votes it will be a miracle, as a result of regressive US election laws and media obfuscation. It is compulsory for everyone to vote as in Australia it should be so in the USA as well. Few of the candidates are really talking about the major points, even those who are the most erudite. The environment in association with the economy or health care and elections reform, to name some, are kept out of public dialog as a result of the nonsense punditry hours on end. The world looks at America and its "star struck reality" in wonder.

The media reduces the public debate to its most simplistic level with pundits arguing about one inconsequential issues rather than the truly important issues of our time. The American people are kept from hearing and understanding the relationship of the entire group of crucial issues, which a true leader must address for the very survival of America within a global economy. The costs for the war would pay for every single need from health care to American infrastructure repair and education, as well as the alleviation of world hunger and energy research this is what is what is at stake.

The media deals with Rev. Wright and the American Flag lapel pins instead.
The media keeps the public dumbed down for obvious reasons they represent the corporate aristocracy who work with the government for the correct propaganda to be aired. As a result the public becomes unable to talk about moving radically toward change and the related issues affecting their very life and future.

The issues of climate change, energy issues and the global economy, not only American economy, the "free market" system, controls where America is going but we only hear about the cost of gasoline rather than the issues of conservation associated with that idea unless it is at 3AM. All the other issues, including people losing their homes as a result of Wall Street manipulation and are tied to these fundamental problems.

The above is the first and major issue, which affects all other issues and is completely related to the economic changes that must take place. However, this is not news but Rev Wright can occupy one week of airtime. The media board rooms instruct their so-called journalists (news/opinion readers) to stay clear of those subjects that would attack advertising, consumption, tied together in the media collusion with special interests to maintain the consumer system killing the world. Media in collusion with government does not want the change that would result in the decline of there hundreds of millions of dollars in profits.

All environmental problems are in one way or another associated with the Western world's consumption based lifestyle led by the USA. These issues are affected by consumer advertising much of it coming from the millions spent on advertising of irrelevant product and campaign advertising found at news broadcasts.

Phil Donahue was fired and his top rated Show eliminated because he took an anti-war stance. "Another words stood for truth"!
I guess Couric and the rest of the sellout crowd don't have his courage.

Only good that may come out of this,is that perhaps America will begin to wakeup alittle and relise they are being lied too on daily basis, by the very people they rely on for truth.
MSM as lost all it's credibility if really ever had any, in eyes of those that really paid attention.
Sometimes I wonder if the American people really have the stomach for the truth about their government about the so-called American way of life.
Or if in finding out the truth they would just turn away and continue to live the lie. I think the latter is true. That is why it makes it so easy for the MSM to sell the governments narrative.
It's not hard to sell someone, something they want to buy!

The US media is doing about your next war in Iran what they did prior to your pre-emptive and unprovoked war against Iraq. Your media is selling the Cheney propaganda line. Your media is cooperating quite nicely with your military-industrial war mongers in prepping the US public by making Iran out to be a villain, when in fact Iran is just looking out for its own interests like Israel does.

As for the Iraq war, where are the critical stories about US conduct in that war? The wholesale destruction of the civillian infrastructure of Fallujah; the poisoning of water wells by your soldiers and by the mercenaries you have hired from Blackwater, Haliburton and the like? The havoc caused by your use of nuclear weapons (so-called de-nuclearized uranium weapons)on the population of Iraq? The fact that huge dumps of the vehicles etc wrecked by your nuclear weapons are so hot that they literally glow in the dark and no-one will go near them? The fact that hundreds of your soldiers and thousands of Iraqi civilians suffer from uranium sickness? Your media has stood silently by as thousands of years of Middle East history and cultural heritage have been destroyed by your soldiers and hired-gun mercenaries. This destruction appears to have meant no more to you than would the tearing-down of some US town's McDonald's restaurant. As far as I am concerned, the fifth estate in the US is moribund.

You were lied into the Iraq war and your media is selling the lies for its continuation and for the next against Iran.

The US has lost its moral right to lead.

I am a Canadian and used to be a strong admirer of what you in the US stood for. No more.

No surprise here. Or press,media, etc. is a bought and paid for propaganda arm of the government.

That's what happpens when you live in a stupligarchy (rule by the stupid rich)

Well Katie, you are part of the problem. It was you who fawned over the military by saving, "Navy Seals Rock" Were you pressured into saying that?

madcow,

I agree with you 100%

figmentzenguitar,

I also wrote letters, marched, etc. and I'm glad you did the same. However, I have little compassion for people who ignorantly supported a war that has resulted in the deaths of 1000s of people. If we're talking about something in which PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE, the American public has an obligation to think critically. There is no excuse.

figmentzenguitar 1:04

You wrote:

"Let us not blame the people for being lied to. People don't generally engage in critical thinking until they're reminded of the consequences of passivity. I think we're approaching a teachable moment. And, I would add, Americans are just like people anywhere else, although it is true we have more stuff. People are still people.

The Left all too often plays into the hands of the right-wing propagandists that we're arrogant elitists. If we're supposed to be about putting people first and the social welfare of our fair land generally, we should have some compassion. We're not going to win anyone over by telling them how ignorant or stupid or fat or lazy they are."

I disagree strongly with your analysis. Americans are not like people anywhere else. In Europe the people overthrow their governments when they have elections that are stolen. In France the people strike whenever their government tries to take away a social benefit or a civil right. I could go on and on here...

And what do I care about the fascist right-wing frame that calls any college graduate arrogant and elitist? There will always be 30% of the populace that believes that crap, and I rather not soften my message to placate them.

Perhaps the difference between us is best explained by your seeing an opportunity for a 'teachable moment" I think we're way beyond that. We're talking about a million dead Iraqis here...killed by those troops we're all supposed to support. What this moment is most in need of is a revolution.

Cheers, Ike kay.

The fact that we're crammed in these corners of the media machine to even have this discussion illustrates clearly how the US has been stripped of its free press.

ike kay---right on! brilliant post!

Iv'e got to give G.E. a little bit of credit for not pulling Keith Olberman off of MSNBC. It shows
that they will let anything on the air if it pulls in big ratings and therefore big profits.

Every progressive who is getting a so-called "economic stimulus" tax rebate should give serious consideration to donating it to independent media such as, WORLD LINK, FREE SPEECH TV, or DEMOCRACY NOW. Give me more AMY GOODMAN and JUAN GONZALEZ.

Every Neo-con,fascist should give their check right back to the government because we all know how much they hate "Socialist" government hand-outs, better yet, they should sign their check over to a wounded veteran.

What do you expect when all forms of media (newspapers, TV stations, etc., etc.) are allowed (encouraged?) to form enormous conglomerates that are bought and owned by only a priviledged few? Add to that the fact that "news" stations are subject to viewer ratings. Twenty years ago that was definitely NOT the case. If only our country could be given back to "we the people".

CBS will probably send Katie to Gitmo now.

I was an Art Director at two local broadcast stations for a total of 10 years and at least 85% of the products being advertised were items I'd never buy for several reasons like cost, need, environmental impact and worth to me. Most all of the other employees at both stations, mainly in sales, promotional and the news dept. did like... relate to ...and would buy a majority the products advertised. The upper middle class that ran the stations... who dictated the nature of the media ...did so based on only their personal values. I'm sure it's no different further up the media chain. When you look at the subject/topic of the advertising that plays (pays!) between the programing on most all news outlets (most all TV programing!), the values of the ads will reflect the values of both whom the programing is written/framed for and by the originators themselves. When it came to the local "news", it was not written by, presented by or directed towards anyone like me! Any time I objected to content based on facts, moral, political, environmental, social reasons ...anything that didn't relate to the appearance, I was reminded that I was only to be accountable for and concerned about the "look" ...which no one had problems with! That was why even with my verbal protest and letters of discontent to my own management they keep me there at both stations. I did my job.
After realizing that there were only a hand full of people at the stations that shared my views (late night staff, house keeping, production dept.) I realized that I'd never be seen by my peers as any more than the station's token "hippster greenie lefty artist". I grew tired of the "uniqueness"!

I left corporate TV 15 years ago and literally have never looked back! LOL!
I would highly incourge anyone from "getting" their information from ONLY corporate anything! Unless... of course, they share the values of corporate America.
Don't expect real info from corporate news until it gets REAL bad!
Sorry...but really...the revolution is not being televised but on just 3-4 satellite channels out of several hundreds.
Gil S. Heron is still kinda right after all these years! LOL!