NEW YORK - Demonstrators haven't come to Manhattan solely to denounce President Bush and his policies. At least two protest events are scheduled for the headquarters of big media companies later this week.

Organizers of the "March on the Media" hope to draw attention to what they said is uncritical coverage of corporate scandals, terrorism prevention and the war against Iraq.

"Corporate media have failed to provide the public with critical, probing coverage of this administration," said Peter Hart, a media analyst at Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting, one of the march's sponsors. "The public needs a watchdog, not a lapdog."

The protest is scheduled for Wednesday evening and will target the offices of CBS, Time Inc./CNN and the Fox News Channel, all of which are within blocks of each other in midtown Manhattan.

Fox's studios on Sixth Avenue also are expected to be the site of a "Shut-up-athon" tomorrow.

Viewers of Fox talk-show host Bill O'Reilly, one of the country's leading conservative journalists, might recognize the phrase.

The demonstration is organized by the women's peace-activists group called Code Pink.

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun

###