January 18, 2007
Bill Moyers Speaks on Media Conglomerates' Threat to Democracy
"The lobby representing the broadcast, cable, and newspapers industries was extremely powerful, with an iron grip on lawmakers and regulators alike. Both parties bowed to their will when the Republican Congress passed and President Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
That monstrous assault on democracy, with malignant consequences for journalism, was nothing but a welfare giveaway to the largest, richest, and most powerful media conglomerations in the world. Goliaths, whose handful of owners controlled, commodified, and monetized everyone and everything in sight."
video, audio links here
via Ol' Bluey
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Bravo! A fine speech. Thanks for posting, young man! What happened to radio, happened to television, and then it happened to cable; and, if we are not diligent, it will happen to the Internet. Powerful forces are at work now, determined to create our media future for the benefit of the plantation: investors, advertisers, owners and the parasites that depend on their indulgence, including many in the governing class.
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Wow. It took me about a half-hour to read the whole thing, but I sure am glad I did. Thanks, petebest.
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I have some minor gripes with Moyers, but the plain fact is he's one of those out front giving corporate media the what-for quite often, and that's just good news.
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That's a guy who I'd love to see running the USA
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So we're kind of back to the three-network model of the pre-cable "dark ages," but with more actual channels per network.
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Sen. Bernie Sanders: If You Are Concerned About Health Care, Iraq, the Economy, Global Warming You Must Be Concerned About Corporate Control of the Media
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Four years ago, George W. Bush told the American people that a third-rate military power country called Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that they were about to attack the United States of America. That's what he told us. I can tell you, because I was there in the middle of that, in opposition to that -- that day after day, those of us who oppose the war, among many other things, would be holding national press conferences that you never saw. I can tell you, as you know, that hundreds of thousands of people in our country were so disgusted with the media simply acting as a megaphone for the President that they turned off American media, and they went to the BBC or the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Oh geez, it's true eh.
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Bill Moyers Journal: Interview with Jon Stewart
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Very enjoyable - thanks!
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Journalism Becomes Stenography: From NAFTA to Iraq to The Secret Trade Deal
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Homer Simpson and the Liberal Media.
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Hey The Simpsons with a liberal jab! Geez it's been awhile huh? Heh. Good times. Good times.
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The Washington press corps is too busy cozying up to the people it covers to get at the truth.
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Help Stop Media Consolidation
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And yet part of me just wants to go ahead and create Omnicorp. I know it's a total "Just put George W. Bush in the white house already and stop arguing" ridiculous notion. But sometimes I think people deserve Rupert. Maybe it's just the caffiene talkin'. Or lack thereof.
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Christmas Comes Early for Rupert Murdoch
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"Today’s Decision Would Make George Orwell Proud" -- FCC Commissioner Michael Copps on the FCC's Vote to Rewrite the Nation's Media Ownership Rules
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Excerpts from Rev. Wright Interview With Bill Moyers -- To Be Aired Tomorrow
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Don't Mess with Moyers
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Jon Stewart Slams Media for Blacking Out Iraq War Lies Report