[I'm putting this up quickly - I'll edit, as needed.]
Every day for four hours I sit behind a radio microphone...
(Melanie Morgan - WorldNetDaily)
Wow, tough gig, Melanie. I can see why you're so upset that someone might actually focus some attention on what you do and say.
Morgan went on to assert that Spocko "has been joined by some very dangerous and frightening fringe-left groups in this country" and specifically singled out Media Matters. "This is all going through Media Matters," she said.
Morgan: It is something that has been quite disturbing to us at a number of levels, but we are prepared to fight back against people who are trying to get us fired here at KSFO radio and who are trying to deprive us of a livelihood and who are trying to deprive us of our free speech rights.
Morgan: This is all going through Media Matters, being coordinated as a strike against us through Media Matters, and by us I mean Lee Rodgers, I mean myself, I mean Officer Vic, and I mean Brian Sussman.
via Media Matters
Keep those quotes in mind, kids, and join me in the Conversation Pit!
First of all, let me assure everyone that this 'attack' is certainly not being coordinated by Media Matters. If anything, Media Matters was rather late to the story - no offense to them, of course. I've been heavily involved in this issue for the last week and I can honestly say that I don't represent any Political party, media organization or KSFO competitor, the EFF, the ACLU, or anyone else, nor am I represented or compensated by any such party. (Well, I suppose I could say I'm affiliated with Spocko, but only as a supportive fellow blogger and citizen.) And, as far as I know, the same can be said for Mike Stark and my colleagues at Online BlogIntegrity, but I'll leave it to them to clarify their individual positions, if they will.
By now, you all know that KSFO Snuff Radio 560-AM is in Full Panic mode and planning a RightWing LoveFest at 12:00 noon PST, today. And I'm sure you know that Melanie sent out an e-mail, begging for support from her loyal fans. Yeah, how professional, right? Miss Big Time Media Professional has to solicit support and defense because someone put her words in the spotlight and made her look bad.
Here's an interesing note about that, though. Melanie's e-mail address is on the RMRWest.net domain, which was set up by the PR firm Russo, Marsh & Rogers for the organization Move America Forward. Sal Russo is one of the founders of MAF and Melanie is a co-Chair. Now, you might be thinking "Hey, Move America Forward - that sounds awfully familiar!" And you'd be right. Let's see how Melanie's little outfit values Free Speech and people's livelihoods. (Don't forget the quotes from the top of the diary while you read the following.)
From RightWeb
MAF has also sponsored a campaign to have Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 censored or banned before its release in the summer of 2004. The group initially tried to get movie theaters not to show the documentary, but Lions Gate Films, one of the distributors, released a statement condemning MAF’s attempt "to interfere with the rights of people who may want to decide for themselves. Regardless of a person's political perspective, we hope that everybody can agree that censorship is antithetical to the American way."
From Wiki
MAF garnered substantial media attention with its campaign to dissuade cinemas from showing Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. Its website published names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of what it said were cinema company executives, and urged its members to ask them not to show Fahrenheit 9/11, saying: "...it is important for us to speak up loudly and tell the industry executives that we don't want this misleading and grotesque movie being shown at our local cinema. We need these executives to be overwhelmed with letters, phone calls and FAXes... in addition to emails. Sending an email alone is not enough - since in some cases an aide can easily click DELETE."
From PRWatch
MAF urged people to "demand an apology from [Pelosi] to the American people and to our President." They gave out the direct email addresses of four of the Congresswoman's staff people - information not usually widely circulated. MAF also asked people to contact the "special interests and corporations" that were major Pelosi contributors in 2004, E&J Gallo Winery and Wells Fargo Bank. "Those people . . . should get the message that we - as consumers - want them to stop supporting 'Bash America' politicians like Pelosi or else be willing to lose our business," MAF stated.
From MediaTransparency
Former California State Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, a co-Chairman of MAF, who also made the trip to Iraq, formerly "led the 'Defend Reagan Committee,' a campaign urging CBS, Showtime, and their parent company, Viacom, to refuse to air a miniseries, titled 'The Reagans,' about the late former President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy," MediaMatters.org recently reported. "Kaloogian attributes CBS's decision not to air 'The Reagans' (which was broadcast on Showtime instead) to the complaints of Reagan supporters."
So, you see - Melanie has no problem trying to limit other people's Free Speech and 'threaten' their livelihood. Especially when she has MAF to back her up. Oh, about that e-mail? The question one has to ask is this:
Did Melanie use her position as co-Chair of MAF to obtain an MAF mailing list for the purpose of soliciting support for her predicament at KSFO? If so, one has to wonder if that's ethical. But what do I know... I'm not the Media Professional here. But let's get to the fun part, shall we?
I am sharing these clips with you so you can know that I take my efforts to fight for conservative causes very seriously. I would never sink to levels of advocating violence or other such inappropriate comments.
(From Melanie's SOS! e-mail)
And I'm sharing these clips with you so you can hear how utterly full of shit Melanie Morgan and her Necro-con colleagues are. Enjoy! (Right-click if you want to save or open new tab/window)
From Disney's website:
Decency
* We honor and respect the trust people place in us.
* Our fun is about laughing at our experiences and ourselves.
Morgan and Coulter love attention from Liberals
(It makes us a bigger bullseye for the Left - and that's always a good thing)
Morgan and Rodgers love to hear from Liberals
(Please keep the hate mail coming. We enjoy it immensely - We want to offend you)
Lee Rodgers says civility has vanished from Public Life
(Then tells us how he threatened another talk show host. Also, 'Sometimes you gotta get in their face and say, Listen you SOB - you've gone too far.' Then says 'someone should have belted that chinless bitch a long time ago, anyway'. Melanie laughs.)
Want more? Here's a whole collection: KSFO Eliminationist audio clips
But, please, Melanie - tell us how things are being 'taken out of context' or how these are 'outright lies'.
Here's a nice audio mix of KSFO's Greatest Hits
If you think KSFO/ABC/Disney is panicking about their newfound, unwelcome attention, you're absolutely right. Think about this: The #4 station in the SF Bay Area is keeping their morning show hosts in the studio all day and bumping a nationally syndicated program (Dr. Laura).
And, yet, Melanie Morgan has the gall to accuse other people of 'depriving her of her free speech and livelihood' and making 'death threats'. How pathetic!
Oh, one more thing. I wanted to give you a small glimpse at the cause for KSFO's panic.
Online BlogInegrity Stats 11:30 AM CST
Today - 1,083
This Week - 9,706
Spocko's YouTube Stats
Views: 35,280 Comments: 242 Favorited: 136 times
#3 - Top Rated (This Week) - News & Blogs - All
#3 - Top Rated (This Week) - News & Blogs - English
#10 - Most Discussed (This Week) - News & Blogs - English
More to come, if I think of it.
Update [2007-1-12 14:10:51 by Hail Ripley]: - I should clarify my statement about Media Matters. They had picked up on this story in its genesis, a few months ago. When I said they were 'late to the story', I was speaking in terms of the last 7 days. They've done a great job of compiling and publishing facts and commentary on this story (and many others). I didn't mean to imply that they weren't on the ball. Thanks, MMFA!
Update [2007-1-12 15:38:7 by Hail Ripley]: #2 - Move America Forward's 'Truth Tour':
In April 2006 controversy erupted again when Kaloogian’s campaign website posted a picture on his website that he claimed depicted a peaceful Baghdad neighborhood, and the claims that the Iraq conflict was going well. Quickly, however, internet watchdogs correctly identified the picture as coming from Istanbul, Turkey, and the picture was removed. Kaloogian later said using the photo was "a stupid mistake".
SpinWatch reported on July 6, that the "Truth Tour" was also in part sponsored by "the newly created Office of Media Outreach, a taxpayer-funded publicity arm of the Department of Defense."
Update [2007-1-12 15:48:52 by Hail Ripley]: #3 - The Mercury News has picked it up.
Mercury News:
"The local hosts of talk radio station KSFO-AM (560) will take phone calls and answer questions today from noon to 3 p.m. in an extraordinary response to a lone blogger who has been recording their at-times offensive and violent diatribes and sending them to advertisers.
Update [2007-1-12 16:17:31 by Hail Ripley]: - An important point: These clowns are on the air, with a good number of people listening, defending what they've said in the audio clips that thousands of people and several advertisers have already heard. And they call themselves Media Professionals? This is the 'on air talent' that advertisers are supposed to support? Pathetic...
Update [2007-1-12 16:34:42 by Hail Ripley]: - Forgot one item:
From Wiki
Observers and the press have noted that some pro-Bush activists in the MAF entourage were aggressively confrontational and verbally abusive, calling the anti-war protesters "communists", saying they are "aiding and abetting the enemy".
Update [2007-1-12 16:50:3 by Hail Ripley]: - I'm not a Marketing/PR person, but, in my layman's opinion, this 'radio townhall' is an incredibly, mind blowingly stupid move. If you want to stand behind your statements and you're not going to apologize, you don't set up a special program at a special time to talk about the subject. Maybe a PR person can correct me if I'm wrong, yes?
All they're doing is acknowledging the controversy and trying to shift blame. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by that, but still... Good lord.
Catapault the Truth!
Rip -