While watching Orwell Rolls in his Grave a few days ago, I was struck by a quote from the great investigative journalist George Seldes. An open critic of corporate-owned media, Seldes held that:
The main threat to democracy comes not from the extreme left, but from the extreme right, which is able to buy huge sections of the press and radio and wages a constant campaign to smear and discredit every progressive and humanitarian measure.
A people that wants to be free must arm itself with a free press.
The truth of Seldes’ thesis has never been more apparent than in the near total media blackout of the Occupy Wall Street protests. If you don’t make a concerted effort to find out about it, you wouldn’t know anything was happening. Nationally, only Amy Goodman, Keith Olbermann, and Rachel Maddow had mentioned it at all before last Saturday.
Although we have become accustomed to the traditional media’s corporate bias, it is sad that NPR is firmly in the corporate camp as well. Last night during Countdown’s coverage of the Occupy Wall Street protests, Sam Seder noted that NPR had responded to viewer complaints by citing three reasons they have elected to not cover the protests.
I was appalled, but not surprised, so I looked it up. And according to NPR ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos, NPR executive editor for news, Dick Meyer, explained their editorial decision with: "The recent protests on Wall Street did not involve large numbers of people, prominent people, a great disruption or an especially clear objective." In other words:
1. No one important was there.
2. There was no violence.
3. We don’t know what they want.
I guess it never occurred to them to go an ask some of the protesters what their objectives are, if the fact they “Occupy Wall Street” protests are taking place on Wall Street isn’t a sufficient clue. (Of course, the protesters are carrying signs stating their objections, but since the protests aren’t being broadcast on FAUX, and New York City is too remote for NPR to be able to send a reporter see them, they couldn’t possibly know the protesters’ objective.)
But apparently my umbrage was misplaced, because Schumacher-Matos knows that it is a perfectly reasonable response. He goes on to chide those who questioned NPR’s news judgement, adding:
As ombudsman, I don't weigh in on daily news judgment unless its totally egregious or part of a long term trend, and this one is neither.
However, Schumacher-Matos does quote some of the outraged NPR viewers he disparages, who seem to have a clearer grasp of what is going on than the NPR editors.
"You'll cover the Tea Party, but god forbid you actually cover sane Americans demanding civilized economic policy," wrote Brad Nolen from Mobile, AL.
. . . Daniel Clay from Atlanta, GA, who wrote, "Does NPR think this is unimportant? Are you going to wait for someone to die or commit serious violence before you give it the attention it deserves?"
And commenters to his post are clearly not impressed by their judgement, providing some Top Comments of their own.
Patrick Tice wrote:
NPR can waste time on the most inconsequential, air-headed pop culture near the end of the hour on ATC, but can't cover a multi-day protest on Wall Street? I plan to bring this up in my communication with my local stations, Minnesota Public Radio. Listeners demand coverage above and beyond this lame standard.
M Mobley adds:
NPR just had the most revolting feature on Bill O'Reilly, yet it continues a whiteout against these protests? "Nader is no longer the political player he once was and the left is not as organized as in the past." That's the weakest excuse I've seen in my entire life. This is a real movement. The Tea Party is fake grass roots.
and Curt Braun has a specific suggestion:
Even NPR is afraid of Goldman. Money talks, "Public radio," go put your mikes in front of "the public."
But once Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon and other “important” people -- and the rest of the corporate media -- showed up and the police assaulted some protesters, NPR decided weigh in. And how did that go? Well, I gave up listening to NPR several years ago, but commenter Matt Love evaluated their coverage:
Ah, NPR listeners, we need to be careful what we wish for. We push and push and push, so NPR shows they can't be pushed around by delivering 3.5 minutes of incredibly lousy and arrogant coverage designed to make the protesters look stupid and sheeplike. Quite different than the coverage of the Arab Spring, where they managed to notice there was government oppression of the protesters. If I was in NY, I'd protest NPR.
There’s Something in the Air
Unlike NPR editors and the tradmed, I’m sure you are keeping up with Occupy Wall Street, by:
- Following the Occupy Wall Street group at DailyKos and reading the 112+ diaries that have been posted here since the protest began.
- Visiting the Occupy Wall Street website.
- Listening to Amy Goodman, Rachel Maddow, and Keith Olbermann, and reading about it in The Guardian. (BTW, you can get a look at what’s going on here at Google Maps.)
- Going to Liberty Plaza (aka Zuccotti Park, 80 Liberty Street, between State Street and Trinity) in New York City to add your voice to the protest.
But that isn’t all that is going on these days. In case you missed it, check out this very helpful diary by jpmassar for good suggestions on how you can participate in saving the United States from the greed and venality that threatens to engulf and destroy us.
And if the excesses of Wall Street or petitions to the White House aren’t your bag, does the billions of dollars being spent to buy our elected representatives and leaders get your blood boiling? If so, you might want to check out Get Money Out, an initative announced yesterday by Dylan Ratigan. The goal of the project is to “become an unrelenting, organized wave advocating a Constitutional amendment to get money out of politics.” Certainly a worthy cause that I can get behind.
But before you rush off to participate is citizen actions, a word from our sponsor. . .
We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos. Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain. We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.
One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries.
Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations by other Kossacks. So when you find a comment that enlightens, entertains, or encourages, send it to:
topcomments at gmail dot com.
Comments should get to the inbox by 9:30 EST to be included that day (but we will carry over later ones). Don’t forget to include your Dkos screename, a link to the nominee, and a brief comment about why you think it is a Top Comment.
Now, on to tonight’s Top Comments.
Top Mojo
1) Seriously, an actual Godwin riff from these clowns by annieli — 120
2) Thank you, Eve. by gooderservice — 111
3) Yeah by Audri — 99
4) As most sane women and men by gchaucer2 — 96
5) Speaking of Truth: While Fox news was ... by chimpy — 92
6) Ah, sure it would by pat of butter in a sea of grits — 89
7) Cheers for non-violence training by chimpy — 85
8) "A pagan society based on consequence-free sex" by Magnifico — 83
9) Now, I'm a regular communicant by commonmass — 79
10) Happy Tuesday y'all! by Denise Oliver Velez — 77
11) Tell protesters who post to turn off comments by radical simplicity — 76
12) Officer Identification, Precinct Contact Info by Charlie Grapski — 71
13) They should keep hitting them with it by sebastianguy99 — 67
14) This thing is evolving by david mizner — 65
15) The look on Biden's face by gchaucer2 — 64
16) yes indeed gooderservice by nyceve — 63
17) two for toosdai by Debbie in ME — 61
18) tipped, recced, and republished! by slinkerwink — 60
19) Hank Paulson, Rumsfield, Cheney, Ailes, Rove Cabal by War on Error — 58
20) He didn't have to speak up because everyone by zenbassoon — 58
21) Youtube comments by Serpents Choice — 58
22) I am one with insurance who cannot afford care by irmaly — 55
23) Daily Loki by Debbie in ME — 53
24) Awesome diary. by Giles Goat Boy — 52
25) No kidding! by New Minas — 52
26) His silence at the end spoke volumes. by Pager — 52
27) bring 'em your attendance records by Cedwyn — 50
28) Great story by Geriw — 49
29) Money quote: by divineorder — 49
30) In the midst of the many acts of by Thomasina — 49
Top Comments
From
Fed up Fed:
This comment by
Old Left Good Left in Kalli Joy Gray's post on a PolitiFiction ruling that President Obama half-lied about tax inequity was excellent and had numbers and everything!
From
bronte17:
afisher has a GREAT question to ask "generic repubs":
Have you ever taken advantage of any opportunity that was afforded you by those who paid forward before you?
from the diary A Pedagogical Success? A Supply Side Young Republican Meets the Human Face of the Great Recession by chaunceydevega.
From
me:
In LSmith's excellent diary on the police response to Occupy Wall Street, Kurt Sperry points out another way the media ties to illegitimize protests.