There's more, much more to covering the Downing St. Minutes Hearing next week than making sure it's on C-Span, although that is imperative and I thank Allegre for an excellent
diarywith contact links.
We all know the so-called Fourth Estate has been worse than absent for far too long. Many of us worry the SCLM may have already weakened our democracy beyond its ability to recover. We watch 24-hour coverage about Michael Jackson sharing his bed with young boys while our country's own guardian is in bed with rapists, thieves, and murderers. They've already produced a couple of illegitimate wars from their coupling, and if they don't leave the bed soon we Americans may find ourselves orphans of democracy.
It seems to me that Priority One, the prerequisite-of-all-we-hope-to-accomplish, is getting the media back in the business of informing the electorate. IT'S THEIR JOB.
It's not our point of view we're fighting for any more. It's our country. [more after the break]
Far from being a progressive issue, this is an American citizens' issue. We are asking for news coverage that ALL Americans deserve: facts, and speaking truth to power, and scrutinizing the powerful even if it means uncovering secrets that sacrifice your access to sources. Right now it looks somewhat like a partisan, left-right, or blue-red phenomenon, but only because of the inherent nature of a non-objective press . If our (liberal)spin was being reported as news and the far right had to pay for ads to challenge `facts' as reported (and this is exactly what would happen if we held all the branches of government, don't fool yourselves), I hope to hell conservatives would join forces with one another to demand a return to the NEWS.
We (as in "we the people") own the airwaves. Radio and television networks' misuse of our airwaves breaches the licensing contract that allows them to broadcast in the public domain. If they want to keep their licenses they must do their job to ensure we can keep our democracy.
Next Thursday is the MSM's chance to prove themselves worthy of a second chance, and we will be watching. Until then, we must not rest. Let's proclaim next Thursday "Use Them or Lose Them Day" for every single broadcast network using our airwaves. Talking Points to the MSM:
1) The news we expect to see covered next Thursday will be unfolding around Representative John Conyers as he convenes the Downing Street Minutes Hearing and later delivers hundreds of thousands of our signatures to the White House.
It is VITAL the MSM hear not just that we want them to cover THIS NEWS, but also that 2) we expect them to limit all `breaking' non-news to crawls only. Be loud and clear: if their news feeds light up during the hearing with either a Jackson verdict, a Code Orange Alert, a wife abduction, a terrorist arrest/capture/confession, or some other contrived `breaking news', we expect their coverage of THIS NEWS to continue uninterrupted.
The MSM must hear from thousands of us. If only for this week, let's minimize the dilution and redundancy of our efforts. We don't need a lot of rallies if the media does its job. We don't need clever and expensive ads on television if our airwaves are used as outlined in the networks' license agreements. In the time it takes to paint one sign or walk one mile, a dozen phone calls and/or emails can be delivered.
That said, I can't resist a mini `virtual rally'. Feel free to initiate the cheer from atop your office desk:
What do we want?
Real News!
When do we want it?
Now!
Whose airwaves?
Our airwaves!
Whose country?
Ours!
Oh, and lest CNN thinks their cable status exempts them from the center of our scope... They recently announced a change in focus. More news, less shouting. No more chasing FOX's tail. No more 24-hour Michael Jackson/Tom Cruise/Runaway Bride either, one might dare hope.
So we will see. Next Thursday is CNN's chance to put their cameras where their PR is. If they can't report something as clearly factual as the DSM case, then they are hopelessly un-newsworthy (pun intended). Further, if they think Rove won't come after them sooner or later even if they stick to the party line, they deserve what they get.
June 16, Put up or Shut up Day for CNN's 'news channel' claim.