Hi folks. I see a lot of (well deserved) kudos on this site for some of our media heroes (Who
wouldn't want to have Keith Olbermann's baby?), but since Bill Moyers left as host, I haven't seen much mention of
PBS' NOW, one of our strongest, most consistent voices for truth, justice and the American way we all remember and love and want to see restored for the preservation of all that is good and noble in the world.
Their program this week on Net Neutrality was no exception. And with the brew-ha to round up Netroots activism around the recent congressional votes, I'm surprised we haven't rallied around the ONE national media outlet that has given the issue substantive, serious coverage.
And that's what NOW does so brilliantly. More below.
Host David Brancaccio started out by saying: "If you think the Internet can be a force for enlightenment and democracy, then you need to pay attention."
He went on to describe the "frontal assault on the free and open press that is being waged on the Internet right now ... the open season on net neutrality."
The producers did a terrific job of distilling the core of the issue with an effective display of simple cartoon graphics.
NOW explains the magnitude of what's at stake. The telecom industry has "deployed a small army of lobbyists to drive a stake through the heart of Net Neutrality ... Once telecom companies can control who gets in the fast lane, they can shape the future of our discourse. That's too high a price."
Here are some links & resources:
NOW home page (you can even vote in a poll!)
Sign up for NOW podcasts
Contribute to PBS and tell them it's because of NOW.
Visit the Save the Internet web site for more information on what we can do.
O, and the second half of the show profiled some brave librarians who have found themselves in a battle with the FBI and the civil rights disaster that can be the Patriot Act. We all owe them a huge debt of gratitude for putting it on the line for liberty.
Next week, Who killed the Electric Car?
Hmmmmmmmmm?