Dru Blood - I believe in the inherent goodness of all beings: Some links about our so-called "free press"

DruBlood

Home
Dramatis Personae
Archives
Contact

Feed the Bleed

Full Bleed Fundraiser

Amazon wish list
Cole’s birthday - 10/24
Monk’s birthday - 12/2
Dru’s birthday - 1/5

Search

Syndicate this site (XML)

Special thanks

adam host
julie template queen
kd general lusciousness
pea guru

Powered byMovable Type 1.5

« Speaking of Common Sense. | Main | Surreally Saga »

Some links about our so-called "free press"

March 31, 2003

It's no good having a free press if people fear losing their jobs if they speak the truth:

In the interview, shown by Iraq's satellite television, Arnett said the United States was reappraising the battlefield and delaying the war, maybe for a week, ``and rewriting the war plan. The first war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance. Now they are trying to write another war plan.''
Arnett said it was clear that, within the United States, opposition to the war was growing, along with a challenge to President Bush about the war's conduct.

OK - so I thought the whole idea of the free press was that it WASN'T controlled by the state. Yeah...I guess it could be argued that public opinion encouraged his dismissal, but then you'd have to explain Rush Limbaugh, and other widely disliked media personalities.

Then you have articles like this, which delineate what appears to be the current real function of our press:

There are no apologies and no retractions. Most of all there is a refusal to discuss coalition propaganda in front of the audience. In war time it seems the truth about lies is too dangerous for us to hear. For the first time in history we can easily discovered on the internet and in independent news sources. Yet most British people have to rely on the deluge of misinformation on the BBC and ITV. Apologising after the war is over is not enough, they should do so now and refuse to carry any more government misinformation.

[link via wood s lot]

The cover story at The Black Commentator expresses much the same sentiment:

Embedded corporate media hinder public understanding of unfolding events in an occupied or contested Iraq. Their presence is more destructive of truth than if they had been barred from the scene, entirely, because they are infinitely capable of retailing and manufacturing lies - which they themselves believe.

In a possibly hyperbolic report at the Baltimore Indymedia site (but...you know...I just don't know if I can get behind completely disbelieving it) is analysis about the number of independent reporters who have met their end in Iraq. It's something to consider, and the comments offer a ton of links about the state of free press in our country, including this interview with Randi Rhodes, liberal talk radio host (i was talking to someone the other night about how I would LOVE to do liberal talk radio. Who wants to hire me?) [Indymedia link courtesy of dj at randomwalks]

All of this leads up to this week's edition of Bill Moyers' Now, which I know will get me all agitated. There's supposed to be a segment about free press, and there was a chilling teaser at the end of last week's edition that basically said the free press is already dead. Which is ironic, because I spent much of last week's show exclaiming to my friends that Bill Moyers is probably risking his life to speak his powerful truth.

I say it's not dead...it's just gone underground. What do you think?

On a different, but related, note...a young woman was stabbed and killed at the high school where I work. Her boyfriend killed her and then attempted to kill himself in the hallway 20 seconds after the last bell. Since I work with some of the kids who go to school there, I was able to talk to someone who is friends with the victim. Out of respect for his privacy, I'm not going to go into detail about our conversations except to say WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY are they allowing newspeople on campus immediately following this tragedy. My intern was telling me that the TV news people were stalking students after school and trying to get them to answer questions about their relationship with the victim. This is FUCKED. These kids were just witness to a heinous act of violence between two people who they might have been friends with, and they have enough to fucking worry about without having to fight off reporters trying to get a "fresh angle" on the story. I'm all for free media, but there is plenty to present without harrassing minor children to scoop your competition...

Apparently, our media has all of the right motivation for all of the wrong reasons.

Posted at March 31, 2003 11:30 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://mt.riceweevil.com/tb/214

Comments

I've been hearing for years from some of my more "paranoid" friends that america is losing all of her freedoms, it's just that they are being dissolved quietly, so's not to alarm the public. You know, "for our own good" type of shite.

Now, I see the ammendments to the constitution being burned up by friction, white house posers, all jockeying for position, trying to grab the brass ring of power--it's causing so much friction simultaneous combustion is ocurring, all in the name of fighting terrorism and waging war.

This heinous activity is only now coming to the light of day because we are all watching--in every form, with every eyeball, every ear, and we are sending honest reporters like Chris Allbrighton over there to be our clearsil eyes.

I'm tellin' ya, it's 1984, all over again, and it's scaring the ever-lovin' shit right outta me.

Posted by: Kate S. at April 1, 2003 8:47 PM