Stop Blacking Out Progressive Protests

[Donnachaidh]

http://readersupportednews.org/off-site-opinion-section/71-71/5634-fair-stop-blacking-out-progressive-protests

A sparsely attended Tea Party rally in Washington, D.C., on March 31 in support of federal spending cuts received generous media attention. One report (Slate, 3/31/11) suggested there was "at least one reporter for every three or four activists," and a Republican politician joked that there might be more journalists than activists at the event.

An antiwar rally in New York City on April 9 was in some respects very similar. Protesters were speaking out on an equally timely issue (wars in Afghanistan and Libya), and connecting them to the budget and near-government shutdown in Washington.

The difference? The ratio of activists to journalists. The antiwar protest had thousands of attendees--and received almost zero corporate media coverage.

According to the Nexis news database, the rally was apparently deemed not remotely newsworthy. The local New York Times didn't cover it--though it did have time for the D.C. Tea Party rally (4/1/11). NPR's Morning Edition (4/1/11) and the PBS NewsHour (3/31/11) reported on the Tea Party rally, which was also mentioned a few times on CNN and previewed on NBC's Today show (3/31/11).

More at the link --

[ixion]

1. could it be because the corporate media is owned by the MIC?

Yep, I think it could.

[PoiBoy]

2. There is very little true "journalism" in this country anymore...

it's become one huge propaganda machine... catapulting its corporate message 24/7.... IMO...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

20. I agree with your opinion.

I'm glad to be among those not fooled by the propaganda (mostly. I'm human.), but it's so frustrating too, sometimes. Being able to SEE the lies and the destructive effect, while not being able to change it is frustrating. Having to keep my mouth shut when brainwashed people get violently angry if you try to simply point out the glaring lies is very frustrating.


we need to buy up some networks

[grahamhgreen]

3. The wars hardly made it into the budget speech.

[lonestarnot]

4. K & R Bullhorn Brigades and Freeway Blogging only alternatives for the poor.

Just get louder and more.

[socialist_n_TN]

8. Yep I agree. See my post #7........

:)

[KurtNYC]

5. it is not so much anti-war protests which are blacklisted by MSM

it is ALL OF THE WARS. If they aren't going to report on the wars they certainly aren't going to show the protests.

Saying the MSM is biased is like saying people in the Indy 500 drive too fast -- that's their job.

[Odin2005]

6. The MSM is a propaganda outfit. their purpose is to manufacture reality.

[socialist_n_TN]

7. Well, when a mainstream media outlet makes an........

observation like "one reporter for every three or four activists", that's a start.

Because the MSM is owned by the capitalist power structure, you're not going to get real coverage of left wing actions. The best we can hope for is irony like the ratio joke.

UNLESS you want to get less polite. They'll cover it if somebody gets arrested (like here in Tennessee last month) OR if we're rowdy and numerous enough to shout down the Tea Party stooges (the Palin Teabagger rally in Wisconsin).

If the shit REALLY hits the fan this summer with massive and rowdy protests, general strikes, occupations of businesses and schools, etc. then I would recommend protests and sit ins at EVERY major news outlet in every town AND at the national headquarters of all the media conglomerates. Starting with Faux Noise of course. But THEY'VE GOT TO BE ROWDY. Not violent, just not so polite.

[lonestarnot]

9. Yes!

[socialist_n_TN]

10. See! I told you we agree.......

:)

[lonestarnot]

11. Time! I need more time! It's hard to get from under the duties of slave labor.

[socialist_n_TN]

12. Well, I'm lucky (?) there. I've been unemployed........

for the last two months. I just picked up another job, but it's at $100 less a week and less hours than I was working. So until something better comes along and I have to work more, I'll be hammering this shit all I can.

We're at BoA corporate here in Nashville tomorrow afternoon. Wish me luck. It is a bank after all. The capitalists don't like it when you fuck with their banks.

[lonestarnot]

13. Yes! Banks! Beautifuckingius!

[MedleyMisty]

17. I'm in NC

We should meet and get together some day.

That's what we've GOT to do, if we want to survive.

Praying for a Summer of Revolution - I have seen Anonymous members trying to get that hashtag started on Twitter.

I pick July 4th for our Day of Rage.

Oh - and there is an action planned at the BofA headquarters here tomorrow. ;)

[socialist_n_TN]

18. GO FOR IT! Solidarity with NC!

:)

[Snotcicles]

14. Hillary had it correct thirteen years ago. It's a VAST right-wing conspiracy. nt

[barbtries]

15. this is the real issue.

i keep hearing people lamenting how bad the left is at framing the message or sending the right message and i disagree - they just cannot get the corporate media to report it. it's so frustrating.

[MedleyMisty]

16. You can ask them to do that all you want

They aren't going to listen. It's not an honest oversight or a mistake. It's completely on purpose.

[Search4Justice]

19. This isn't going to change...

.. short of the unthinkable. (Which sadly, becomes more thinkable every day.) The media is controlled by those that seek to silence our voices, to protect their own unquenchable greed. That is the reality, and they will not willingly give up that control.