ROVE Met With NBC In 1999 And Promised Them The Moon

[kpete]

Then in 1999 Karl Rove reached out to GE Chairman and CEO Jack Welch, promising radical deregulation for the broadcast industry (GE is the parent company of NBC). This fit right in with some of Welch's thoughts and ambitions. He had long felt that the news division at NBC wasn't living up to its full profit potential.

Toward that end, Welch said that he would finally deal with a longstanding grievance of his: the ludicrous idea that news organizations should be allowed to operate in conflict with the best interests of the corporations that own them.

. . . The new dimension that Welch introduced was the concept that mainstream media should aggressively advance the political agenda of the corporations that own it. He did not see any difference between corporate journalism and corporate manufacturing or corporate service industries. . . .

In general, he saw corporate news organizations as untapped political resources that should be freed from the burden of objectivity.

. . .

He began to aggressively, but very discreetly, evangelize the gospel of corporate media as a corporate lobbying tool.

. . .

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/6820

[Carolina]

1. and that's why NBC

is Nothing But Crap!

Welch + NBC = Scum + Scummer

GE ... we bring 'good' wars to light.

[WiseButAngrySara]

12. But K.O. is a lifetime favorite for me. I can't boycott him! ....n/t

[xchrom]

2. he was preaching to a choir.

as far as rove is concerned -- think about it -- this goes back to the seventies -- with the founders of the heritage foundation and the growth of militant christian ministries on the airwaves.

rove manipulated what was already there.

nixon had broken the ground by using trade as an arm of the state department -- the rest was downhill -- until we live with the mess we have now -- i.e. the United Corporations of America.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Turns out business can kill the golden goose.

Maybe a democracy having our news and information airwaves corrupted by political framing does not serve a democracy, ultimately, business very well.

GE is well known for running their business units based on a single metric: their stock value. While they've been successful in the short term, that thinking has distorted our entire business culture. We are dealing with the effects of the GEitization of businesses today. Our manufacturing base is pretty much pooched and we can thank GE for being a major player in making this happen.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Well, we knew these meetings were being held, we just didn't

know when, where and when. Now we do.

[NNN0LHI]

5. They made some promises to CNN too

http://whatshappeningatcnn.blogspot.com/2005_05_22_archive.html

Shuttle Accident Ends Dream For M. O'brien

Source: Sun-Sentinel NASA was close to naming CNN correspondent Miles O'Brien as the first American journalist in space when the Columbia accident occurred in 2003.

O'Brien broke two years of public silence this week to discuss the potential mission, which was confirmed by former NASA officials. Talks also were under way to use his flight to launch a program where reporters, artists and writers would travel on the space shuttle to describe the experience of living and working in orbit for audiences back on Earth.

Like a similar program abandoned in the wake of the 1986 Challenger disaster, the effort ended before it began when Columbia broke up while returning to Earth, killing seven astronauts. For CNN's 45-year-old space correspondent and weekday news anchor, the Columbia accident finished a lifelong dream that was tantalizingly close to becoming a reality.

"It was a devastating thing, because it was something I had been focusing on for so long," said O'Brien, who already was making plans to move to Houston for astronaut training. "But I really couldn't tell anybody about it because it would have been so inappropriate in the middle of that tragedy to say, 'And I don't get to go either.' "

CNN began seriously discussing the possibility of flying O'Brien in space with NASA and the Russians in early 2001. The Russians had launched Japanese television reporter Toyohiro Akiyama to the Mir space station in 1990 -- the only journalist to have flown in orbit. However, negotiations between CNN and Moscow bogged down because of the $12 million price tag for the flight.

[Cha]

23. And now miles can't even cut

the morning show of cnn? What's an anchor to do?

[The Count]

6. "Florida, Florida, Florida!" - Timmy was doing payback on election night

It was all so transparent...It's how this entire campaign was managed.
Just like sending Perle in ME to sabotage the peace talks. he also promised the moon to both parties.

[Tennessee Gal]

7. Great article on this subject here:

THE MEDIA COVER-UP OF THE GORE VICTORY
PART FOUR: DEMOCRACY, GENERAL ELECTRIC STYLE


http://www.makethemaccountable.com/coverup/Part_04.htm

Read the entire series here: http://makethemaccountable.com/coverup/index.htm

[The Doctor.]

44. Just read it... Holy shit.

These people have no concept of the damage they are doing, they are so blinded by the quest for next quarter's profits.

[LaPera]

8. I'm sure Rove did this with Time-Warner CNN, Viacom CBS, Disney ABC

and Murdoch's Fox News was already on board. This is why Bush continues to receive, always, the benefit of the doubt and the non reporting of all his lies and fuck ups and is why GE NBC, (MSNBC, CNBC) took their highest rated show (MSNBC) Phil Donahue off the air...because liberal Donahue was the only fucking show in all of television actually questioning Bush and his proposed illegal invasion of Iraq at the time...Rove wanted ZERO dissent or questioning about Bush and the Iraq invasion and he got it!

And ALL the corporate talking heads paid well said nothing, raved about Bush and kept their summer homes, private schools for their kids and week-end trips to the Bahamas....This is our mainstream media, that we've have been and still are fighting...the republican owned corporate media. They don't care, it's all about greed and Rove promised and offered them everything.

Including Tom Brokaw at NBC saying it was a mistake calling Florida for Gore in 2000 - NO Fox News purposely called it incorrectly and NBC and Brokaw like the whores Rove paid off went with it said Bush won Florida, even when exit polls that are never wrong called it for Gore easily.

[gauguin57]

9. And Fox called the election for Bush because Bush's FIRST COUSIN ...

... was in a position at Fox to make that decision.

[UpInArms]

11. John Ellis

Bush's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, called Ellis after Fox mistakenly projected Florida for Gore at 7:52 p.m. Ellis told him he was looking at a computer "screenful of Gore."

Much later in the evening, Fox was the first network to call Florida for Bush, again mistakenly, at 2:16 a.m. Other networks quickly followed suit, although the AP was the one VNS member not to call Florida for Bush. Ellis said Fox and the other networks probably would have made that call more quickly if they weren't afraid of blowing the same state twice -- which they wound up doing anyway.

...more...

and

John Ellis is not unlike any other American journalist in wanting to be first with big news. At the helm of Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Network's election night decision team, he achieved the now dubious distinction of being the first to call Florida - and the presidential election - for George W. Bush. The numbers he was working from were not official, but the viewers did not know that. Nor did they know that Ellis was very chummy with Bush - he's his first cousin.

[Ignacio Upton]

24. OTOH, MSNBC hasn't sacked Keith

Other than that, GE-NBC has been right-leaning because of Welch's deal with the devil.

[happydreams]

35. You'll note that K.O. is a "lone nut" in a sea of corporate

controlled garbage.

[deminks]

10. Be sure and watch Bill Moyers on PBS this coming Wednesday night

from the OP article:

If you're still in doubt, please tune in to PBS on April 25 to see Bill Moyers lay out the Record of Iraq War Lies. David Swanson, who saw an advance copy of the program, writes, "Spending that 90 minutes on this will actually save you time, because you'll never watch television news again-not even on PBS, which comes in for its share of criticism."

Checking our schedule, it is on here locally at 8:00 pm CDT April 25th. Bill Moyers Journal

[WiseButAngrySara]

14. Thanks for the reminder. ....n/t

[Joe Fields]

30. I will definitely watch. You know...

we have all had our doubts and suspicions. We have even seen just what corporate heads sit on the boards of directors of these media conglomerates.

If it is to change, then we are the ones to change it, but it won't be without a fight.

[KharmaTrain]

13. The Big Difference Between Vietnam And Now

Media Consolidation...thanks to Raygun, both booooshies and, unfortunately, Bill Clinton in backing Telcom '96...that led to the monopolization of the public airwaves and domination of cable by the large corporates. Welch has a lot riding in '99...he wanted what radio had...the ability for NBC to own more than one station in major markets and even more lax restrictions on making public earnings and other financial data. He almost got it all...McCain, of all people, along with a varied group of special interests, were able to repeal more DeReg a couple years ago, but the laws are being skirted in other ways. Telcom '96 was supposed to be revisited by 2002 and hasn't...it's time we prod our Democratic Congresscritters its time to start that process.

When people wonder the difference between the media now and back in the 60's and 70's, one can see a direct change in television. NBC was owned by RCA...while Sarnoff was a right wing nut, he was also elderly and the company was more interested in selling color TVs...and Huntley/Brinkley sold color TVs. CBS was run by Bill Paley who gave his news division incredible autonomy...this is where "Murrow's Boys" lived and ABC was run by movie company exec Leonard Goldenson...his prime job was just to make this network survive...it's news division was light years behind NBC and CBS, but started to make its own mark during Vietnam...ya see competition can be a good thing.

Today, there are too many mixed corporate and political agendas. The endless political cycle means big, big, big money to the broadcast companies and they've benefited in return by artifically keeping their property values and ad times high...making a boatload of money through controlling the access to the airwaves. By going against this regime, the corporates have learned, they go against their own best interests...promises of more deregulation, spending of millions on campaing ad time and providing scoops and access to their "news stars".

[ThoughtCriminal]

15. Sounds like a deleted scene from "Network"

[file83]

16. Gee...I wonder if this is why the media sold the war in Iraq to America.

hmmm....*scratches head*

[foo_bar]

27. "You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war."

Hearst Columnist Walter Winchell pulled the first trigger. In a broadcast and syndicated column, he fulminated: "The Third World War is already being fought. . . . We are losing it. ... When the Communists are ready . . . there will be 50 Pearl Harbors . . . atomic explosions erasing our cities. . . . The Communists have germ warfare already. . . . The cholera plague in Egypt is suspected abroad of being a Soviet experiment.*. . . The next countries intend to grab are Italy and France. . . . They need France as a base to attack Great Britain, . . . American diplomats inside the curtain are under Russian guard day & night. . . . Trained Communist spies are among us locating targets for the sneak attack. . . . We must start rearming now. . . ."

The "Chief," who has not always seen eye to eye with Winchell, nodded his approval. Hearst sent a "letter" to his managing editors instructing them on a significant change in the treatment of Russian news. Wrote Hearst: "We no longer have to give so much space to Russia to the probable destructive attack upon our nation by Russia. The thing of importance now, is ... the plan of universal military service. . .. Every American must be a soldier ready ... to defend from annihilation. . . . The President must call Congress to deal promptly with this vital question."

Hearst papers from Los Angeles to New York dutifully front-paged the "Chief's" letter, dutifully began to crank out "news" stories to comply. In Los Angeles, the Examiner sent reporters scurrying after statements from the mayor, lesser city officials and ward politicians (top frontpage headline: UNIVERSAL TRAINING ACTION DEMANDED BY L.A. LEADERS).

At week's end, the Examiner showed that it could not only make news; if necessary, it could also ignore it. When eight British Labor M.P.s had a chat with Stalin (see INTERNATIONAL), the Los Angeles Times headlined: NO THOUGHT OF MAKING WAR—STALIN. The Examiner didn't think it worth mentioning.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,854840,00.html (Time magazine, 1947)

[Diane R]

17. What about local news? Our Belo affiliate sounds like FAUX...

I think local news is just as damaging. All three of our local newscasts sound like FOX. They have a 'sneer' in place when discussing democrats, and editorialize with untrue and negative comments rather than reporting. News about bush and the republicans is always done with a chipper 'happy face' as if they are administration cheerleaders.

The worst affiliate seems to be the BELO station. I believe BELO is out of Houston, and owns many stations in the Pacific Northwest. My belief is that Rove has also taken control of the conglomerates (Sinclair) that own local stations. I don't think national newscasts are out only worry.

[gaspee]

20. I hate Belo

and I fucking work for them. They are a scum sucking right wing Texas outfit. They're cutting pay, replacing longterm employees with temp workers and basically fucking us over every way they can.

The ProJo, when owned by the Chafee family, was a great company to work for. Now it sucks rocks. If I didn't love my job, I would have left a long time ago.

[Rex]

18. By the corporations, for the corporations.

Fucking waste of life! Pondscum gets more respect from me than Welch or his friend The Karl. I hope they both rot in hell.

[Initech]

19. Which is why Americans are getting stupider at an alarming rate

Media deregulation isn't good for anybody. FACT.

[cassiepriam]

21. Rove bribes and threatens everyone into compliance.

[Cha]

22. No one wonders on this Board why

we call matty lauer, "jack's lapdog"..or do they?

It's so fucking obvious. The greedy jack welch never had a thought in his head about holding the government accountable. See :wtf: we have to deal with?

[blm]

25. Did anyone think Bush won because he was a great campaigner in 2000 or 2004?

Bush won because the RNC and corpmedia worked for YEARS to make sure that the rigged newsmedia and rigged votecounts would carry that asshole across the finish line.

And the criminally negligent DNC let them do it.

[Morgana LaFey]

26. This may be the single most important piece on MSM I've ever seen

The article quoted, btw, is here:

http://www.makethemaccountable.com/coverup/Part_04.htm


I haven't read it yet, but I'm about to.

[LeahD]

41. I think I'm about to be sick. n/t

[Octafish]

28. So. Does anyone wonder why so many Americans think Saddam was behind 9-11?

Corporate McPravda is un-American.

[Rex]

29. Why do you hate the M$M for their freedoms!?!

Hi Octafish! :hi:

[Octafish]

32. ABCNNBCBSFoolsNoiseNutwork are princes!

And we are the serfs, cannon fodder, guinea pigs... the Rats.



Guess who's king?

Most importantly: Good to read ya, Rexito!

[Rex]

34. Hehe...is that a picture of our Glorious Leader?

Looks so godly in that picture! Much better than a codpiece, flightsuit. :rofl:

[MadBadger]

31. Does the Link work?

[happydreams]

33. K&R.

[Divine Discontent]

36. stories like this

bring me down because I question our leaders ability to combat the rampant evil gerrymandering, and jury rigging (through appt. I mean) at the SCOTUS, and many other acts, like the crooked Sec. of State's like Ken Blackwell, who did so many sick things against the constitution...

www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<-- check it out, top '08 stuff

[peacetalksforall]

37. We figured this out by deduction. Unwavering anti-people crap.

We don't count for xxxx.

Yes, corporacracy has infested this country and we are dying.

[peacetalksforall]

38. Proud to be a 'parasite'. Blessed be the parasites for they shall

preserve their country.

[samsingh]

39. unbelievable and treasonous.

[autorank]

40. You're a poster after my own heart...

...perfect...that explains why Welch was accused and probably guilty of making his crew call it for * in 2000. It's called election fraud and if they can prove it, they're both in jail!

[Senator]

42. Oh ... and don't really "Forget Imus" -- Recall Imus's Anti-Gore Evening Show

... that Welch double-dosed us with during the 2000 campaign.

Good propaganda requires repetition.

--

[Auggie]

43. Do we need another amendment? Like, separation between media and state?

[KansDem]

45. Makes me wonder about Cheney's secret energy task force meetings...

What was he promising to whom?

[Hubert Flottz]

46. That's why they knew they could go through Timmy to present...

their propaganda...Tweety too.