We are about to find out how corrupt the media are.

[Jackpine Radical]

Tonight we are celebrating Dan Rather's brilliant job of defending the authenticity of the latest AWOL documents, and blissfully assuming that the whole world will now have to admit their credibility. I truly hope this is so.

But what if it is not? What if NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, etc. simply call Rather a liar and carry on as if the forgery story were true? What if they keep trotting out their little "experts" to "refute" CBS with drivel (as they are apparently already doing)? Why should we expect any decent regard for the truth from Leni Reifenstuhl's successors? That's what happened with the Smearboat story, after all. Torpedoed by the truth, they just kept sailing along spreading their lies, and today a lot of people are still questioning Kerry's medals and his war record.

There are many other examples of the press simply ignoring uncomfotable truths and continuing to put out Rove's propaganda as if it had some legitimacy. Cheney & Condi are still pushing the Saddam-Osama connection, for example.


What then?

[Skittles]

1. Jackpine, there is no "what then"

it is, once again, a whitewash in defense of that piece of shit Bush. The media are corrupt, pure and simple.

[cthrumatrix]

20. we have lost independent invesitgative journalists... they don't like that

I wonder why..?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. We support Rather and keep on telling the truth

I'm not kidding-I find very few folks who trust the news, especially cable news.

[mourningdove92]

3. The more they call CBS and Dan Rather liars, the more CBS

and Dan Rather will have to devote air time to disputing the claims.

Works for me.

[Paradise]

10. smart thinking! :) n/t

[tridim]

13. It'd be nice to have Rather on Letterman next week

I'm sure Dave is game. Rather can further defend his honor and Dave can rip into Bush as usual. It'd be sweet.

[jus_the_facts]

4. I'm amazed yet again that anyone can even question the fact.....

...the media is corrupt...just because a bone o'truth gets thrown doesn't constitute a change in any way.....the MEDIA is in it for the MONEY not the TRUTH....learn it...know it...LIVE IT! :eyes:

[cthrumatrix]

7. It is really a "black eye" for CNN - the facts are AWOL is cooked with

these questions and they have to screw their credibility to lie for the asswipe puppet

[jus_the_facts]

14. Credibility....bwahahahahahahaha....s'been a loong time since....

.....they've givin' a flyin' fuck thru a flamin' hoola hoop about that! We that DO CARE need to face this fact and save ourselves a lot o' grief and frustration because it's not gonna miraculously change....this is the way IT IS...you'll drive yourself quite insane otherwise.

[still_one]

5. We now have a place to watch news in this country, CBS

[Paradise]

12. yup! :) n/t

[barb162]

25. that's what I am going to do

and I already emailed them thanking them for their journalistic integrity. You can be very sure the GOP types have been blasting CBS like crazy with phone calls and email and they will do anything they can to shut Dan Rather up.

[jimshoes]

6. Perhaps it's high time we draw the line in the sand

I think it's time to see where everyone stands. CBS has come out for truth and journalistic integrity. There are only two sides to this coin.

This just in from CBS.... "A free society demands free, unmuzzled media expression."

[madmax]

8. We should be jumping all over this...

Shouldn't we start calling our reps to support this?

Original DU thread here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x787100

July 14, 2004
HEAR WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY!
Dear Colleague:

For many years, a federal regulation required TV and radio broadcast stations to present the different sides of an issue in a reasonably balanced way, including giving time to opposing points of view. This “Fariness Doctrine” was repealed in 1987.

But the idea lives on with American listeners and viewers!

A recent poll of likely voters shows overwhelming support for restoring rules requiring fairness and balance on the public airwaves – and this opinion is held across the political and demographic spectrum, including Republicans and conservatives:

· When asked whether television and radio stations that use the public airwaves should be required to present the sides of an issue in a reasonably balanced way – including giving time to opposing points of view – fully 77 percent say that they should, and only 17 percent say that they should not.

· Despite being told that the Fairness Doctrine was repealed during the Reagan administration, 74 percent of conservatives and 71 percent of Republicans say that television and radio stations should be required to present the sides of an issue in a reasonably balanced way.

The people are right. We urge you to support H.R.4710, The MEDIA ACT (Meaningful Expression of Democracy in America Act), to re-instate the Fairness Doctrine and bring back balanced broadcasting. Should you want to cosponsor this legislation, please contact Sherrye Henry (Slaughter office) at 5-3685 or [email protected] .

Sincerely
Nancy Pelosi Louise M. Slaughter
Member of Congress Member of Congress

[kwolf68]

9. Mighty big risk

Going on the make with this places CBS and Dan Rather in a very precarious predicament. SINCE THEY were the ONLY ones to break this story and substantiate it, they stand to lose everything if it were to go wrong.

THIS is why I believe CBS has their ducks in a row.

Even if it helps to sink Bush, CBS is gaining converts. Not just from Liberals and Democrats, but from people who honestly give a shit that their news is legitimate.

TO address the question...If the rest of the media chamber drumbeats along the Faux lines then they stand to have their credibility and legitimacy questioned. IF THEY DO subject their credibility to this, it will prove that these stations are simply in the business to assist Republican politicians. It will prove that the right now owns those networks.

[Guaranteed]

11. Well, Drudge has basically retracted.

Maybe the other outlets will follow suit.

[Slit Skirt]

15. I am confident that cbs saw this coming

they have been dealing with these assholes for 4 + yrs now.....they knew they would come back hard........all their attack dogs....and they were ready to defend

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Anybody got much idea of relative market shares of CBS vs.

ABC, NBC, Fox, CNN, etc.? My impression is that the 3 mainline broadcast networks still have the lion's share of news viewership. I'm basically wondering how powerful CBS is as an opinion maker vs. the other outlets.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

24. Rather gets 9.5 MIllion per night on average.

[KittyWampus]

17. When CNN Aired The Photoshopped Pix Of Kerry In That Safe Suit

the one some freepers did giving the damn picture of Kerry rabbit ears...

I thing that was when THEY jumped the shark... so to speak.

Yes, I'd say there is indisputable evidence now.

[Obamarama]

18. Dan Rather is a very seasoned, veteran journalist.....

We're not talking Daryn "I Blow Rush" Keegan from CNN, here people.
We're not talking about Geraldo Rivera breaking open Al Capone's safe on live TV, either.

There is no Dan Rather would go out on a limb like this unless he knew he's got the goods. And, CBS wouldn't let him. I am no fan of corporate media, but I respect Dan Rather as a journalist and someone who has the amount of "street smarts" he has in the industry isn't going to squander his reputation without proof that this story is air tight.

[Jackpine Radical]

19. --And now it's Wave 2 of the disinformation campaign.

Despite some misgivings I had before Dan's Last Stand last night, it's clear to me that the fraud theories are themselves all fraudulent, but what's really scary is how all the other networks are falling in line with Rove's propaganda machine & pushing them as if they actually had some substance. I mean, just about EVERYBODY from Fux to the WaPo is on the attack against CBS.

[Beetwasher]

21. Corrupt Through and Through it Seems

They are still quetioning the docs this morning and NOT the Chimp.

[Jackpine Radical]

22. It's happening just as I predicted, isn't it?

"What if NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, etc. simply call Rather a liar and carry on as if the forgery story were true? What if they keep trotting out their little "experts" to "refute" CBS with drivel (as they are apparently already doing)? Why should we expect any decent regard for the truth from Leni Reifenstuhl's successors?"

[Beetwasher]

23. Yup, It's Quite Frightening

As much as I shouldn't be surprised, it's still quite shocking and frightening how corrupt it is. It's quite a formidable obstacle.