This is rich - I write an email to MSNBC complaining about Coltergeist

[Democrat 4 Ever]

and I get an invite to join their little group to give my opinion. Whatcha think? Should I response? Maybe everyone at DU should click on the link and join into the fun?

Here is my email - followed by their invite -

Mr. Abrams, Mr. Gaines, Ms. Schwartz, Mr. Wright, Mr. Zucker and Mr. Capus -

Last night on Hardball Ann Coulter jokingly called Al Gore a total fag. She has made claims that President Clinton is a homosexual, she declares that liberals are godless, she advocates the killing of all Muslims, she wishes that the 9/11 terrorists had bombed The New York Times building. She espouses lame theories that feminism suggests that promiscuity is a sign of hating women which equates to homosexuality. I could go on and on but when is the news media going to say enough? Chris Matthews did nothing to contradict her or rein her in during this “interview.” He actually said she was “great,” “brilliant writer,” “smart,” – it doesn’t take greatness, brilliance or smarts to slime over half of the American people – it just takes a meanness of spirit and no morals. That Matthews admires, enjoys and then allows her smarminess on your network goes beyond the pale. (I stole a bit of my opening from a DU post - wish I knew the name so I could give proper credit)

I had great hopes for MSNBC when Mr. Abrams was announced as the new General Manager. I didn’t expect to see the partisan, political hosts driven out of the “temple” of MSNBC but I did expect to see a modicum of decency and ethical reporting returned to your network. Alas, I have been sorely disappointed. (I’m sorry, but if you are honest you will admit that Tucker, Scarborough, Crosby are neocon hacks who nightly spew the Norquist talking points which contributes nothing to the political discourse we so badly need right now)

The day that Chris Matthews gives over almost an entire show to someone like Ann Coulter is the day that he has put his pathetic grab for ratings over his need for any semblance of integrity. I no longer watch his show (thank god for www.crooksandliars.com , www.mediamatters.com , www.canofun.com ). I will call and write his advertisers and express my displeasure at their funding such a partisan, pandering fool for ratings. And I am not alone – there are thousands, maybe millions, who have had enough of this type of television. This is not the way out of the ratings basement and you need to tell Matthews that.

Hardball use to be a show where you could get discussion of differing points of view. Matthews now gives his opinion stated as fact, his feelings offered as proof, his show as a vehicle to push the neocon and Republican agenda. Hardball should now be called Nerfball and put in the dust bin along with Crossfire and other lame shows that out lived their usefulness.

Thank you for letting me express my opinion

Democrat 4 Ever

And their, oh, so special reply -

You're Invited To Join newsVIPs

Thank you very much for your recent email. Feedback from viewers is very important to us. And we've started newsVIPs to keep in regular touch with news viewers across the country.

We are putting together a group of dedicated news viewers to provide their opinions about news. By listening to people like you who care about news, we'll be able to make sure we do the best job we can for people like you and you have a chance to be rewarded for your participation.

You are part of a select group of news viewers who are being invited to join our new opinion exchange. When you go to http://www.newsvips.com/R.aspx?a=29 and answer our first survey, you will be entered to win a cash prize of $1,000.

We need all types of news viewers, so don't worry what channels or programs you usually watch. Selected entrants will be asked to join newsVIPs. Even if you are not selected as a panelist, you are still eligible for the cash prize.

We promise that we will keep our surveys short and easy to understand and answer.

Your responses may influence what you see on the air and your privacy is guaranteed. In fact, we don't even want to know your last name (unless you are a contest winner and we need to send you the prize) and if at any point you do not want to receive any further survey requests, you will be able to unsubscribe. If selected to join newsVIPs, you will be asked to complete no more than one or two surveys a month.

So click on the link and have your voice heard.

Sincerely,
The newsVIPs Team

[havocmom]

1. Got that last week when I wrote to Countdown

Figured, what the hell... and filled out their silly survey.

With Right-leaning Abrams taking the helm at MSNBC, I figure we need to let them know that we do not want it turning into another FAUX.

[Oreo]

2. The domain is registered to somebody in Vancouver

Registrant:
Andrew Reid
1750 - 1111 West Georgia St
Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 4M3
Canada

Registered through: Domain White Pages
Domain Name: NEWSVIPS.COM
Created on: 09-May-06
Expires on: 09-May-08
Last Updated on: 09-May-06

Administrative Contact:
Reid, Andrew [email protected]
1750 - 1111 West Georgia St
Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 4M3
Canada
[phone]

Technical Contact:
Reid, Andrew [email protected]
1750 - 1111 West Georgia St
Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 4M3
Canada
[phone]

Domain servers in listed order:
NS2.ZONEEDIT.COM
NS12.ZONEEDIT.COM

[LanternWaste]

20. A bit more on Angus Reid...

A bit more on Angus Reid...

http://www.visioncritical.com/buzz/index.cfm?date=1/2005


Vision Critical Communications Inc., today announced the appointment of highly regarded pollster Angus Reid as Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver-based software company that specializes in Internet and new media applications for the multi-billion dollar market research and polling industry. Angus Reid will also join Vision Critical's Board of Directors.

"Angus Reid is the most highly regarded leader in the North American market research and polling industry, and his appointment to the position of Chief Executive Officer at Vision Critical provides the company international expertise and credibility to reach its goal of becoming a global leader in the rapidly growing field of Internet and new media research software." stated Jim Fletcher, Chairman of Vision Critical.

Angus Reid is president of Angus Reid Consultants, a Vancouver-based public affairs consultancy. He is the founder of Angus Reid Group Inc, a market research and polling supplier. Under his direction, Angus Reid Group grew into the largest research enterprise in Canada, with annual North American revenues of $60 million. The company was sold to Paris-based Ipsos SA in 2000 and has since changed its name to Ipsos Insight Corp.


And a bit more...

http://www.zoominfo.com/directory/Reid_Andrew_54377688.htm

Andrew Reid, our President, Chief Financial Officer and a director, helped provide, administration and secretarial support since our formation in April 1999 He also helped influence our executive development and financial management progression. Andrew Reid lacks professional training or technical credentials in the exploration, development and operations of mines. He will hold office for a term of one year or until the next annual meeting of shareholders where he can sit for re-election, or until his successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his resignation or removal. The officers hold their positions at the pleasure of the board. At present, we have no employment contract in place with Andrew Reid. Andrew Reid anticipates spending approximately four hours per week of his time on our business.

Andrew Reid completed his studies in New Media at the Vancouver Film School in 1996 and completed his studies mainly in Business Marketing and Graphic Designs.

Since graduation, he has worked for Palmer Jarvis Advertising - September 1996 to August 1998; Populuxe Digital Media - September 1998 to April 1999; Angus Reid Group, from May 1999 to May 2000; and from May 2000 to the present time with a private Canadian company, Vision Critical Communications Inc (,VCCI,). He is the President and owner of VCCI and has extensive duties with them. Andrew Reid is also an active club member of ,New Media B.C Organization, (,the Club,) is a non-profit association, whose vision is to build British Columbia (,B.C.,) as a center for new media excellence in the digital/ interactive industry, through networking events, special interest group seminars, advocacy work and marketing. Andrew Reid participation as a club member is totally voluntarily and does not receive remuneration of any kind for time spent at this Club.

From October 2001 to present, Andrew Reid has served as President and Director of a privately held Canadian mineral exploration company, Diamant Resources Ltd.

[senseandsensibility]

3. I got exactly the same reply when I wrote to

complain about Nora's incredibly, over the top biased interviews of Dems, and her complete kowtowing to all Repugs. I suppose some people from our side should join their little group and let them have our opinion with both barrels. I was so disgusted that I just hit delete as soon as I was done reading. It was obvious no one read my original complaint about Nora.

[demosincebirth]

21. I stopped watching Msnbc because of all the right wing hacks

a while ago. The only one I watch, at times, is KO. Now, I just watch CNN, which it seems is less biased than the other cable news shows.

[dsc]

4. great email and heck yea take part

btw I wish you knew who the DU poster was too I would like to read the post. I posted a thread but not as eloquent as your letter.

[Cary]

5. How did you like Coulter's whining about. . .

how hard it is for a conservative to be published?

The part about how she doesn't need the money and that she's so great because her 5 books are NYT Best Sellers was nauseating too.

The best thing to do about Coulter is to ignore her. All she ever really says boils down to: "Liberals suck". Of course here we are, you and I, watching her interact with Tweetie.

I watched for a half hour, just before my Kung Fu class.

[w8liftinglady]

6. I do-it hasn't increased my spam,yet

[msongs]

7. maybe you could just ignore her? life is possible that way. nt

[dsc]

9. Yea it is

but frankly when any network lets you call people vile slurs even as jokes, it sends a terrible message both to the people who are targetted (in this case gays) and to the rest of the public. It isn't all that thick a line from calling people fag to beating them up for being gay. It really isn't.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

10. Yeah, that has worked so well for the Dems so far. Just ignore

the lies and they will just fade away - like the Swiftboat Liars? The smearing of Max Cleland? Yeah, that works.:sarcasm:

[rodeodance]

11. I agree, We can not just ignore them.

[stillcool]

14. it works for me....

of course...I no longer believe anything my government or media put out for human consumption. It is way too toxic.

[Journeyman]

8. I tried to take the survey but was rejected. . .

my "quota group" is full -- guess they've heard enough from angry middle-aged males (that's all they learned about me).

Well, I don't watch tv at all, so not much loss on a personal level -- I did hope to do something for society, though. Guess MSNBC isn't interested in serving the needs of people like me. More's the pity.

[emanymton]

13. Got Exactly The Same Feedback

Wonder if my private info will be private long?

"Yea trust me on this one."

[buff2]

12. And as you can see no reference to the

partisan hacks who call themselves "talk show hosts". So.......Tweety,bowtie,frog-in-the-throat,matthew perry with downs syndrome and all the rest of the right wing idiots can still have full reign of spewing their poison and hatred of the Dem's and continue to have predominately all neo-cons on their shows. Khrist. :argh:

[BonnieJW]

15. Same thing happened to me

I complete their surveys and always check Countdown as the show I watch regularly for news.

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. It's time to send a daily e-mail to Abrams, et al

"I don't watch Chris Matthews anymore. Let me know when you've replaced him with a non-partisan host. Or, better yet...let me know when you decide to put a little Left bias to the programming by replacing him, Scarborough, and/or Carlson with a self-described Liberal.

I'll look forward to that announcement so I can start watching again!

cc: MSNBC Advertisers"

[Liberty Belle]

17. Microsoft owns MSNBC. Contact Bill Gates & the Bd of Directors;here's how:

(800) MICROSOFT (642-7676) give him the message below.


Own stock? Also contact Microsoft's investor relations at [email protected]. Tell them you'll dump your stock and boycott MIcrosoft products to protest MSNBC keeping Coulter unless they ban her from the network.

Best of all, contact the entire board of directors!

Microsoft shareholders who wish to communicate directly with the Company's Board of Directors, any committee of the Board, or any individual director may submit their questions by:

Sending an e-mail message to: [email protected]


Mailing a letter to: Board of Directors, Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399

[Democrat 4 Ever]

18. Excellent idea - I'll get busy. Dear Bill..... n/t

[SeveneightyWhoa]

19. Since when does Microsoft control MSNBC...

..let alone make any decisions regarding its programming?

[Liberty Belle]

23. Microsoft & MSN own MSNBC news jointly, according to Hoovers.com.

"Microsoft owns an 18% stake in MSNBC through its MSN unit;
the two companies also jointly own the channel's MSNBC.com sister news site."

Hoovers is a very reliable business site that tracks all publicly owned companies in the U.S.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

27. 18% is quite small, you realize.

And like I said, Microsoft has absolutely no control over MSNBC's programming.

[flyarm]

22. oh wow about two weeks ago i wrote msnbc about Nora Whora

and i got the same invitation from msnbc!!!!!!!!!!!

wonder if they are taking names and email addresses and info on us!!

fly

[dsc]

24. This is the letter I wrote

I never knew what to expect when I heard fag. There
wasn't a single day in middle school I wasn't called
fag. Not one. Some days it would be accompanied by a
shove, some days by a punch, some days by laughter,
some days by being pantsed, some days by being dragged
to the toilets, and some days by nothing. I left
middle school hating myself and most other people.
Fortunately my high school experience was better. The
open hatred of my middle school years was replaced by
a sub rosa snicker campaign. As much as I hated
school I survived because I knew that without an
education I would be around the likes of those people
for my entire life. I was determined not to have that
happen. I also wanted to wash the 'stink' of being
gay off by being good.

It took me years to overcome the self hatred that was
instilled in me during my middle school years. The
message you sent last night to anyone who is in a
similar position to that I was in was that the name
callers are right, or brilliant as you said of Ms.
Coulter. The message you sent to the name callers is
that gays are less than human. That we are dirt under
their feet.

There are thousands if not millions of young gays and
lesbians who are getting bullied in their schools.
They don't deserve to see bigotted crack pots being
honored on TV. Every day some of those kids have
enough. They deside that life will never get better
and take their own lives. When they do so, you will
be partially at fault. Promoters of haters are no
better than the haters themselvs. No amount of money
or increase in ratings should be worth that.


I got the invite but the quota I fit in was full. Of course they don't ask if someone is gay.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

25. Great letter but also makes me so damn mad. It the year 2006 we

have a significant portion of our society still having to fight these battles and Tweety doesn't even acknowledge how bigoted and narrow minded he and his guests are.

In the last 5½ the hate talk has increased tenfold due to the legitimation of people like Coultergeist. Back when there was a main stream media, and not the ratings whores and stockholders of today, people like Coultergeist would have been shunned in all polite societies and not put on prime time TV.

[dsc]

26. It is sad to see the likes of Cronkite and Rather

replaced by bottom feeders.