We need to protest the media.

[AllyCat]

I'm so mad at the media for today's coverage of the protests around the country. I was in Madison and have never seen so many people in one place. It was amazing, inspiring and gargantuan. Yet today's M$NBC has it as the 8th story down and calls it "thousands". CNN you have to click a few links to eventually get to a story that was started on Friday. I don't have a teevee, but it seems others are saying there is no coverage of the rallies because they are real busy talking about Charlie Sheen and the British royals.

We need to start protesting outside their offices and outlets. We need to write and boycott sponsors. We need to write the media and tell them why.

I can't believe how we have let our democracy be pulled out from underneath us and we need to change the game a bit. Protest at the rallies, but enhance it to include the media that is trying to shut us out.

[bluethruandthru]

1. The main reason for the ignorance that abounds in this country is a bought and paid for media.

People are busy trying to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table and they have very little time to really dissect issues. So, they rely on what they hear coming out of their televisions and radios. Unfortunately, 99 percent of what they hear is horribly skewed to the right. What makes it even worse is that for the last 30 years, people have heard that the media is "liberal"...so they think the right wing talking points they're hearing are actually skewed to the left!!

[jotsy]

2. Just replace them.

The digital age has made it possible.

RT America
has Thom Hartmann's Big Picture

Current is about to be Keith Olbermann's new home

The Real News Network

Amy Goodman and Democracy Now

Laura Flanders GritTV

Established media won't remember its role til its audience has abandoned it in favor of more genuine and legitimate coverage.

Find out who your local progressive media outlets are and be supportive of them. The right wing has spammed many a comment section with paid posters to shift the perception that progressives on the whole represent the views of a significantly smaller crowd.

[ejpoeta]

6. i think it's right that most progressives and liberals have been abandoning the msm

for years and so the msm has been catering to the only audience they have left. i won't even watch the today show anymore frankly. we ditched satellite and have gone off air and have an internet streaming device. only thing i miss is rachel since the newscasters channel for my roku needs to be updated with her new address. i was heartened when i searched for info about why it wasn't working to find many asking for lawrence odonell and ed show to be added to newscasters as well. i am sick of people with conflict of interest spinning everything instead of actually being journalists. too bad so many of my family watch faux news. my oldest sister, whom i know to be a liberal and very outspoken if anyone says anything in front of her (which is why they don't) posted a link to olbermann's new site FOKNEWS on my wall for me.

[jotsy]

12. I would contend it's the M$M that abandon their audience.

Dan Rather, and the way he went down speak to that fact.

From the documentary, The Corporation, (2005, I believe)
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZkDikRLQrw>

[ejpoeta]

16. that is true. i think it is like this....

MSM becomes conglomerated and corporatized thus leading them to start creating their own reality (and i don't mean reality shows!) people with half a brain start turning to other sources for information thus beginning the cycle. real journalists who do not play the game are ousted and end up on other forms of media like the internet. as the MSM becomes more 'entertainment' and less news people keep leaving and going elsewhere. If it weren't for Keith and Rachel I would have left a long time ago myself.

[snot]

31. All of that works so long as we have net neturality.

Which we're losing fast.

[jotsy]

40. It's already pretty scrubbed.

And I ain't gotta counter for how much more corporate friendly it can get. Hopefully Anonymous does.

[tpsbmam]

41. The problem with this is it leaves too many people still watching incredibly

biased news (not just Fox) and lapping it up as true. I do know quite a few smart people who know they're hearing BS or partial BS and not hearing a lot but just don't have time to investigate on their own. And then there are the huge numbers of pretty damn stupid people, most of whom will just continue to seek out the Fox News type BS, believe any conspiracy theory their right-wing gurus spout, etc.

I think we need to continue to challenge the M$M and expose their corporate-owned BS as loudly as we can.

[jotsy]

45. Not for long, if the demographic info proves true.

Average age of the Fixed Noise viewer is 65, as of last August.

Count vouch for the site, just sought out some attribution.
<http://gawker.com/#!5610255/confirmed-only-old-people-watch-tv>

When debating the value of alternative sources of media, try to be taking a position of helpfulness and being supportive, takes the confrontational element off the table at the outset.

[blm]

3. Newsmedia is controlled by the same fascists benefitting from anti-worker policies of the GOPs.

You think the fascists bought control of all that media in the 80s and 90s so the public can hear the truth?

[pearl]

4. I so agree with you

I've been a media activist and the main challenge is getting enough of us to make a difference.
The only two tools I see are shame and money(sponsors) I'm utterly frustrated to try to bring together a large number of us to create "critical mass" There is a fragmented, spread out community online with several agendas.
"Pray for the dead, fight like hell for the living." Mother Jones.

[KathieG]

5. You can, but nobody will know about it. Sad isn't it?

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

7. You need to put a boy in a shiny, silver balloon. Then they'll cover you 24/7

[HEyHEY]

8. I was just talking about this with Peacenikki on skype!

I live in China and whenever there's a big news story I can get the story without an issue. This wisconsin thing has been so hard for me to get info on. It has gotten poor and little coverage. As well, as a journalist, I can tell you that ain't right. I seen lesser stories covered far more MANY times. It's time to go to CNN and start breaking shit

[whirlygigspin]

9. peaceful, peaceful...

but did you know that TV transmission towers cause cancer?

I heard it on the internets.

[proud patriot]

10. Tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth

[Helga Scow Stern]

11. I wrote to my local paper, the least I could do --

The Santa Fe New Mexican.

Dear Editor,

Words can hardly express the profound sense of disappointment upon opening the paper this Sunday morning and searching but not finding one word about what happened over by the Roundhouse yesterday. How, by any sense, is the event of close to a thousand people with signs coming out together on the capitol lawn on Saturday at noon, not news in Santa Fe?
Say it isn't so, that you are not one of those zombie papers, like the big ones, who follow hidden constraints protecting corporate interests, as if hundreds of thousands of ordinary people protesting in every capitol city in the country yesterday were taking part in some foolish, misguided, marginal activity not worthy of even a word, not a single image.
Today's paper is tainted. All other news in it seems hardly worth reading in the face of this betraying silence. And that disingenuous AP report, four short paragraphs on page 2, presenting itself as clarifying the truth while couching what's going on in Wisconsin in terms of the governor's concern about the budget rather than an ideologically-based, corporate-backed all-out attack on worker rights, just insults further. If this "assessment" is an attempt to bring light to overshadowed facts, why does it leave so much out? Why doesn't it mention the reports that the governor isn't satisfied that the unions agreed to his budget cuts, but that he won't stop until he's destroyed their ability to collectively bargain? Why does this piece, coming out at this time, instead of mentioning the peaceful, remarkable upwelling of support around the country, indeed around the world, for the Wisconsin besieged, omit some of the most important details that have gotten people mobilized, such as, if Governor Scott Walker is so interested in a balanced budget, what are these claims that he gave corporate welfare tax credits to the tune of 60 million just ahead of this so-called budget crisis?
Please continue to do what, until this dark day, you have been pretty good at, reporting the news accurately and without bias as much as is humanly possible.

[Shagbark Hickory]

13. You want coverage? Try protesting on a workday.

They're holding up signs and shouting to empty buildings and news networks air their documentaries on sat/sun.

[coalition_unwilling]

15. Your comment really deserves to be a thread of its own, imho. I've

stopped attending mass weekend demos here in LA for precisely the reasons you list: marching down empty urban caverns and preaching for the most part to the already-converted. While I concede there are some benefits to the afore-mentioned (mainly in the psychological sense of validating that one is not alone in one's thoughts and feelings), protests need to occur on weekday\workdays where Americans congregate in public, i.e., shopping malls and athletic stadia.

[Shagbark Hickory]

19. I agree. I dare you to start the thread.

I think half the board already thinks I'm a nutbagger.
If you go first, I'll recommend it.

These demonstrations across the country are a nice way of saying "I'm with the workers of wisconsin" but it's not having a big effect on policy.
For that I would also suggest work stoppage and showing some more anger.

There was some sign that someone posted a picture of the other day. It read "Walker is a meanie-head".
Way to show 'em who's boss there.

I'm not trying to incite a riot but there's a lot at stake here. PEople need to get mad. Think tea partiers.
These rallyies need to be on a work day, not just when it's convenient.

Last month we had a snow event that shut the schools down for a week. That made national news every 15 minutes.
These teacher unions need to shut down the schools for a week and you'll see media coverage.

[coalition_unwilling]

24. Hell, I've been advocating for a General Strike by WI public employee

unions ever since Walker started blustering and threatening. That opinion, too, seemed to earn some disdain here at least when the Wisconsin protests were in their infancy (altho DU seems to be starting to come around to my and a few others' position now that Walker and Koch have showed their true colors).

I believe in tailoring protests to the specific milieu. Because I live in automotive-centric Los Angeles, I think the protests here need to be ubiquitous small local vigils on street corners where motorists cannot help but witness. (Also, this side-steps the issue of little or no MSM coverage.)

[Shagbark Hickory]

28. That really is a very good strategy when you think about it.

10,000 people at one location, meh.
10,000 (or who really knows how many people) on every street corners all over the land, people can't avoid. You're 100% right.

[coalition_unwilling]

39. The only city in the U.S. where I think the mega-demos have justification is

Washington, D.C. Some of Nixon's henchpeople (Charles Colson and\or Ray Price maybe?) said they were scared during the mass demos in D.C. in 1969 against the Vietnam War.

I started protesting against Bush and Cheney in LA by going to the mass demos starting in November of 2001 (when we began bombing Afghanistan). Continued the mass demos until the advent of Shocking and Awful in March 2003 when, amused and entertained at the demos but alienated by their lack of efficacy and the seeming media blackout that surrounded them, I started attending 3 modest local weekly vigils on LA's westside. I personally witnessed opinion turn decisively against Bush on a week-by-week basis, something you would never have seen had you only attended the mass demos.

I think though that the organizations in LA coordinating anti-war protests (thinking mainly ANSWER and United for Peace and Justice) were great at organizing the mass demos but tended to lose sight of the forest (making an impact and affecting public opinion) for the trees (how many attendees could they call out to a given demo). Just my personal opinion and I don't think any the less of ANSWER or UFPJ for their strategic decisions.

[Shagbark Hickory]

51. Another benefit is there probably isn't enough police in most cities to effectively

dismantle the protests or intimidate the protestors if they are spread out all over the place.

[AllyCat]

21. My husband and I were discussing this too.

We feel the rallies are good for "rallying" and there is no harm in that, but we need to make news during the week too. Something needs to change. The rallies should continue, but we need to find a different aspect of the game to use to get attention using peaceful means.

The SCFL has already resolved for a general strike and if this gets going in other states, a nationwide stoppage would certainly get their attention.

[Shagbark Hickory]

29. Rallies are one thing. But holding up signs at empty buildings..

Nobody much gives a hoot.

Show your teeth, people.

[butterfly77]

14. Kick,kick,kick &recommended!

I have been saying this forever!

[Chrisnreno]

17. Yes! K&R! nt

[rhett o rick]

18. I am afraid protesting the media wont be effective. We need to get uncorrupted politicians

in Wash the DC. Then we might be able to get laws to break up the media monopolies. Now I do favor boycotting corporations that support non-progressive media or anything else.

[sabrina 1]

20. Yes, we do. That is the single most important component

in preserving, or destroying democracy.

It's way past time to start organizing to restore a non-corporate owned media with standards that require that the media be factual, fair, and truthful.

Break up the conglomerates, nothing helped more to buy this country's electoral system than the Corporate media.

[AsahinaKimi]

22. maybe there needs to be a rally

INSIDE their lobby. Maybe then, they will get it.

[socialist_n_TN]

23. I've also been shouting this from every rooftop.........

and soap box I have access to. EVERY large demonsstration should have a cadre that goes to the local and national HQs of the TV media. A more militant cadre. They should not be averse to getting arrested. We need civil disobedience at the media centers.

I suggest picking one (probably Faux) and informing the others. They are "competitors" after all.

[Taitertots]

25. We need to turn that shit off and never turn it back on

There is no good reason to ever watch corporate propaganda, the least of which is calling it news.

[sad sally]

26. deleted

[sendero]

27. The MSM is irrelevant..

.. I can't believe anyone watches that idiotic bullshit.

That is a large part of what is wrong with America, if people would turn that nonsense off and get on the net and find some real news maybe things would start to change.

[KurtNYC]

30. yes - asking for relevant news form the MSM is like asking for pizza at McDonalds

just aint gonna happen. Time to move on.

[PA Democrat]

32. K & R/

[MrsBrady]

33. they wouldn't cover a protest of themselves.

even though I agree with you

[Matariki]

34. Protest them by turning them off and turning to other sources.

I hope that Olbermann going to Current TV is a step in the right direction.

Getting news from blogs and the interwebs is good too. Just need to get more and more folks away from Fox, CNN and the rest. Until it's finally obvious how obsolete they've become.

[AllyCat]

37. I had someone ask me to day where I get my info.

She wanted one place to go. I explained there was no ONE place to go. I told her the slant of the major media (follow the money trail) and that I usually use links from DU, but that there are a number of other sources that are great: Common Dreams, TPM, Daily Kos, and Alternet among many others. People need to shut off the damned boob tube.

[joeunderdog]

35. Spread emails like this one---------------->

The People of Wisconsin are standing up to big business and corrupt politicians who seek to exploit working class citizens for the gains of the billionaire Koch Brothers. Wisconsin Governor Walker cashed in on million$ of campaign contributions from the owners of Koch Industries, apparently in exchange for legislation that attacks collective bargaining rights of many of the State's employees and sells out the hard-working consumers of public utilities at a complete loss to the citizens of the Commonwealth. Governor Walker's union-busting budget plan contains a little-known clause that would allow the sale of publicly owned utility plants in Wisconsin to private parties (Koch Industries) at any price, no matter how low, without a public bidding process. The Koch Bro's funded Wisconsin Governor Walker's election and are now being paid back at the expense of taxpayers and Working Class Americans who need affordable utilities for their families and businesses.

This trend in American politics must not be allowed to succeed, so it should not be rewarded. The billionaire bullies need to know that the interests of the people of Wisconsin and in every other state are not for sale. Boycotts hit them where it means the most--in their wallets. Please consider what kind of people and causes you might be funding if you were to purchase products from any of the following Koch Industry products:

Chevron
Union 76
Conoco
Angel Soft toilet paper
Brawny paper towels
Dixie plates, bowls, napkins and cups
Mardi Gras napkins and towels
Quilted Northern toilet paper
Soft 'n Gentle toilet paper
Sparkle napkins
Vanity fair napkins
Zee napkins


Hard-working Americans and Union labor should not be blamed for budget shortfalls while The Haves get a free pass. Exxon, Bank of America, GE and Citibank paid ZERO dollars in federal taxes last year. http://www.truth-out.org/you-have-more-money-your-wallet-than-bank-america-pays-federal-taxes68094 Time to support hardworking Americans again. Pass it on.

[AllyCat]

36. Nice! Had no idea about those gas stations, but I have not seen any of them in WI

No problem on the paper products...we use 7th Generation at home.

[upi402]

38. Yes! +1,000

long overdue

[Imagevision]

42. Oh get a freegin clue - like we would have gone to War with Iraq without MSM manipulation!

[AllyCat]

44. So what do we do? Nothing? Silence = advocation

There has to be some slick way to turn people around so they know they are being duped.

[spanone]

43. they ARE the enemy

[tomp]

46. you are correct, but his is obvious. nt

[Kip Humphrey]

47. Contrast to T-Party coverage is absolutely stunning and nakedly revealing.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

48. Best way to protest the media - cut off your cable TV

don't read papers or magazines.

Don't watch it, don't read it, don't buy it.

[Festivito]

49. Maybe we could get a mention between two Koch Brothers' toilet paper commercials.

I notice that their brand names are getting a lot of advertising lately.

[crikkett]

50. maybe cancel your tv subscription? best way to protest is with $$

I've gotten maybe 10 mins of news off of the television since 2001.

[no limit]

52. We did that once, but a lot of people at DU didn't seem to appreciate it too much

obviously many here did, but many more didn't. It was something called the rally to restore sanity. It was a great day, eventhough I had to stand in the same spot for 9 hours starting at 6 in the morning. By some estimates as many as a quarter million people showed up.