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NPR: sucks


Lucky Larry

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Don't Defund Public Broadcasting--Improve It

The smart way to fight back against right-wing attacks on NPR and PBS

 

10/28/10

 

Here we go again.

 

Conservative activists and Republican politicians are calling--one more time--to defund public broadcasting. The supposed offense this time around is NPR's decision to fire analyst Juan Williams over comments he made on Fox News Channel about his fear of people in "Muslim garb." The episode is proof, in the eyes of right-wing politicians, that public broadcasting is run by left-wing ideologues who use tax-supported media outlets to spread their liberal message.

 

The charge is nonsense--and always has been. FAIR's research of NPR and PBS programming over the past 20 years has consistently shown a tilt towards elite guests and sources--government officials, corporate representatives and journalists from the commercial media. FAIR's new study of public television (Extra!, 11/10) finds the same: a system that, by and large, fails to offer the "public" much of a hearing at all.

 

That narrow range of voices is bad when it's on commercial television, but it's even worse when you consider that public television's founding document calls for a system that would give voice to those "who would otherwise go unheard" and help us to "see America whole, in all its diversity."

 

The threats from the right to zero out public broadcasting are decades old, and there's no reason to think they will work this time around. But what they can do is remind those in power at PBS and NPR that the right expects them to act. And that part of their strategy has always been remarkably effective, particularly on public television. Conservative pundits have been granted airtime over the years--often as hosts of their own shows--in order to placate right-wing critics. That's how the Wall Street Journal editorial page got its own show on public television a few years back, along with a program for conservative pundit Tucker Carlson (FAIR Action Alert, 9/17/04).

 

Public broadcasting should be pushed, of course--to live up to the high-minded ideals that established these systems in the first place, not to please conservative politicians or to serve up programming that corporate underwriters want to bring to the airwaves. Last week, many public television stations were airing Food Sense, a documentary about the nation's food supply that, according to its producers's website, was underwritten by agribusiness giant Monsanto. The site describes the show: "ABC News Now contributor and Today show food trends editor Phil Lempert and a group of industry experts illuminate a one-hour public television special that asks and answers the important questions surrounding the nation's food supply." This is "public" television?

 

If the pressure from the right is to be effectively countered, it's not nearly enough to say, "Don't Defund NPR." What is needed is a call for public broadcasting to fulfill its mission, bringing independent, provocative programming that features voices ignored or marginalized by the commercial media.

 

If you want to join that call, add your name to FAIR's petition urging PBS to bring back the program Now, which exemplified the kind of journalism that should be available throughout public broadcasting. Sign the petition today.

 

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4187

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LMAO!!!!

 

Peter, need to add this one now.

check out PP all proud of my responses to his years worth of his best impersonation of a McCarthyite goon harassing left wingers. Is PP totally moronic or really that far to the right?
:lmao:

 

I think that's more likely a weeks worth, not a years worth. Steven made the call and out it comes:-) So predictably funny.

 

For myself, I like Al Jezebel too, but be aware that many Arab equivalents of jb claim it's an American mouthpiece. Motto: "Fair and Balanced, well....as close to it as an Arabian based news organization can get! Allah Akbar"

 

I don't read or respond to the Choda anymore, but that Jew comment someone quoted above seems worse than his other hatefilled trash talking and over the top even for him. For as little as he knows about anything, I'm surprised he knows so little about Jews.

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LMAO!!!!

 

Peter, need to add this one now.

check out PP all proud of my responses to his years worth of his best impersonation of a McCarthyite goon harassing left wingers. Is PP totally moronic or really that far to the right?
:lmao:

 

I think that's more likely a weeks worth, not a years worth. Steven made the call and out it comes:-) So predictably funny.

 

How predictable and sad that right wingers like Bill think McCarthyite baiting by fascistic morons is funny. It's not weeks, PP has been baiting "reds and terrorists" for as long as I have been been posting here.

 

 

For myself, I like Al Jezebel too, but be aware that many Arab equivalents of jb claim it's an American mouthpiece. Motto: "Fair and Balanced, well....as close to it as an Arabian based news organization can get! Allah Akbar"

 

Another smear job from a right wing nutjob. Try to be coherent once in a while: ihow can they be my "arab equivalent", if they are bashing AL Jazeera. Think before you post, and it'll give you a chance to appear making sense.

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LMAO!!!!

 

Peter, need to add this one now.

check out PP all proud of my responses to his years worth of his best impersonation of a McCarthyite goon harassing left wingers. Is PP totally moronic or really that far to the right?
:lmao:

 

I think that's more likely a weeks worth, not a years worth. Steven made the call and out it comes:-) So predictably funny.

 

For myself, I like Al Jezebel too, but be aware that many Arab equivalents of jb claim it's an American mouthpiece. Motto: "Fair and Balanced, well....as close to it as an Arabian based news organization can get! Allah Akbar"

 

Closer to 24 hours! ( linkinator! )

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Not really. In fact, i expected that shame would have made you stop but apparently not, which explains my genuine question about being somewhat retarded (although I do not remember you being especially stupid in real life) or some far right wing zealot.

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I am not trying: I am claiming that you are, or playing to be, a right wing creep who enjoys smearing people by accusing them of being terrorists/reds on the internet in the best tradition of Joe McCarthy. That alone should make your acquaintances think twice about mingling with individuals like you.

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