Has anyone seen a story lately related to Blue Collar Workers? I ha vent--protests, low wages, anything? Me neither. Journalism is a business and securing democracy and all class systems isn't on their agenda.
McChesney sees a news environment full of stories pitched at the richest residing in the United States--great investments, whats up on Wall Street, and, capitalism at its greatest. He points out a story that seems to be ignored, or lost in the mess: Military spending in a bad light. But, stories attacking spending on health care, environmental concerns, or education are everywhere.
Why is that? I never really thought about it. But, after McChesney points it out. I'm a little angry. Killing people through war is more important than improving polices in the United States, advancing health care, or caring about the environment. "Since no element of the economic elite is harmed by military spending, and nearly all of them benefit by having an empire to protect profit making worldwide, it rarely gets criticized--unlike federal spending..."
I cant even find a video in U-Tube, made in the United States that is critical of military spending! But, foreign news sees things just the way they are.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Where is the Public Debate?
In the United States, The First Amendment is being interpretted as a commercial protection by media monopolies, and they are using it to further consolidate their interests and the market.The first Amendment wasnt designed to protect commercial speech, but media conglomerates are using The First Amendment a defense in monopolizing the market. But, public participation in the process is null and void. So, the question remains how do we get the public to take part in a democracy, rather than feeding the media leading a dangerous evolution towards a fascist over-commercialized culture.
According to Steven Hill in his new book, 10 Steps to Repair American Democracy,"A better legal foundation of the First Amendment should be to enhance in the words of free speech champion Justice William Brennan, "a robust public debate of issues" The real problem is nobody wants to talk about it. Media consolidation is a problem that much in the public is left in the dark about. The problem itself cannot seem to get any attention unless it is commercialized.
"How the media is controlled, structured, and subsidized should be at the Center of Public Debate," Robert McChesney reports in what I call my "new bible" for media reform: The Political Economy of Media, Induring Issues Emerging Dillemas (I am religious, and in no way am I taking this out of context and downplaying the real bible, in my life or anyone elses.) But this book is the bible for democracy.
What McChesney and I see is a, "Democracy Without Citizens," and to have a public debate civic participation is a requirement. B ig Media Monopolies do not want public debate, they want control, power, and money.
If we ask Big Media why there isnt any public debate; McChesney predicts what these media giants might say: "The First Amendment tob the U.S. constitution authorizes that corporations and advertisers rule U.S. media without public interference."
Many scholars, activists, and reformers (incuding myself), believe that it is time for the public to intervene. Getting the public to participate seems to be the next hurdle. Canada's doing it! I'll detail that in my next blog entry. The competitive nature that lies inside many of us may wake up and say ,"Wow Canada's on to something here!"
According to Steven Hill in his new book, 10 Steps to Repair American Democracy,"A better legal foundation of the First Amendment should be to enhance in the words of free speech champion Justice William Brennan, "a robust public debate of issues" The real problem is nobody wants to talk about it. Media consolidation is a problem that much in the public is left in the dark about. The problem itself cannot seem to get any attention unless it is commercialized.
"How the media is controlled, structured, and subsidized should be at the Center of Public Debate," Robert McChesney reports in what I call my "new bible" for media reform: The Political Economy of Media, Induring Issues Emerging Dillemas (I am religious, and in no way am I taking this out of context and downplaying the real bible, in my life or anyone elses.) But this book is the bible for democracy.
What McChesney and I see is a, "Democracy Without Citizens," and to have a public debate civic participation is a requirement. B ig Media Monopolies do not want public debate, they want control, power, and money.
If we ask Big Media why there isnt any public debate; McChesney predicts what these media giants might say: "The First Amendment tob the U.S. constitution authorizes that corporations and advertisers rule U.S. media without public interference."
Many scholars, activists, and reformers (incuding myself), believe that it is time for the public to intervene. Getting the public to participate seems to be the next hurdle. Canada's doing it! I'll detail that in my next blog entry. The competitive nature that lies inside many of us may wake up and say ,"Wow Canada's on to something here!"
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Universities Arent Stepping Up to the Plate..
Media monopolies have found a number of allies in there race to conquer democracy and worship capitalism, and unfortunatly colleges just will not step up to the plate and demand media reform. Thousands of departments within the schools of journalism are established through commercial media and rely on these close relationships to survive.
McChesney points us to John DeMotts work published in a trade publication:
"We all now, whether we're candid enough to acknowledge it or not, that the advertising, news and public relations industry that provide employment for out students--plus other benefits expect us to follow the "company line" on issues involving the special interests of mass media."
McChesney reports that these departments of journalism have had little difficulty accepting the, "corporate line that attacks on a corporate media are attacks on a free press. Generations of students have been and are being trained that this is the best possible and only conceivable media system available to the U.S. people. The issue is generally not even open to contemplation."
The press was created to secure democracy. If that isnt happening. We as a society are no longer living in a democracy. Take this seriously, I want my readers to truly understand the crisis at hand. Commercialism is out of control, and the press has forgotten its purpose. Decommercializing is essential here. Democracy isnt a commercial.
McChesney further outlines the pressures universities face to support these media monopolies, and "link education and research explicitly to the needs of business...The stars on campus are the departments and individuals who attract the most grant money, and departments and scholars who fail to do so face an uncertain future."
"The lesson of the last fifty years on U.S. campuses is clear. If the field of communication does not do it, nobody else will. It will make for a rocky road, but what other choice is there."
McChesney points us to John DeMotts work published in a trade publication:
"We all now, whether we're candid enough to acknowledge it or not, that the advertising, news and public relations industry that provide employment for out students--plus other benefits expect us to follow the "company line" on issues involving the special interests of mass media."
McChesney reports that these departments of journalism have had little difficulty accepting the, "corporate line that attacks on a corporate media are attacks on a free press. Generations of students have been and are being trained that this is the best possible and only conceivable media system available to the U.S. people. The issue is generally not even open to contemplation."
The press was created to secure democracy. If that isnt happening. We as a society are no longer living in a democracy. Take this seriously, I want my readers to truly understand the crisis at hand. Commercialism is out of control, and the press has forgotten its purpose. Decommercializing is essential here. Democracy isnt a commercial.
McChesney further outlines the pressures universities face to support these media monopolies, and "link education and research explicitly to the needs of business...The stars on campus are the departments and individuals who attract the most grant money, and departments and scholars who fail to do so face an uncertain future."
"The lesson of the last fifty years on U.S. campuses is clear. If the field of communication does not do it, nobody else will. It will make for a rocky road, but what other choice is there."
Monday, February 16, 2009
The World Wide Web--a Tool not an Answer
I thought the World Wide Web could build a media reform movement that would save democracy and journalism from capitalism gone crazy. I was sure that the World Wide Web would give reformers a strong voice, but where would it be advertised? TV? Radio? I dont think so.
Media consolidation and commercialism has put journalism in a crisis. The news is sensationalized: Whose boobs are bigger this week? and what did Britney Spears do last week? This isnt journalism. Journalism wasnt created for a commercial invironment. Journalism was created to sec
ure Democracy. And, that just isnt happening. Robert McChesney makes it very clear that universal access to the Internet is highly unlikely. Lets take a long hard look at what the World Wide Web doesnt have to offer.
Not everyone can afford a computer. His research reveals, that a significant portion of the American popolution doesnt have cable television, and one third doesnt even have telephone service. McChesney points his readers to Shapiro who argues that public policy is there answer, and reformers should move aggressivilly to promote and protect a public forum in cyberspace. Hmm! But is that enough?
McChesney provides enormous insight into the Technological Explosion of the World Wide Web: "I am not advancing a Luddite argument I merely point out that a central part of democratic communication policymaking is to evaluate the effects of a new technology before adopting it, to look before we leap. That has not been the case with the Internet or the information highway. Communications technologies have unanticipated and unintended effects, and one function of policymaking is to understand them so that we may avoid or minimize the undesirable ones." With capitalism gone crazy throughout Broadcast television and just about everywhere else how can we ensure that doesnt happen to the Internet?
Communication policy needs to change. And I support McChesney's solution: A well subsidized and democratic noncommercial and nonprofit media sector needs to be created.
But exactly how do we do to take part in building a communication revolution that serves a democracy? Stay tuned.
Media consolidation and commercialism has put journalism in a crisis. The news is sensationalized: Whose boobs are bigger this week? and what did Britney Spears do last week? This isnt journalism. Journalism wasnt created for a commercial invironment. Journalism was created to sec
ure Democracy. And, that just isnt happening. Robert McChesney makes it very clear that universal access to the Internet is highly unlikely. Lets take a long hard look at what the World Wide Web doesnt have to offer.Not everyone can afford a computer. His research reveals, that a significant portion of the American popolution doesnt have cable television, and one third doesnt even have telephone service. McChesney points his readers to Shapiro who argues that public policy is there answer, and reformers should move aggressivilly to promote and protect a public forum in cyberspace. Hmm! But is that enough?
McChesney provides enormous insight into the Technological Explosion of the World Wide Web: "I am not advancing a Luddite argument I merely point out that a central part of democratic communication policymaking is to evaluate the effects of a new technology before adopting it, to look before we leap. That has not been the case with the Internet or the information highway. Communications technologies have unanticipated and unintended effects, and one function of policymaking is to understand them so that we may avoid or minimize the undesirable ones." With capitalism gone crazy throughout Broadcast television and just about everywhere else how can we ensure that doesnt happen to the Internet?
Communication policy needs to change. And I support McChesney's solution: A well subsidized and democratic noncommercial and nonprofit media sector needs to be created.
But exactly how do we do to take part in building a communication revolution that serves a democracy? Stay tuned.
Robert McChesney Creates and I Report
I'm asking all of you if you know what American democracy is? Of course we do right? We live in one! OR DO WE? Merriam Webster, our favorite dictionary provides a basic definition of a democracy: "a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections." Hmm! and what happens when everyone who cares about these elections cares nothing about democracy, and everything about capitalism. Capitalism is not democracy. But, it seems as if we are building a culture that fears critisizing capitalism. No one is debating it, no one seems to care of the consequences of capitalism held in greedy hands. Wake up!
According to Robert McChesney, acclaimed scholar and researcher, whom I have come to truly admire, A ParticipatoryDemocracy requires communication and commercial journalism in the United States fail to provide the groundwork for an informed citizenry.
Corporate Media cares about profits, and thats about it! And, Corporate media doesnt give the public interest a second thought; the public blinded by commercialism, isnt paying attention to the media stomping on thier rights. Media monopolies feed the public what they want them to hear, and could care less about what you want to hear! Broadcast Television works for investors, and could care less about the public making it even harder for a media reform to build. Broadcast Television is everywhere the public is; but a media reform lies hidden struggling to grab an audience while competing with television. This is where the World Wide Web comes in, and documentary film as media reformers greatest tools!
According to McChesney, "The implications of the global order for political culture are mostly negative. Capitalism's two inherent and negative traits for democracy--class stratification and the demise of civic virtue in the face of commercial values--are enhanced in the new global regime. There is nothing short of a wholesale assault on the very notion of democracy, as the concept of people newsgathering, debating, and devising policy has been supremely truncated..."
The United States is in the midst of a communication revolution, but the television isnt going to tell us that! But Robert McChesney and other reformers will. Wake up Amercia, and stand up for your democratic rights! Fascism doesnt just happen it builds while nobody's paying attention. And guess what: NOBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION!
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