Posted on 12/06/2009 10:03:03 AM PST by John Semmens
Concerned that “casual” and “irregular” so-called journalists are “confusing” the American people. Senators Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) have introduced legislation that attempts to “draw the line between legitimate and illegitimate purveyors of news.”
The legislation, Senate Bill 448, would define a legitimate journalist as a person working as a salaried employee of, or independent contractor for, a recognized publisher or broadcaster of news. Those falling outside this definition would be denied the privileges granted to established news media under freedom of the press.
“The American people need to be protected from being misled by unauthorized sources,” Feinstein declared. “It is so easy and cheap these days for just about anyone to publish whatever pops into his head on the Internet. To help sort things out, we need to establish a distinction between legitimate newspersons and unvetted amateurs. This bill does that.”
As an example of the “unvetted amateurs” she has in mind, the Senator cited the undercover operation conducted by James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles. “Here we have two untrained individuals taking it upon themselves to do a so-called expose´ of an important American institution,” she said. “We can’t allow these kind of individuals to enjoy the same privileges and immunities we would accord to reporters for the New York Times or CBS News. That is a road toward the anarchy of uncontrolled content.”
O’Keefe and Giles posed as pimp and prostitute, respectively, and visited the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) offices seeking advice on how to set up a brothel employing under-age, illegal immigrants. Video recordings of the helpful suggestions offered by numerous ACORN personnel in several different offices in several different states created a scandal last September.
(Excerpt) Read more at azconserv1.wordpress.com ...
Nice. Nice to see they want to finally come out and just say "we'll control your news." The liberal/socialist/fascist 'rats in power now have de-facto control over just about all the "news" in the legacy media - save FOX News (anyone want to take bets on if, or for how long, they are a considered a news agency?). So why shouldn't the fascists just come out and admit it?
Hey, you rat fascists, why don't you save some money on stationary and advertising. Don't bother calling this some catchy name, we all know this is going to end up being called "Truth" anyway. Just call it Pravda, that's all it is.
Eff ‘em. Come and get me copper!!
What part of Congress shall make no law... abridging the right of the people... do they NOT understand?
We all know she never read the Constitution, otherwise she would know that Congress can not do that.
By anointing a few members of the press and denying the rest, she would be breaking the Constitution.
This aint america no more....
dang... these power drunk rats are getting bolder by the minute.
At the top of the linked post: “Semi-News — A Satirical Look at Recent News “
Something to keep in mind.
Kos and HuffPo would definitely be recognized as “legitimate.”
But doesn’t this idiot realize that the “Press” meant anyone with access to a printer back then? Then it got consolidated, and they fear the modern de-consolidation.
This is so incredibly dangerous. The fastest way to circumvent a right is to redefine who it applies to.
A lot of what happens today would probably have been called satire long ago.
Much satire these days basically serves as a warning for what is to come.
The licensing of journalists has always been viewed by the courts as a form of censorship, and has routinely been struck down when it has been tried.
Click here for a brief description of the difference between licensing and "accrediting" journalists.
However, I did find an article that may explain why this is happening again under the current regime.
Licensing journalists seen as a matter of "social justice" by ACORN wannabes.
The article is non too subtle: licensing the likes of Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin will silence them. It reads like a liberal's "wet dream."
—you really reeled ‘em in this morning, John-—
Okay, *this* is satire. But isn’t there a “real” version floating around somewhere, possibly linked to keeping newspapers afloat?
Who would’ve known this was satire, given the people in power right now?
Do a search for Mark Lloyd, the FCC’s “Diversity Director.”
Look at the link I posted above from “The Homeless Grapevine” wherein they want to see journalists licensed as a means to silence conservative commentators.
I dare say there’s less than a degree of separation between truth and fiction in this case.
“The American people need to be protected from being misled by unauthorized sources,”
Only authorized sources should mislead.
Relax it’s satire.
Fascist Rats. all of them.
Just TRY to shut us up you damn commies............
and YOU will get the GAG.
It’s the other commenters in the thread I’m less certain of.
--the " you can't make this stuff up" file is full---
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