Posted on 05/30/2004 7:30:48 PM PDT by neverdem
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May 28, 2004, 8:44 a.m. A New Attack on Rush
David Brock, the former self-described "right-wing hit man" turned "progressive" activist, is escalating his campaign against conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.
Brock runs a new organization called Media Matters for America, which, according to Brock, was created to fight "conservative misinformation" in the media (see "David Brock is Buzzing Again," NR, June 14, 2004). Earlier this month, Brock and Media Matters produced a television commercial attacking Limbaugh for comments about the Abu Ghraib prison-abuse scandal. Brock, who has raised more than $2 million for his new venture, spent $100,000 to air the spot on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox, and ESPN.
Now, Brock has written a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld asking that the Pentagon remove Limbaugh's program from the American Forces Radio and Television Service, formerly known as Armed Forces Radio. Arguing that Limbaugh has condoned the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib, Brock wrote, "It is abhorrent that the American taxpayer is paying to broadcast what is in effect pro-torture propaganda to American troops." Brock asked Rumsfeld to consider removing the Limbaugh program to "protect" American troops from Limbaugh's "reckless and dangerous messages." Brock also expressed concern that Limbaugh "continually uses prejudiced rhetoric that divides rather than unites Americans."
Brock based his letter in large part on a story that appeared Wednesday in the anti-Bush online magazine Salon. That article, "Rush's Forced Conscripts," in turn relied on Brock and other critics, like Limbaugh competitor Al Franken of the new liberal talk-radio network Air America, to accuse American Forces Radio of a "rightward tilt" and of airing a generous portion of Limbaugh while not allowing liberal voices to be heard. Limbaugh, according to Franken, provides "a bad message for troops to be hearing."
"Rush's Forced Conscripts" discounted the argument of American Forces Radio chief Melvin Russell, who told Salon that his service included Limbaugh on the basis of Limbaugh's popularity, and that American Forces also provides programming from National Public Radio. That's not the same thing, Franken explained: "Rush's message is that liberals hate America, while NPR is straight-ahead reporting and journalism."
But American Forces Radio provides not only NPR programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered but NPR commentary, as well. American military men and women abroad have access, for example, to the talk show of liberal host Diane Rehm. Indeed, Rehm's biographical sketch on the NPR website says her program is "heard on U.S. military instillations around the world via Armed Forces Radio." (For a schedule of NPR programs provided to American Forces Radio, click here.)
Military listeners can also hear NPR's Tavis Smiley Show, Talk of the Nation, and Fresh Air programs. Beyond NPR, listeners can also hear brief commentaries by former talk-show host Jim Hightower and CBS News anchorman Dan Rather. Viewed as a whole, the list of names suggests that military listeners, if they want to hear a variety of views, can do so on American Forces Radio.
But according to those who design its programming, the point of American Forces Radio is not to provide some sort of perfect ideological balance but rather to give military men and women a representative sample of the programming they could hear at home. To that end, American Forces Radio provides about 1,200 different programs to military radio stations around the world, which then make up their own schedules. "We try to provide a cross-section of programming that they would have available to [soldiers] were they stateside," says Melvin Russell. "We feel that the variety, the 1,200 programs that we offer each week, gives us that balance that we're looking for."
Most of those programs are music shows, but there is a significant news and talk lineup as well. If you liked to listen to Dr. Laura Schlessinger at home, and you're stationed in South Korea, you can listen to her there, too (the first hour of her program is included in American Forces Radio, just as the first hour of Limbaugh's program is provided). If you liked NPR's Car Talk at home, you can listen overseas, too. If you preferred Dan Patrick's ESPN Radio show, that's there, too.
Given that, it would be odd if American Forces Radio attempted to replicate the menu of radio choices available in the United States and decided not to include Limbaugh, who produces one of the most popular programs in America.
As for Air America itself, it has been on the air less than two months, is heard on only a handful of stations, and faces an uncertain financial future. If it succeeds, portions of its programming might well be included in the American Forces lineup. For now, people on military bases with access to the Internet can listen to Air America on the web just like they would at home.
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http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200405280844.asp
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This article shouldn't even be necessary. But given the pressure on the administration applied by the liars in the media and their Democrat accomplices, no doubt it will be welcome.
How long before Brock implodes, as 'Err Amerika' will any day now?
"""That's not the same thing, Franken explained: "Rush's message is that liberals hate America, while NPR is straight-ahead reporting and journalism.""""
Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha, best laugh I had all day.
Brock has lost all credibility. He's been reduced to a pimping ho for the democrat party. Talk about falling from penthouse to outhouse.... that's David Brock!
If so, I will write a letter to Rumsfeld encouraging him to broadcast all three hours of Rush's show.
Brock is interested in uniting the country? Ya right!!
Hey Brock, how about asking the soldiers themselves if they choose whether or not to listen to Limbaugh?
BROCK = A guilt laden yellow journalist who never stopped being a yellow journalist, just changed sides. God save us from born again liberals with an agenda.
"while NPR is straight-ahead reporting and journalism."
ROFLMAO!!!!
"""That's not the same thing, Franken explained: "Rush's message is that liberals hate America, while NPR is straight-ahead reporting and journalism.""""
Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha, best laugh I had all day.
Any body got brock's address?? he needs to be deluged with the hate he spues.
I don't know who Brock is. I do know that Rush has been more than supportive of our troops. I heard him say recently that he is in complete awe when he contemplates these young Americans. Yes, our fighting forces should hear Rush three hours a day. One hour is not enough. He completely supports them and they need to hear that! I will also write to Rumsfeld.
I agree, David Brock makes me sick!
Does Soros pay Brock more than ErrAmerika pays alFranken?
Just saw a flash report on Drudge that indicated that Al "the fathead" Franken is forgoing being paid by ErrAmerika in an attempt to keep it solvent - LOL!
I truly think that these libs are dumber than a bucket of crap.
The supply and demand issue for libs is of no consequence when your life is based on nothing except being a total control freak.
Salon has no customer demand to speak of, and their advertisers don't want to pay money for such little exposure to key customers. Thus Salon.bomb is losing huge sums of money every quarter. Yet, they ONLY stay afloat by huge cash transfusions by rich libs who have a lot of money and no brains.
Back around 1993, the Toon whitehouse proclaimed that only 2% of the military wanted to listen to Rush, but of course, it was a load of crap. The truth was that only 2% had written on the questionaire that they would like to listen to Rush. Rush responded by threatening to have a poll commissioned to see who the miltary liked better, Rush or the Toon. Mike McMurry instantly backed down and dropped the subject. Later it came out that about 85-90% of the military regularly listened to Rush.
Why is the liberal answer to the conservative message "Suppress the Conservative message"
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