Posted on 11/14/2008 4:36:01 PM PST by Turret Gunner A20
Here's part of an email that has been sent to MediaMyrmidons by the Democrat Party's MediaMatters. It would seem that now with complete Democrat control of the government apparatus in Washington the liberals want to step up their attacks on freedom of expression .. especially expression of ideas with which they do not agree. When and if the Democrats get the idiotically-named "Fairness Doctrine" implemented again it is clear that MediaMatters wants to be THE clearing house for challenges and demands for equal time on the nation's talk radio stations. This message to their followers is part of that process:
"Every day, more than 100 million Americans are exposed to some of the most vitriolic hate speech you can find in the public arena. According to a 2007 analysis by the Center for American Progress and the Free Press, right-wing radio dominates the airwaves.
Their "analysis of all of the news/talk stations in the top 10 radio markets" found that "76 percent of the programming in these markets is conservative and 24 percent is progressive, although programming is more balanced in markets such as New York and Chicago."
Despite all the talk of a supposed "liberal bias" in the media, the reality is that conservatives rule talk radio.
Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck may be some of the best-known hosts, but such nationally recognized names are just the tip of the iceberg. Each of these conservative firebrands started out as local radio hosts, sparking controversy and pushing right-wing talking points to local listeners. Just like them, the next generation of conservative talkers spends hours each day delivering conservative misinformation and launching offensive tirades against anyone who disagrees with them. These right-wing voices may be spread throughout the country, but together they form a conservative echo chamber that repeats conservative myths and falsehoods to millions of people.
Find out more about some of the up-and-coming right-wing radio hosts around the country.
http://mediamatters.org/reports/radio
Here are just a few examples:
*** Minneapolis radio hosts Chris Baker and Langdon Perry suggested that "Magic [Johnson] faked AIDS."
*** Pittsburgh's Jim Quinn called NOW the "National Organization for Whores."
*** Atlanta's Neal Boortz called Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans "basically a parasite class totally dependent on government for their existence."
To successfully combat conservative misinformation, we must fight it at every level. As part of a new campaign to expose the conservative smears being pushed by local radio hosts and stop them from spreading, Media Matters for America has released a new report on some of the most controversial hosts and their less-than-sparkling repertoire. You can join the fight by signing on to our Radio Action Team. As a member, you will receive information on local radio hosts, updates on their latest commentary, and the opportunity to make your voice heard. Join the team.
http://mediamatters.org/reports/radio/sign_up
I look forward to working with you on this important project. Erin Hofteig Director, New Media Media Matters for America
I'm tellin' ya ... I would have been very disappointed if they hadn't included me in their examples. Glad to know that all my hard work isn't going for naught. Now you folks sign up out there! There's no sense standing for freedom of expression when Erin Hofteig and MediaMatters is standing ready to help you strike it down! The people they're signing up here will be the shock troops when Pelosi gets her Fairness Doctrine. MediaMatters will send them their ACTION ALERT! emails and they'll be instructed as to just how to contact their local Limbaugh, Hannity or Boortz affiliate to make a demand for equal time. I'm tellin' ya ... I would have been very disappointed if they hadn't included me in their examples. Glad to know that all my hard work isn't going for naught. Now you folks sign up out there! There's no sense standing for freedom of expression when Erin Hofteig and MediaMatters is standing ready to help you strike it down! The people they're signing up here will be the shock troops when Pelosi gets her Fairness Doctrine. MediaMatters will send them their ACTION ALERT! emails and they'll be instructed as to just how to contact their local Limbaugh, Hannity or Boortz affiliate to make a demand for equal time.
They don't have the skill to play with the big boys, so they want to close the playground.
"Every day, more than 100 million Americans are exposed to some of the most vitriolic hate speech you can find in the public arena. According to a 2007 analysis by the Center for American Progress and the Free Press, right-wing radio dominates the airwaves. Their "analysis of all of the news/talk stations in the top 10 radio markets" found that "76 percent of the programming in these markets is conservative and 24 percent is progressive, although programming is more balanced in markets such as New York and Chicago." Despite all the talk of a supposed "liberal bias" in the media, the reality is that conservatives rule talk radio. Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck may be some of the best-known hosts, but such nationally recognized names are just the tip of the iceberg. Each of these conservative firebrands started out as local radio hosts, sparking controversy and pushing right-wing talking points to local listeners. Just like them, the next generation of conservative talkers spends hours each day delivering conservative misinformation and launching offensive tirades against anyone who disagrees with them. These right-wing voices may be spread throughout the country, but together they form a conservative echo chamber that repeats conservative myths and falsehoods to millions of people. Find out more about some of the up-and-coming right-wing radio hosts around the country. Here are just a few examples: Minneapolis radio hosts Chris Baker and Langdon Perry suggested that "Magic [Johnson] faked AIDS." Pittsburgh's Jim Quinn called NOW the "National Organization for Whores." Atlanta's Neal Boortz called Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans "basically a parasite class totally dependent on government for their existence." To successfully combat conservative misinformation, we must fight it at every level. As part of a new campaign to expose the conservative smears being pushed by local radio hosts and stop them from spreading, Media Matters for America has released a new report on some of the most controversial hosts and their less-than-sparkling repertoire. You can join the fight by signing on to our Radio Action Team. As a member, you will receive information on local radio hosts, updates on their latest commentary, and the opportunity to make your voice heard. Join the team. I look forward to working with you on this important project. Erin Hofteig Director, New Media Media Matters for America
I was talking about Media Matters Troll.
If you think talk Radio sucks why don’t you go hang out with your buddy Chris Matthews. I’m sure you’ll get all tingly.
>>>I think we should start by calling it what it is censorship.
Yeah... but we need to get the liberals to call it that after we shut them down with it.
I believe if done properly, calling it censorship will stop it. The bad news is they are likely to change the ownership rules and other devious things to get talk radio shut down on the sly.
Well isnt it odd they dont talk about the hate speech coming from the Couric channel? I cant wait, 1/2 hour of liberal BS, followed by a 1/2 hour of truth.
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No. That isn’t how the Fairness Doctrine will be structured. Do you honestly believe that the democrats will ever allow their mouthpieces to be questioned or balanced? This is an absolute attack on free speech. Once we lose our free speech, we lose everything.
OK, maybe I wasn’t clear, I do understand.
But a counter attack is to demand time on TV News for balance.
The likely assault on talk radio is going to come by ownership rules changes, market changes, things like minority ownership, instead of frontal.
Hmmm, no mention of Err-America and the vile hated that they spew, imagine that.
If we flood the complaint system with legitimate equal time demands, the liberal broadcasters will be forced to defend the conservative viewpoints on their own dime.
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No they won’t because that is NOT how the Fairness Doctrine is structured. It is designed to attack opinion. The MSM is not and will never be considered by the FCC to be opinion. Do you honestly think that the dems will allow their mouthpieces to be balanced or countered? Forget it. Look, please for goodness sake, these people are feeling their power. They are wallowing in it. They believe the best form of total and complete control is to anhilate all forms of differing opinions, i.e. conservative talk radio.
Rush is a HOOT!
I can’t imagine anyone thinking he’s a hate-monger.
If the Liberals come after talk radio they risk exposing more people to talk radio and this would simply cut into their base.
Bring it on Dims! We’ll give you equal time. We will counter your silly talking points one at a time with a good dose of truth. Then 100 million Americans will see you for what you really are - ignorant or evil.
Cute.
Hey, MediaMorons, that's because leftists have ruled NBC-ABC-CBS-PBS-NPR and virtually all of the "top 25" metro daily newspapers for decades. We had to find someplace for conservatives to hide out together while the squalid cesspools of the left continued to dominate the TV and newspaper Mediascum.
***Atlanta's Neal Boortz called Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans "basically a parasite class totally dependent on government for their existence."
And what exactly about either one of these statements is factually incorrect?
CAP, Podesta & Soros--Discover the Networks
Right wing radio was going full blast during the last two elections...2006 and this year, and I believe the "right" got its clock cleaned both times.
It could be argued that talk radio may be hurting the right, and if it is censured, it may light a fire which will lead to a left clock cleaning next time.
‘’PROGRESSIVE’’= Communist per the NYT. Can these guys switch to satellite radio to avoid these commies?
Can't have hate speech, time to make an example of these talk show hosts and all those who agree with them.
>>>No they wont because that is NOT how the Fairness Doctrine is structured. It is designed to attack opinion.
What I meant was that if conservatives attack stations that carry liberal opinion the same way liberals intend on attacking conservative outlets, USING THE SAME DOCTRINE, liberal outlets will be forced to call the doctrine for what it is... suppression of free speech.
Where’s the recent idiocy calling for Joe the Plumber to be dead?
Oh that’s right...”progressive”.
Riiiiiiiiiiiight.
A lot of people think Rush is a hate-monger even though they have never listened to him. They don’t listen because they have been told he is a hate-monger.
I was visiting my sister in Detroit a couple years ago; I picked her up and was driving to a restaurant for lunch, and I had Rush on the car radio, and he signed off for the hour with his time-of-day blurb. “It’s (x) o’clock—time for welfare recipients to get up!”
My sister was flabbergasted and said, “Who’s that?” I told her it was Rush Limbaugh, and she’s been listening to him ever since. She had believed the hate-radio smears and had never actually listened to him before that.
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