I have a plan.
Each according to their ability, says Marx, and my abilities encompass watching television and precious little more. So here's what I've come up with:
Travel anywhere in this country -- bus stations, airports, waiting rooms, TGI Fridays in interchangeable strip malls in any city in the country, and you will find random, aimless television monitors tuned to 24-hour cable networks, to help the hapless traveler or generic patron pass the time. Usually, it's CNN or ESPN for the ball scores or Headline News or MSNBC. But sometimes it's Fox News. And Fox News isn't news. It's propaganda.
That means that public venues which ostensibly subscribe to the law of the marketplace, unwittingly or insidiously, are secretly abetting the cause of the war, the unflinching assault on the Constitution and the far-right-wing agenda of the Bush administration and its corporate apologists -- a world view famously espoused by some 23% of the electorate, if that. And we can fix that in a heartbeat.
Wherever you are, in the conduct of your business, as you go about your daily lives, keep an eye out for the famous white letters outlined in red against a blue background. If you find a television in a public place broadcasting Fox News, seek out the manager and complain. You can use some variation of the following text: "My name is (X), I am a (Patron/Shopper/Regular Customer), and I would like to register a formal complaint against your choice of broadcast material. The Fox New Network is not a news source, but rather an outlet for right-wing propaganda. It is biased and reductive, and I am personally offended by its content, which runs counter to my own personal beliefs. Since you are a [Public space/Commercial enterprise], I would like you to change the channel to a more politically neutral station. If not, I don't plan to patronize your establishment again, and I'll make sure I tell my friends." If they promise to comply with your wishes, stop back by in a few weeks and make sure the message stuck. If not, tell me, courtesy of Arianna. Or maybe tell Adam Green of MoveOn.org, who is monitoring boycott efforts against advertisers who insist on still patronizing Fox News.
This is the kind of project that everyone on the left can easily participate in, a standing army of millions who are only an e-mail or web posting away. Each one of us gives when we can, signs petitions, performs community outreach. But this is something we can do out in the real world. Perhaps an established blog would care to act as a clearinghouse for this sort of information, quickly posting recalcitrant venues, or forwarding anecdotes from the field. Perhaps with a series of strategic e-mails, this plan could go viral very quickly. Hundreds of thousands of honest consumers, sick of the state of their nation, calling up or coming by on a daily basis to complain about this open sewage, this festering efflorescence of lies, and threatening a personal boycott against the offending business if it continues. And before anyone knows it -- no more Fox News in public. Of course, we'll still have Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Brit Hume and the rest of them - failed newsmen who embody the maxim "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." They'll just be preaching to their true believers, which is where they belong.
But is this fair? Fox is a commercial enterprise, just like any other. How would we feel if right-wing activists singled out our shows and networks as the subject of some makeshift boycott? Wait -- we don't have our own shows and networks. That's the whole point. Fox News is not a byproduct of grassroots activism or widespread popular sentiment. It is a calculated commercial entity, envisioned and enacted by those with specialized interests, to curry favor with the institutions of power, in order to meet their specialized needs. They can do this because there is no downside. They pay no price, suffer no harm, bear no scars. And we are subsidizing their current ad rates as long as we tolerate them within the public spaces of the commonwealth.
So act now -- simply, quietly, each according to their ability. A Pox on Fox. Box Up Fox. End Faux News. Let's settle on a slogan and take back our public spaces.
We could have this thing wrapped up by Thanksgiving.
God forbid we have an honest discussion about a topic and come to a conclusion rather than trying to back into the already-decided conclusion with talking points and plain old bald faced lies.
New slogan for Fox News: One Vowel Away From What They Really Do To The News.
I'm starting immediately.
My Post Office always has Fox on. Unfortunately not a lot of good English in there.
But I'll try anyway.
Does anyone know the origin of the "Patriotism " quote?
Dylan has "Patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings..." in one of his songs... I'm sure its an allusion to the original.
I know I've read it somewhere else.
Samuel Johnson
My response was to create my own news website to counter the right-wing propaganda of the Murdoch crew, it is UnFox News, at http://UnFoxNews.com
The difficulty with this assumption is that public opinion is currently predominately in stark contrast with the extremist views propounded by Fox News. This would seem to suggest that Fox News is preaching to the converted rather than making new converts and that most Americans are able to think for themselves and make judgments independent of media propaganda.
Focusing on Fox News also begs the question about ideologues who control other media outlets.
Nearly all major national media outlets now support the right wing agenda of neoconservatism, pro-Republican, pro-war, pro-white, and pro-Christian ideology. The only counter-example I can think of is Keith Olbermann.
This would seem to argue that either Keith Olbermann possesses extraordinary powers of persuasion or that most Americans possess, as noted above, the ability to make judgments independent of propaganda.
The people who control our national media are first and foremost interested in profits and think "journalism" is just another marketing ploy.
I think this suggests that a more effective strategy than berating those who promote Fox News would be to simply boycott all national media and let the business people who control it know why. If their ratings drop into the toilet and they have people telling them why they aren't watching or reading, perhaps they'll get the message.
Also, I find that when, for example, Fox News has a so called "liberal" guest it's often a soft chump.
This is the Alan Colmes Strategy (ACS) where they find the strangest looking, soft, pseudo-democrat to agree with most republican talking points and then *slightly* disagree with a point or two making them "liberal".
Even many moderates seem to believe in it.
But let's take the Big 3 areas one by one...
Radio: According to Media Matters research, there is a 10 to 1 ratio of conservative shows to progressive shows.
Go ahead, turn on your radio and see how easy it is, for example, to get Limbaugh or Hannity (and how clear the signal is). Now try the same for Bill Press, Thom Hartmann or The Young Turks and see what happens.
(the good news is that progressive radio was less than 1% of the market share 3 years ago and is up to 10%)
Print: Again, according to MM, (paraphrase) conservative editorials pass by around 152 million eyes a day vs 125 for progressive writing.
The number one most widely circulated/syndicated political writer in America is conservative George Will.
I'd also point out that even the New York Times, the paper most pointed to for liberal bias, has David Brooks and Tom Friedman.
Television: I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I know you can find them at MM. Take the Sunday shows on the major networks (Meet the Press, etc), and the number of conservative guests is much higher than progressive guests.
Also, just think about it for a second. Other than Keith Olbermann (who *finally* passed O'Reilly in ratings I believe), name me ONE progressive show host. Seriously, just one. And no, Comedy Central shows do NOT count.
You could possibly make an "ok" case for Lou Dobbs, but is he really "progressive"? If anything his immigration rants (which make up 90% of his show) are populist-centrist if anything.
The major network anchors might be pegged as "liberal", but they are soft moderates at best. Sure, I concede they might *personally* lean liberal, but you'd be hard pressed to show me solid examples of when that manifested itself in an actual show.
There was a Democrat in the White House for eight years who brought prosperity and a stabilized economy. Look at the mountain of money upon which Rupert The Bloody now sits. It didn't all begin the day Bush was appointed. America has been swallowing their propaganda for a long time now, and show no signs of slowing. Especially now that WSJ is in their corner. News Corp will position WSJ as the "liberal" foil to Fox's conservative bent the way Colmes supposedly foils Hannity. And we know how that dynamic works. Hannity spouts some extreme right bull, Colmes calmly nods.
I didn't know that was possible.
What can we do about getting off basic cable? This should be a major source of energy. I understand that the cable companies are legally bound to block any channel that a customer finds offensive. If so, and we all do this, that would be most effective.
Until SOMEBODY REINS IN the satellite and cable corporations and FORCES them to offer ala carte selections, there's nothing you can do. This has been fought over for years.
In the meantime, I'll watch PBS or read a book.
Books do not have, or need, MUTE buttons.
Though it appears they're working on that...
But there in is the JOY!
Look if we want to see what Rovian Assault is coming on our freedoms.
Watch Fox.
If you want to know when turn to PBS or C-Span, or rush out and buy a reputable paper or magazine, wait till the Factor is screaming the loudest.
If you need a trigger to let you something important is going on in Washington, the constitution being dragged through the mud, wait till Court TV or Prime Time, or Billo or Hanntiy and Colmes fronts up some celebrity of the month to be Bar-B-Q-ed.
Now here is the REAL tip-off!
When Geraldo and Billo are fighting!
Hit the deck, get down low, smell the air, go on full four-point alert and look between the legs of the sheep. The wolves will hide their teeth BUT will be easily seen by their CLAWS.
My View?
Fox News is the greatest thing in America.
Like a flag in the wind.
You don*t look where the flag in pointing, you look UP-WIND and SNIFF!
Just my opinion.
All the best
Knute (Neo-LIB)
Know thine enemy!, although I have no enemies but the ones I call to be mine.
Fox News ... what a conundrum. They confound. They confuse. They obfuscate. They outright lie. God love them.
Yes, look up-wind and sniff. Smell the odor of what my fingers don't allow me to type, but my mind says nevertheless.
Here, it's Channel 47. It's hard to make myself dial in the numbers, but if I want to have an intelligent conversation in my neck of the woods, I will hold my nose and watch Bill-O and company.
Only then can I speak from an informed voice. Only then can I walk in the shoes of neighbors and friends. Only then can I KNOW the words of mine enemy to turn them back away from my own tender heels.
All my best,
Ani
See, I don’t mind bias in Media as long as I know what the bias is.
I will run out and buy the Washington Times and the Post because I want to hear both sides of a given issue.
BUT,,,,, if I hear the Neo-Conquers beating the drums for war, it is sure that turning to FOX news I will be entertained with the full 40 piece marching band.
Unfortunately, we find it harder these days to boycott sponsors of broadcast, as so many divide their advertising money across the board. Not like in the OLD days when a Corporation would find a show and sponsor the full hour because it enriched our lives in cultural, creative, informative or literary sense.
BTW,, If you should develop dry mouth, numbness in arms or legs, prolonged indigestion, an erection lasting more than 4 hours or experience heart palpitations or cardiac arrest and expiration, discontinue use and contact your MORTICION immediately.
Ani, what I do however, is make a list of all the names of advertisers on FOX news, and if ever I hear of them being sued in court, I will fire off letters to the JUDGE and PROSECUTER outlining why I believe the Company has damaged America and should have the BOOK thrown at them.
The last time I checked, members of the Bench and LAW enforcement (Officers of the court) do not tale kindly to people LYING to the American Public or supporting those that do.
Oh and remember that THREE Strikes Law that FOX shoved down our throats. The Career Criminal Law. Well, guess what?
Now you can go to jail for,,,, LIFE,,,, if you hit the store sales person or clerk with the tennis shoes you tried to steal attempting to be like all the RICH kids in school and have two priors like fighting over a girlfriend or kicking a Sports ref. in the shins.
Fear, Fear, Fear!
Spin, Spin, Spin!
And our whole country is PAYING the PRICE!
Just My Opinion.
All the best
Knute (Neo-LIB)