Bill Moyers NOW signs off with rightwing media bias...tonight

[AmerDem]

This week on a NOW:

* Right-wing media machine. Bill Moyers reports on the intersection of media and politics, and how Republicans have used it so successfully in
A MATTER OF OPINION.
* Liberty and justice for all? ACLU head Anthony Romero talks about life in the midst of war on terror and what it means for Americans' civil liberties. A Bill Moyers interview.
* For NOW, he's Bill Moyers. Bill Moyers signs off after three years as host of NOW.

A MATTER OF OPINION

Bill Moyers looks inside the right-wing media machine that the conservative NEW YORK TIMES columnist David Brooks called a "dazzlingly efficient ideology delivery system." The program examines how a vast echo chamber that is admittedly partisan and powerfully successful delivers information - and misinformation - with more regard for propaganda than fact. Founding father to the conservative movement, Richard Viguerie tells Moyers, "That's what journalism is, Bill. It's all just opinion. Just opinion."

ANTHONY ROMERO

Since 9/11 and the start of the war on terror, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been one of the leading voices in the fight for the protection of civil liberties. They have taken on cases when no one else would touch them, cases involving foreign nationals living in our country whose rights were violated in the early round-ups post 9/11, or cases where law enforcement infiltrated groups of U.S. nationals in our soil, only because they disagreed with our government's policies. Most recently they have been in the news for making public a series "of U.S. Navy documents that reveal that abuse and even torture of detainees by U.S. Marines in Iraq was widespread." Bill Moyers speaks with Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU, who will talk about life amidst an ongoing war on terror and the delicate balance between protecting civil liberties and national security.

NOW WITH BILL MOYERS continues online at PBS.org (www.pbs.org/now). Log on to the site to see a timeline of media consolidation; to find out who owns what in the American media; to learn more about the history of the Fairness Doctrine; to take a Freedom of Speech Quiz; to look at the history of American civil liberties during wartime; to say farewell to Bill Moyers; and more.

http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_16320.shtml


History of the Fairness Doctrine

You may remember hearing about Sinclair Broadcast Group in October 2004. They attracted attention from other media outlets when they announced plans to air STOLEN HONOR, described by some as an "anti-Kerry documentary." Ultimately, the documentary was not aired, as critics called for balance from Sinclair by way of programming that showed the other side of the story, calling on a principle called the "fairness doctrine." While this doctrine is no longer enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it hasn't faded from public discourse. What is the history behind this doctrine?

The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, called for stations to offer "equal opportunity" to all legally qualified political candidates running for office. (Learn about the history of televised presidential debates.) The idea was to ensure even-handedness in a time when available frequencies were limited. This federal law did not apply to news programs, interviews, and documentaries. During the 1940s, stations were prevented by the FCC's "Mayflower Doctrine" from editorializing, but by the end of the decade, the ban had softened to allow editorializing only if other points of view were also aired to balance those of the station.

In 1949, the FCC adopted the fairness doctrine, a policy that viewed station licensees as "public trustees" and, as such, responsible for addressing controversial issues of public importance. The key requirement was that stations allowed opportunity for discussion of contrasting points of view on these issues.

Later, in 1967, two corollary doctrines were added. The first was the political editorial rule, requiring that if a station editorialized either for or against a candidate for public office, the station had to notify the disfavored candidate within 24 hours and allow him/her to reply to the editorial; the second was the personal attack rule, which states that when a person or group's character or integrity is impugned during the discussion of a controversial issue, the station must notify the person within one week, and offer a reasonable time for response.


http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/fairness.html


This program will be airing tonight. Check local listings here for time.

http://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html

[LSparkle]

1. How I will miss him!

One less sage journalist ... They just don't make 'em like they used to.

[Qutzupalotl]

3. Me, too.

I hope he remains active and speaking publicly.

NOW just won't be the same without him. No offense to David Broncaccio, but he's no Bill Moyers. Those are some big shoes to fill.

[parkenyc]

2. Thank you for the reminder.

I wouldn't want to miss it.

[lateo]

4. Anyone know what channel PBS is on the dish?

[donheld]

5. I very much hate to see Bill go

I probably have as much or more respect for him than any other journalist.

[w4rma]

6. Someone needs to archive the Moyers section of PBS before PBS takes

it down.

[AmerDem]

7. There's alot of info on his site

It's a good read.

[Sugarbleus]

8. Thank you so much for the listings page...!!

I thought I'd missed him completely... :hi:

[For PaisAn]

9. Hitler reference

Check the transcript when it becomes available. On tonight's show Moyers compared the Bush Regime to Hitler. It was in the beginning of the show and he phrased it as only Moyers can.