WCCO's "reality check about the Iraq War Ad.

[myrna minx]

http://wcco.com/realitycheck


Pay close attention to Don Shelby's comments at the end. Pat basically calls the ad misleading, but Don says that the station reviews ads for accuracy before they air them, or something like that. Um, ok Don. :eyes:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. And have you seen the new one?

This one is really sick-making. It has the parents of soldiers killed in Iraq saying that they're glad their children sacrificed their lives to keep the U.S. safe from terrorism.

:puke:

[myrna minx]

2. I saw the new one last night.

This new ad campaign is just despicable. :puke:

[mnSky]

3. One Minute Fixes

This is really scary when outside groups try and positively frame up the wars in one minute. It eliminates the use of open discussion and really caters to the unreality based 'one minute' TV fixes for any problems/issues. They are misleading with facts and lies mixed together and are meant to emotional manipulate us into believing the half lies as real. TV stations should have standards...and I can only guess that this is the beginning of a long waged campaign to get buy in to Bush's failing wars. Perhaps they should be countered by veterans against the war.

[myrna minx]

4. Welcome to DU mnSky.

:hi: It is so sorrowful that instead of fixing the various ailments that affect our country, they would rather just change perception. Now, we should take our Soma and watch TV.

[indigo32]

13. Hi mnSky

:hi:

[northernsoul]

16. welcome aboard, mnsky

Another thing that about this ads that profoundly offends my moral standards is that not only does it cruelly manipulate grieving parents who must be desperate to believe that their child's death had some meaning / fulfilled some higher purpose (because the reality is too painful), but that it manipulates these parents in propagandizing for a position that is guaranteed get more sons and daughters killed. I'm reminded of the concept of the Judas Goat, who leads the other goats to slaughter.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. The more I see the second ad, the worse it seems

Especially the part about the schools and hospitals being open again.

Uh, who bombed the schools and hospitals in the first place, huh? :eyes:

[northernsoul]

15. How's that purple Kool-Aid tasting, "Midwest Heroes?"

I guess this just goes to show how intense the Cult of Bush brainwashing runs...
Although, I understand that as a psychological defense mechanism it is a lot less painful if you can pretend that your child died for a "noble mission" rather than in an utterly meaningless exercise of imperial perogative. This can lead people to want to believe in the existence of a "noble mission" so desperately that they will filter out all evidence to the contrary. These people are being cynically manipulated in the most reprehensible manner. If I believed in a literal hell, I would also believe that there's a special space there for the evil bastards who conceived of these ads.

[CatholicEdHead]

5. KARE just had a rebuttle to the DFL complaints

They all say it is their way to keep the "Marketplace of ideas" going.

[dflprincess]

6. The official statement from WCCO's management says pretty much

the same thing. They say it's their policy to air ads that present all points of views. No one could argue with that, if they at least required the ads to be factual.

CCO also had Melendez on at 6 and he flat out called the ad a lie. Then in a tone of voice like they were disputing Melendez they mentioned that Kessler's report had labeled some of the stuff in the ad "not true" (ummmm, that would be a lie). Then they read the official statement from management.

Jerks.

[CatholicEdHead]

10. WCCO has this entire story on their website

It is at the home page at the top right. It is in the Flash Video section.

[dpbrown]

8. If the policy is to air "ideas" then MoveOn.org ads should be run here

The fact-checked ads run by MoveOn.org about Bush and his criminal administration should be aired repeatedly.

The best way to fight the propaganda nutballs is to air the truth.

[CatholicEdHead]

11. It is all about ad revenue, the side with the most money

to run the most adds wins. While many progressive PACs do bring in the money, right wing PACs have even easier access to larger amounts of capital and can easily outspend us.

It should not come down to a "war of attrition" based on money.

[jean]

12. MediaMatters needs to get an ad division up and running.

[myrna minx]

23. I emailed this info to media matters anyway. n/t

[Zookeeper]

34. That was my first thought when I saw the ad....

why are MoveOn.org ads too controversial to air, but that Progress for America's blatant propaganda is OK?

[petron]

9. Saw the one from midwestheroes.com

That ad is the biggest pile of lies and it makes me very angry when I see it.

The part at the end really pisses me off. You know, the part where the soldier says something like: "where you rather fight the terrorists, here or there?"

I scream, "I reject that premise"!! We don't have to "fight" the terrorists "over there". Our very military existence in Iraq causes the fighting. Man these people are annoying. I could go on forever but then I'd just be preaching to the choir here. :)

FYI, really couldn't find a good contact point for midwestheroes.com to give them a piece of my mind.

[northernsoul]

14. refreshingly, KSTP won't run the ads

Who would've thunk that Hubbard Broadcasting would show something vaguely resembling a conscience... or even just sound business judgment?

Maybe they've finally realized that being identified as a RW media company is going to bite them in the ass someday.

[dflprincess]

17. I would suspect another reason for this might be that KSTP

though affiliated with ABC, is still privately owned. WCCO is owned by CBS which, in turn is owned by Viacom. Anyone know if KARE is owned by NBC?

Seeing as WCCO and KARE are willing to play any ad, no matter how inaccurate in order to present a "cross section of opinions", I've decided to buy a couple Powerball tickets for this weekend. If I win I plan to produce an ad to run on those two stations that will pretty much say "Bush, Rove and Norm Coleman conspired to kill Paul Wellstone" - Of course, I'll have to be careful about the wording so I don't cross the line into slander. I'll just find a way to leave the impression without actually saying it's so - it's not like either station will require any facts to back up that opinion.

[myrna minx]

19. Oh-I agree.

Recall those horrible anti-Wellstone ads that had a photo of Paul holding a champaign flute all the while the Soviet hammer and sickle flag was billowing behind him? Sheesh.

[northernsoul]

20. KARE is owned by Gannet Media

Which, IIRC, is a regional media conglomerate (maybe with links to Cargill? Is that possible?)

I think your ad is a good idea, your just contributing to the marketplace of ideas after all.

[Viking12]

33. National not regional. Gannett owns USAToday and MUCH more

This interactive map shows their holdings across the country:



Go to: http://www.gannett.com/map/map.htm and click on "Daily newspaper/TV location map" for the interactive map.

[indigo32]

21. I'm in for a few tickets for such a cause

;)

[dflprincess]

26. I had an idea for another ad

How's about "George H.W. Bush has been linked to John F. Kennedy's assassination." (True enough, some people have linked him to it.) "By his own admission, GHWB, cannot account for his whereabouts at the time JFK was killed" (also true). "Why hasn't GHWB's role in Kennedy's murder been investigated?"

Yeah, I know there are bigger issues I could be doing ads about with my imaginary lottery winnings, but I've having more fun dreaming up really inflammatory stuff.

[Spike from MN]

22. Now if they would just get rid of Cyndy Brucato...

Good gawd she is awful. I don't understand how anyone that mispronounces as many words as she does can have a job as a news anchor. I guess it's not who you know...

[myrna minx]

18. Hey--I sent all of this stuff to Media Matters.

Since we are the test market, we should give those folks the heads up before it goes national.

[suegeo]

24. According to Nick Coleman, 2nd ad not honest either.

http://www.startribune.com/357/story/252923.html

Quote
the newest installment in this expensive effort to shore up support for the war in Iraq is not honest about a mother's grief.

and Quote
The final mother figure in the ad tells the camera: "We have to finish this job to remember Erik's sacrifice, and all of the other fallen heroes." She is identified as M. J. Kesterson, and many viewers will assume she is the mother of Chief Warrant Officer Erik Kesterson, 29, a helicopter pilot killed in 2003 who figures prominently in the ad.

But she's not his mom.

M.J. Kesterson is married to Erik's father, who also appears in the ad, and she's Erik's stepmother. His mother is Dolores Kesterson, and the distinction is important because Dolores Kesterson is opposed to a war in which she believes her son died to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction that did not exist and to avenge 9/11, which was not connected to Iraq.

[myrna minx]

25. Veeerrrry interesting. n/t

[lakeguy]

27. put her on a rebuttal ad!

she and some others could tell the TRUTH about all tis crap.

[bjb]

31. Mother figure

In other words, more soldiers have to die to remember her son's sacrifice.

[dflprincess]

32. The same reasoning was used during Vietnam

In the end all anyone got for their sacrifice their name on the Wall. Yeah, that was worth it.

[secretdj]

28. This reality check is awesome

I've never seen a local newscast do anything like that. It will certainly invite mutterings of "liberal media", but it's done in such a no-nonsense way that it can't be denied.

[myrna minx]

29. Welcome to DU, secretdj.

:hi:

[Love Bug]

30. My sister called KARE and pitched a FIT over these ads

especially the first one which was shown during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. She pointed out to the person on the phone that it's pretty disgusting that they would should such propaganda designed to inflame the emotions during a program that is supposed to be above politics and celebrate international athetic competition.

Luckily, I haven't seen either yet and hope not to.

[lakeguy]

35. i remember the reality check done on F911...

pat needed to be "reality checked" on that one.

[Psephos]

36. Not exactly a roomful of Voltaires here

I'm frankly surprised no one's supporting the right of others whose views we don't approve of to voice their opinions. That doesn't mean we shouldn't criticize those opinions loud and clear whenever we disagree. But suppression is a different matter from criticism. DFL is engaging in the same anti-free speech behavior we so often find repulsive in freeperland.

I've watched the ads. No one who is opposed to the war will find anything to like in them. Good evidence that the only speech that actually needs protecting is the speech with which we don't agree. Any one else here think the Constitution is more important than some TV ads from a couple of Marines?

"I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire

"I disapprove of what you say, and will defend to the death your right to say it in theory, while off-camera I actively work to prevent anyone from actually hearing it." -DFL

Peace.

[dodger501]

37. Katherine Kersten, is that you?

Could have fooled me.
This is not a difference of opinion, this is not a free speech problem.

As the wise sage said: "You are entitled to your own opinions -- you are NOT entitled to your own facts."

[Psephos]

40. Lavrenty Beria, is that you?

Could have fooled me. The urge to purge is strong indeed.

Last time I read it the Constitution protects even that speech that we don't think is factual.

I trust our facts to be stronger than their "facts" and think the right response is not to squelch their speech but to respond with a strong argument and a revelation of all the information. That is not only the right thing to do but it also pays the political benefit of keeping us in a strong position when it comes to wingnut attempts to squelch *our* speech.

By the way, that wise sage was Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and I have no doubt where he would weigh in on this matter.

Peace.

[Zookeeper]

38. The ad isn't the opinion of "a couple of Marines."

The ad is a product of Progress for America (remember the Swift Boat ads?) which is funded with $5 million from Alex Spanos, $$5 million from Dawn Arnall/Ameriquest Capital, $4 million from Jerry Perenchio, $3 million from Bob Perry, $4 million from Amway, $2 million from Alice Walton, $2 million from Boone Pickens, etc., etc., all good buddies of Smirk. Those numbers, by the way, were just their donations for the 2004 election cycle.

Yet, MoveOn.org scrapes up money for ads and TV stations refuse to air them? I live in an area (unlike Ann Arbor) that is too close to a 50/50 split for my comfort, so I am unwilling to let this sort of thing pass unchallenged.

[Psephos]

39. Challenge is good! It's suppression I'm against.

I already know the funding. Reread my original post, I don't agree with the ads or their makers.

*OF COURSE* we should be vigorous in response, and bring all the facts to light. That's what free speech is *all about.*

What free speech is not all about is squelching the speech of people we don't agree with. It's wrong when freepers do it to MoveOn content, and it's wrong when we do it to freeper content. It does not matter whether their speech passes some fact test. It can be a pack of lies and it's *still protected.* Sunlight is what makes cockroaches run.

I'm sick of freeper-style treatment of left viewpoints. I consider it doubly important that we keep a clean record on free speech so that wingnuts can't dismiss us as hypocrites. Constitutional abuses serve no one.

Again, I'm surprised how many people in this thread don't realize that sword has two edges.

Peace.

[Zookeeper]

41. When I lived in San Francisco or Ann Arbor, I may have agreed..

with you. Back when I had the luxury of that kind of idealism.

Now, I'm older, more pragmatic, angrier and determined to win. I don't see this particular issue as a threat to free speech or a constitutional abuse (I even reread the thread to see if I've missed something). This is about playing the political game as aggressively as the Rethugs.

I respect your concerns, but obviously we disagree.

[dflprincess]

42. It's these ads that are suppressing the truth

If someone wants to air an ad in support of the war fine, but make it truthful. These ads aren't opinion but a perpetuation of Bushco's lies. Remember, WCCO radio refused to run an ad critical of Pawlenty because the station claimed they hadn't been able to verify the facts in that ad.

[Zookeeper]

43. Right. The fact that the stations will accept those highly....

political, calculated and manipulative ads, yet won't air ads from the Left, or, as mentioned in today's Strib, refuse to air prime time ads sponsored by the United Church of Christ that welcomed gay people, is what really offends me.

This would be the perfect time to present the stations with an ad critical of BushCo, and see how open they really are to fostering public debate.

[myrna minx]

44. Exactly--their "marketplace of ideas" is defined by only airing

ads that are supportive if the bush administration. The United Church of Christ ad is a perfect example.