Why hasn't ABC/Disney caved? This is bizarre.

[iconoclastic cat]

So, I don't have to tell all of you what's already on DU about "The Path to 9/11" -- obviously, this film is under heavy assault from all angles. Go to Daily Kos, too, and you'll see some great work done on this, most interestingly that the film also slanders and defames American Airlines!

Disney/ABC's Conservative 9/11 Fan Fiction Also Defames American Airlines

Uh-oh. Disney may have to do more editing, according to AMERICAblog's John Aravosis:

s I first noted yesterday, I have the entire "Path to 9/11" video. And one of the very first scenes makes it explicitly clear that American Airlines had Mohammad Atta in its grasp, warning lights flashing on the computer screen, yet the airline simply blew off the threat and helped Atta kill 3,000 Americans.

Unfortunately, it's a total lie.

Here's what the "Path to 9/11" claims American Airlines did on the morning of September 11. According to Disney/ABC, American Airlines had Mohammad Atta at its ticket counter and a warning came up on the screen when he tried to check in. The AA employee called a supervisor who kind of shrugged and said, blithely, just let him through. The first employee, shocked, turned to her supervisor and said, shouldn't we search him? The American Airlines supervisor responds, nah, just hold his luggage until he boards the plane. The scene is clearly intended to make American Airlines look negligent.

Only problem? It never happened.

First off, Disney/ABC got the airport wrong. The warning for Mohammad Atta's ticket popped up in Portland, Maine, not at Boston Logan as the tv show claims (this is on page 1 of the September 11 Commission report).

Second, the security rules at the time said nothing about searching a passenger who has a "warning" pop up, they only required that the bags be held until the passenger boarded. The Disney/ABC tv show, on the other hand, clearly tries to imply that American Airlines violated the security rules in letting Atta go. This simply isn't true. (This is also on page 1 of the report.)

But most importantly, Disney/ABC implicated the wrong airline.

My questions: WHY the fuck haven't they pulled it? They know they'll be sued--WTF? What does Disney stand to gain that is worth lawsuits, investigations, national boycotts, and a legacy of infamy?

[Cobalt Violet]

1. Cheap labor, for one.

It's amazing what Corporate America will keep doing for republicans for an unending supply of cheap labor.

[iconoclastic cat]

4. So we really are still fighting the Civil War. Brilliant. nt

[xchrom]

21. i think you've hit the nail on the head.

pt 9-11 represents a kind of bomb in this peculiar civil war.

[leftofthedial]

26. capitalism only works when some resource is cheap/free

and when capitalists can externalize most of their costs

they've already burned up all the free natural resources

they'll do anything to protect their precious money and their evil economic system

Disney is a corporation. like all corporations, they are devoid of conscience--psychotic.

2000 was a coup. Disney knows this.

[Submariner]

2. Especially after seeing this C&L promo

that is shown outside the U.S. that states "the Official True Story of 911". It shows Clinton but not Bush. Unfuckingbelievable!

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/09/09/abcs-promoting-the-path-to-911-as-the-official-true-story-worldwide/

[bananas]

3. here's my guess

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2067359&mesg_id=2068045

[iconoclastic cat]

6. Okay, I'm not awake yet. I read it, but I need you to explain. Thanks! nt

[bananas]

59. I was just being ultra-cynical

The post I linked to was my reply to the thread
"ABC: MASSIVE shareholder FRAUD by giving away $40M movie for FREE"
so I was saying maybe it's official propoganda approved by Negroponte,
any financial fraud protected by his ability to waive SEC rules.

[Stuckinthebush]

49. They are now in a lose-lose situation

and all they can do is ride out the storm.

I'm sure a bunch of execs are hoping mad right now because some bonehead let this crap through.

If they let it continue as scheduled they will get bad press for weeks and lose some money. It will be a blight on them all around.

If they pull it the whacko conservative army will scream and boycott them while FOX network makes hay out it for months.

So, the execs are simply holding onto their seats and letting it go on because anything they do now will hurt them.

Believe me, some people will be fired for this.

[mwb970]

60. Isn't it ironic?

"Believe me, some people will be fired for this."

As far as I know, nobody in the government was fired for missing 9/11 warnings or anything else. I guess they do things differently in the corporations.

[whistle]

5. I believe that Part I of PT911 has already aired in New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand
Current time 11:48PM Sunday September 10, 2006

So, can we get any feedback from New Zealanders or others who might have had access to the film and have watched it or even better, taped it?

[EFerrari]

9. Here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2096331&mesg_id=2096331

[mnhtnbb]

New Zealand showing of Path to 9/11 Excellent review on dailyKos

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2099550&mesg_id=2099550

[GeorgeGist]

7. Maybe it's all 'they' have available to discredit...

some new reality that 'they' see ahead... a reality that will paint a very different picture of the Path to 9/11 than the 9/11 Commission did.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Because this is really the Path to the 2006 elections.

This is mudslinging, swiftboating to its highest level.

[YDogg]

17. Exactly. It's about elections, nothing less.

[exlrrp]

30. I agree!!

Welcome to 2006 version of Swiftboating. The Republicans get more sophisticated everytime but its still the last of the Summer Whine

[guinivere]

55. Yup. Maybe the biggest, most expensive mudsling of all.

The usual screams of terra! just won't cut it any more. The shrub's numbers have been in the toilet for awhile. Some of the lock has gone out of their step. They needed something to try to bring up the numbers, take the focus off of the asshat they call president.

[Vinca]

10. Time for the lawyers to step up to the plate. nt

[tsuki]

11. Because everyone is using the word "cave" instead of saying they

need to do the morally correct thing.

[iconoclastic cat]

13. Was that tongue in cheek? nt

[tsuki]

47. No, "cave" is used when pressure it brought to stop something,

whether it is right or wrong.

It is morally reprehensible to lie. It is against the "ten commandments." Therefore, I feel we should be slapping them with their own moral standards. It's time we took the moral high ground.

It is not morally right to lie and celebrate those lies concerning the death of 3000 people.

And before someone gets after me for using the word, "celebrate," I look at this whole 911 angst fest by the RW media this weekend as a celebration. ENOUGH ALREADY. Crawl back into your multimillion dollar corporate holes. I won't watch.

[Canuckistanian]

35. I agree, "cave" is the wrong word

It implies giving in to overwhelming pressure, whether it's right or wrong.

[fasttense]

12. So why is Disney/ABC trying to malign American Airlines?

What beef does the GOP have with American Airlines? I don't believe it was an accident. They deliberately set up American Airlines. Didn't the corporation give the bushes enough campaign money?

[iconoclastic cat]

14. Yeah, we are missing a huge piece of the puzzle.

None of this makes sense.

[Karenina]

18. Anyone up for a round of

"Concentration?" Match the quids to the pro quos!!! :evilgrin:

[C_U_L8R]

15. they are screwed no matter what they do

especially once the shareholder lawsuits come pouring in

[iconoclastic cat]

19. But couldn't they at least save their rep a little?

Something doesn't make sense. They aren't fucking Thelma and Louise, revving up for a nosedive in a convertable--they're a company with many, many people whose best interests lie in the opposite direction of this little stunt. Why hasn't anyone brought it down yet?

[C_U_L8R]

22. I'm waiting for Roy Disney to step up

and kick Iger in the ass... all the way out the door


edit: Roy can be found here...
http://www.shamrock.com/pages/our_team/our_team.asp

[never_get_over_it]

38. They are not screwed - they never are

this is a deliberate attempt to impact the election - to give cover to when the repunks mysteriously maintain control of the Congress - legitimately or most likely not legitimately due to election fraud.

for 5 and a half years we have said oh this will do them in - or that will do them in - over and over and over again....truth is this will blow over ABC - Disney will survive just fine - the only ones screwed will be us....

I've tried to keep optimistic and hope that we will take back at least the House but I have had a nagging feeling for MONTHS that "they" would yet again find a way to pull this out with their rotten voter disenfranchisement and their rotten machines....I believe I am absolutely correct in that "they" will maintain control - because "they" can't afford not to - and I pray to whomever that I'm 100% wrong.

[Parisle]

16. Possible Neocon Reasoning,....

---- Whatever hellish coalition of media, religious right, itinerant ideologues, Rove operatives, etc., is behind the ABC-Disney propaganda flick,.. it is ultimately a product of the corporate elite escalating the degree of treachery they will employ to try and avoid the midterm House takeover predicted for the democrats. As such, it is an "at all costs" effort,.. I mean, c'mon,.... no commercials? Moreover, they have no doubt already resigned themselves to take whatever viewership and legal hits which may accrue to the Disney-ABC outfit --- after all, they still have FOX, eh?

----So protests, loss of viewer patronage and lawsuits do not matter,.. in fact, they have already been factored into the equation. Hey,... maybe it'll go to the Supreme Court, heh heh!

[iconoclastic cat]

20. But that is such an awful business decision! Are they insane, too? nt

[AusTexDem]

36. maybe because Jeb is still Gov. of FL

wasn't that behind the decision not to distribute Fahrenheit 911?


May 5, 2004, Wednesday
By JIM RUTENBERG (NYT); National Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 1, Column 4, 989 words
DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Walt Disney Co is blocking its Miramax unit from distributing in North America Michael Moore's new documentary Fahrenheit 911, which links Pres Bush and prominent Saudis, including Osama bin Laden's family, and criticizes Bush's actions before and after Sept 11 terrorist attacks; Miramax executives, who are principal investors in film, challenge Disney's right to block distribution; Disney reaffirms stand; Moore's agent Ari Emanuel says Disney chief executive Michael D Eisner asked him to pull out of deal with Miramax last spring, citing concern film could cost Disney tax breaks in Florida, where Bush's brother Jeb is governor; Disney executives deny tax breaks were issue; Moore scores Disney decision, interview

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40B13FA35590C768CDDAC0894DC404482

[yourout]

23. Money......someone is paying 30+ million for this and it aint Disney.

Follow the money.

[Moochy]

39. I think you are correct, no advertisers = immune from boycott

I bet that ABC believes themselves to be above the fray, it is the product boycotts vs. the advertisers that convinces shows to be cancelled.

Did I read that they have not divulged who was paying for the show?

[Chimichurri]

24. Because Disney has relied on Congress to allow them to keep

their patents from expiring. After 75 years, a patent becomes public domain. In other words, people can use the creation without having to pay royalties because it belongs to the public. Eisner lobbied the government to change it successfully. During the Clinton scandal, he was able to ram through draconian patent legislation allowing anything created in the U.S. to be protected by patent until 2019 and it allows copyright holders to bypass the courts in getting warrants to charge violators. Oh and as a tidbit, it was Sonny Bono who helped Eisner achieve this monumental task by drafting the bill as a junior senator.

Disney must obey whatever the republicans tell them to do because a) they need to keep their questionable legislation going without any interruptions b) Disney must renew it when it's to expire which will be in a mere 13 years.

It all boils down to money. Don't take it personal, it's just business should be America's new motto.

[Mr Rabble]

34. Thats interesting. First Ive heard of it.

This seems to be the best explanation of what is driving this decision. Nice!

[Joanne98]

41. Bingo!

[sandnsea]

54. good point

Although Dems have been pretty friendly about media trademarks and copyrights themselves. Between that on the right wing side, and the hope of eliminating SS and who knows how many "socialist" programs, it is a smart business decision for Disney, no doubt. Especially if they know they've got election fraud to back them up.

[onenote]

25. because you don't understand the mentality of tv networks

I know that CBS "caved" by moving the Reagans movie to Showtime from the broadcast network. But as someone who has worked with broadcast companies for most of my professional career, I can tell you what I think is happening in the inner sanctum of Disney. There is probably a group arguing that it should be pulled, but it is a small group. There is a much more vocal group that is arguing that if they cave here, they will be under repeated pressure to pull programs over and over. A slippery slope argument. As the criticisms mount, a siege mentality takes over. Its no longer about P2911 and the validity of the criticisms. Its about defending the networks "right" to do what it wants.

That's why I never thought it would be cancelled.

[BootinUp]

27. I have the same opinion as yours

But this case has the potential to really threaten the networks "right" in the future. It could turnout to be the biggest misclaculation they ever make.

[Chimichurri]

28. maybe this would have been true 10 years ago - we are no

longer bound by laws but by the corporations who have congress in their pockets.

[LiberalEsto]

29. Because Disney & Scaife have more $$$ for lawyers

and can countersue the asses off anyone who dares challenge them.

[exlrrp]

31. Disney was always conservative

He used to turn people in to his pal J Edgar Hoover for "talking red" in the 50s same as their pal Ronald Reagan did

[kurth]

32. Because they have not heard the word "organized BOYCOTT"

All they've heard is "Be accurate", "Play fair", "Tell the truth", "Be a good trustee - Pull the show". Well, RW corporations don't give a rat's ass about such things. They never have.

[Dover]

33. In answer to your question..."Why don't they pull it?"

Here's a thought. Regardless of the flaws, it suggests that the whole 9/11 scenario and the hijackings actually happened.
They choose the issue and have everybody argue over the merits of the argument rather than if the original issue is even true. It moves the conversation and creates the reality they want to promote.

What proof is there that any of it is true?

That and....controversy creates good ratings.

[sgxnk]

50. black helicopters whooshing overhead nt

[Totallybushed]

37. I don't think

that they are afraid of lawsuits. Freedom of speech will trump all. ANd with this film, maybe they feel that the Republicans can maintain control of Congress (frankly, I'm not too optimistic about Democratic chances of gaining control), so there will be no investigations.

National Boycotts? You mean a few thousand people from DU? I'm sure they're shaking in their boots. Most Americans will not care.

Legacy of infamy? Shame is a forgotten concept these days, and television executives, like lawyers, have never had any, anyway.


So what have we got?

[EFerrari]

43. The Democrats may well take the Congress but we may never know.

They're implementing the Hinder American Voters Act all over the country.

That means, eligible voters are defined by databases and votes being vaporized by Diebold, ES&S, and Seequoia.

We better start brushing up our protesting skilss because soon that is all we'll have. This boycott won't be confined to DU at all. We have many natural allies. Will it be effective? Who can say? But, we can make Disney stockholders really nervous this Christmas or, we can roll over.

[Individualist]

45. The propagandamentary is not about free speech

It's libel. See this thread - www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2092803&mesg_id=2092803

[Totallybushed]

53. Very hard

to win a suit for libel for public officials. And it should be.

[Generic Other]

40. Time to start pressuring American Airlines to respond

because of ABCs "exposure" of their culpability. Let one corporation get in a dogfight with the other. They have more resources than us. We just have to push the two on a collision course.

[Gregorian]

42. Kamikaze mission accomplished.

It's their last gasp. They have been working on this since around, oh, say, 1963. The whole thing has been one dead end mission. From stealing elections to bombing countries. And ABC, along with a fraction of Americans, is on a path to support conservatism. It's a time in which population has reached a level of cataclysmic proportions, and people sense the nervousness as we near a time when resources are going to be fought over. And this, to them, is it. The final push.

Even if the did pull this, they would follow up with something equally as vile.

Believe it or not, I am optimistic.

[Karenina]

56. Disney and the *Cabal

are pushing the envelope with their global propaganda campaign. Their protestations of "Official Stories" are being laughed at on this side of the pond. Where they crossed the line was the DELIBERATE attempt to poison schoolchildren with their feces. Disney and Scholastic BOTH should be taken out economically by whatever few folks there are left in the U.S. who have any sense. Scholastic rolled the dice and it came up snake eyes. They supported this deal with open eyes.

Disney and Scholastic have aligned themselves with powers who have DECIMATED the social supports of Americans, sent their children off to deserts to die for corporate interests while feeding them shit, ignoring their needs and turning their backs on them upon their return.

TAKE THE$E $LIMY $UCKER$ OUT.

[City Lights]

44. They don't care.

:shrug:

I can't figure it out either. But if their refusal to back down over this is an indication of the extremes to which the bushlovers will go to defend their chimp and hold onto Congress, we're going to have our hands full til election day.

[FILAM23]

46. Why cave

look at all the free publicity they have gotten.
Many more people will now watch then would have without the publicity.
All they need is a disclaimer that it is a fictionlized account to avoid
law suits.

[SoCalDem]

48. At this point, I don;t think that "excuse" will fly..

A simple dislaimer might have worked if they had not been aware of all the "errors". but they ARE and were...and there is precedent here with the Reagan show and F-911..

This is little more than a blatant lie-filled campaign ad, made with tainted, partisan mooney. Disney/ABC is the willing tool

[Imagevision]

51. ABC needs to paint Dems as weak on fighting terrorism - heck even

reug soccer-moms are saying enough already on Bush's war... GOP is out of commission if they lose in November elections, hell, even Rove is out of a job.

[Imagevision]

52. ABC/DISNEY need to remind americans, Dems are weak fighting terrorism

THEY CAN'T AFFORS TO LOSE THE POWER COME NOVEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!! my 14 year old told me this much!!

[The Count]

57. Because this is politics, not business. Propaganda is non-negotiable.

They air it commercial free - this is 7 hours present to all the GOP campaigns this fall - way to skirt the campaign reform act!
They do it for BFEE not for money - an act of love!

[Tatiana]

58. I think it's a calculated risk.

Of course ABC/Disney had to have known there would be some outraged folks. However, I wonder if there is some payola or quid pro quo involved in the airing of this movie. From most accounts, the script is not only inaccurate, but flat out BORING, not to mention the amateurish visuals. This isn't even something that has the technical quality of a network television airing.

Add to that the lack of commercials for the film (and consequently the lack of immediate and concrete advertisers to boycott) and to me you have essentially a right wingnut paid-for propaganda piece that seems to be airing because ABC/Disney is more afraid of the wingnut backers of this movie than the rest of America. That begs a couple of additional questions:

What/who(m) specifically is ABC/Disney afraid of and why?

[Balbus]

61. Maybe they're confident in their material or just calling the bluff.

We can only wait to see if there actually will be lawsuits or if it was all just pounding chests and a who-blinks-first contest.