I have seen the enemy

[Mythsaje]

Rarely, thank dog. It's been years since I watched an alleged "news" program on TV and, in discussions with people I know, I find that those who rely on the television for information about current events are usually among the most stunningly ignorant people I know.

My father relies on the newspaper, but knows full well that they tend to bury the important stuff and put the distractions up in full color on the front page. I usually end up filling in a lot of the details of stuff that's going on behind the scenes. Primarily thanks to DU's excellent researchers and news hounds.

We know that the corporate media has been carrying water for the GOP for at least the last eight years, perhaps longer, and yet the best suggestion anyone has for dealing with this problem is to "turn it off."

Well, that's the I get most of the time when I bring it up. "Ignore them and maybe they'll go away," seems to be a popular choice.

Except they don't. And won't. Go away, that is. They'll keep on playing the "Bias, what bias?" game until they've carried us all over the proverbial cliff.

The only journalist with a show who isn't either blatantly right wing, or badly playing at being neutral, is Keith Olbermann. And, well, that's not nearly enough.

My idea, which I've brought up SEVERAL times now, is to begin a dedicated campaign to "Punk the Press." If they ignore our protest marches on Washington, and in the major cities, maybe we should shift our focus just a little bit and start protesting THEM. And maybe not in the usual manner, but in some similar manner to the way that the "Truth" organization is inflicting themselves on the tabacco companies.

We simply have to get it out to the general public how bad the corporate media is misleading them. Which means people are going to have to think outside the box and figure out new strategies and tactics for dealing with the problem.

Or, perhaps, we can stand by and bitch to ourselves as they fill our fellow Americans' ears with false alarms, false pretenses, and falsehoods.

[muleboy303]

1. turn it off is

damn good advice

"We simply have to get it out to the general public how bad the corporate media is misleading them. Which means people are going to have to think outside the box and figure out new strategies and tactics for dealing with the problem."

i think Obama's following and maximizing what Dean discovered in '04 is a potential solution. there are many in government who wish to suffocate the Internet's (and thus, the people's) ability to circumvent the corporate media. this will be a big, ugly fight for years to come.

but already, for those who care enough, and know well how the corporate media slants and distracts, there are alternatives. for those who don't care enough or are too busy, every "argument" to them must be made very short and memorable. hence the need for enough money to produce the ads that will get to them.