July 31, 2007 at 21:45:55 Americans Have Lost the Ability to be our own Governors and can no Longer Consider Ourselves a Free People by andi novick     Page 1 of 5 page(s) www.opednews.com

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I wrote the article below over a year ago, but it is first being published now.  It's relevance to elections will be the subject of a subsequent piece.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF IRRESPONSIBLE MEDIA:  Americans Have Lost the Ability to Hold Their Leaders Accountable

The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves, nor can they be safe with them without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe – Thomas Jefferson

Having fought a war to free themselves from an oppressive monarchy, the Founders were all too aware of the need to provide a means to guard against the return of one party rule. Madison and Jefferson in particular understood that the democratic experiment they struggled to create could only be protected if the power to choose their own government resided with the people.

Madison’s recognition that “a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives” resulted in the inclusion of the protection of the Freedom of Press in the Bill of Rights. Hence knowledge delivered through a free press became the lynchpin of the carefully crafted system of checks and balances they designed.

The Founders also understood that an independent press would not endure without public policies supporting its growth. So essential to survival of democracy was a free press that in the 1790s Congress implemented a number of media initiatives: they adopted copyright laws, issued printing subsidies and gave postage discounts to newspapers and periodicals to facilitate their distribution to all.

These policies of supplementing the media have continued. Media corporations still receive privileges -- such as monopoly rights to TV and radio frequencies as well as monopoly cable TV and satellite TV franchises –but the government’s commitment to democracy is no longer the basis for these privileges.

Instead the government gives away our airwaves in exchange for the cooperation of these beholden corporations, who then operate in their interests: the interests of the political and economic elite. Public interest is no longer part of the equation. Democracy’s been taken out of the plan.  

Once upon a Time, Media Policy Was Made in the Public Interest: Now Only the Interest of the Political and Economic Elite Are Served 

The airwaves on which we receive radio and television belong to the people. They are a communal resource like the air and water. They had been regarded and regulated as a public trust. They can be used for the good of the people, as was deemed essential to democracy, or they can be abused and used to manipulate public opinion – keeping us ignorant and apathetic. Even the U.S. government’s own web site, http:/usinfo.state.gov, recognizes:

“Democracy depends upon a literate, knowledgeable citizenry whose access to the broadest possible range of information enables them to participate as fully as possible in the public life of their society. Ignorance breeds apathy. Democracy thrives upon the energy of citizens who are sustained by the unimpeded flow of ideas, data, opinions, and speculation.” (emphasis supplied)

The government leased our airwaves to broadcasters. In return for the privilege the owners were to serve the public interest. It is in our interest to have regular access to vibrant, divergent, antagonistic opinions from all segments of society.

Imagine a media system which informed us with the same regularity with which we are currently bathed in celebrity trials, about the growing chasm wherein the richest 1% own more that the bottom 95% combined and how the United States has the greatest gap between rich and poor of any major nation; or that the United States is the only nation in the industrialized world which doesn’t provide national health care to its citizens. Imagine that in addition to a business section we’d have a labor section discussing the issues which affect over 100 million working people in this country. In such a democratic media system we’d be kept informed of critical issues essential to protecting our environment. In a media system as envisioned by the Founders, in which all segments of the society had equal access to communication, we’d receive the information essential to a nation which aspires to be a “government of the people, by the people and for the people”.

We used to have a Fairness Doctrine in which broadcast media was legally required to maintain an informed public by covering important policy issues and providing equal time to both sides of public questions.

“The clear intent was to prevent a monopoly of commercial values from overwhelming democratic values -- to assure that the official view of reality -- corporate or government -- was not the only view of reality that reached the people.”
– Bill Moyers

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Fairness Doctrine in the Red Lion case in 1969, confirming that it is "the right of the viewers and listeners, not the right of the broadcasters, which is paramount."

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www.re-media.org

Andi Novick Northeast Citizens for Responsible Media www.re-media.org

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Former Lawyer, current Business Consultant,history buff, Christian, father of 2 sons and a supporter of democratic government. ArchieFormer Lawyer, current Business Consultant,history buff, Christian, father of 2 sons and a supporter of democratic government.

Lost No one has to depend on the MSM to know what is going on in the country and the world. You can't believe the MSM anyway so why not do as I do and get your information from the Web? I believe I am better informed than most people just by researching the news of the day on the Internet and by double checking such news reports on various sites to get all angles of opinion. It works! by Archie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1273 comments) on Wednesday, August 1, 2007 at 12:03:18 PM

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About me: *I am a Christian. One who believes in the lord, but also respects science (and other peoples beliefs and non-beliefs too). ...and I have no need to add the prefix "True" before the word "Christian", because either you are telling the "Truth" or you are not. *I have been married for __ years. I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids. *My web site is the work of one person. *I am a private individual. *I am not funded by any group. *I sincerely value human life (dem... to see more of bio, click on member name RCGAbout me: *I am a Christian. One who believes in the lord, but also respects science (and other peoples beliefs and non-beliefs too). ...and I have no need to add the prefix "True" before the word "Christian", because either you are telling the "Truth" or you are not. *I have been married for __ years. I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids. *My web site is the work of one person. *I am a private individual. *I am not funded by any group. *I sincerely value human life (dem... to see more of bio, click on member name

American Think Very Highly of Themselves I beleive that by now a slight majority of people know that the main-stream media lies to them, however, they underestimate the affect that it has on them personally and the terrible harm that it does overall. I've often had friends and relatives to tell me that they know the MM lies, but it's not a problem because they have the skills and ability to see through the lies. I then ask them to think of the general public as a Jury and the MM as a lone attorney having sole access if not the vast majority of the juries time in which to present their case. I then ask how they think said juries would vote. Unfortunately, although they say they understand - once again, I can tell that while they know my premise to be correct - they continue to think it's no big deal and that it doesn't personally affect their outlook or beliefs. Btw, all the relatives that I have managed to get to watch my first video (Redneck Paradise) - they have ALL turned against this administration and the Republican party - vowing not to vote Republican again. While I have no way of knowing if that is what did the trick, I note that the ones who have not watched it, have not changed their minds. {Yes, most of my relatives are southerners and call themselves born-again True Christians...} Anyhow, we informed progressives - we know the power of the mass-media- and we have been complaining about it for years - SO, my frustrated question is this - when the hell is something going to break so that we can get regular access and input to the MM? My historical videos are located at http://rosecoloredglasses.org , if you'd like to take a look. I recommend that you watch the first video very attentively - it's jam packed with info. and if you look away or get distracted, even momentarily, you may miss something very shocking and informative.   by RCG (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 348 comments) on Wednesday, August 1, 2007 at 7:17:37 PM

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Businessman, resource economist, conservative radical, father, grandfather, and concerned American. I want my country back!!Current favorite quotes:"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end they always fall-think of it. Always."- Mahatma Gandhi"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day so that my children may know peace." --- Thomas Paine Papá KokopelliBusinessman, resource economist, conservative radical, father, grandfather, and concerned American. I want my country back!!Current favorite quotes:"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end they always fall-think of it. Always."- Mahatma Gandhi"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day so that my children may know peace." --- Thomas Paine

Great article You bring together a complete command of current events and a historical and philosophical perspective which should move many people to action, Andi. Keep up the good work! We'll get our country back if you do, and if others start taking this situation seriously. by Papá Kokopelli (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 13 comments) on Thursday, August 2, 2007 at 12:26:05 AM

 

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