The media asymmetry is also not without real-life consequences.
Even after the resounding victories of Barack Obama and the congressional Democrats in 2008, there remains a primal fear among many Democrats from states dominated by right-wing media when votes come up on health-care reform or other progressive goals.
Indeed, it's hard to understand why Democrats from Montana, Arkansas and other states remain so timid if one doesn't factor in the continuing U.S. media imbalance, which is especially intimidating in parts of the country where the right-wing media dominance is almost total, where a politician can be demonized by Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and pro-Republican outlets with little opportunity to mount a public defense.
Walter Cronkite was surely not to blame for this ongoing distortion of the American media-political process. It was the failure of CBS and other mainstream news outlets to live up to Cronkite's standards that enabled the Right to take the United States down this destructive path.
The blame also must be shared by the American Left, especially liberals with deep pockets, for not backing honest journalists who told the truth despite threats of career retribution -- and for not investing in a media infrastructure that could defend the principles that Cronkite left behind.
Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories in the 1980s for the Associated Press and Newsweek. His latest book, Neck Deep: The Disastrous Presidency of George W. Bush, was written with two of his sons, Sam and Nat, and can be ordered at neckdeepbook.com. His two previous books, Secrecy & Privilege: The Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq and Lost History: Contras, Cocaine, the Press & 'Project Truth' are also available there. Or go to Amazon.com.
Even after the resounding victories of Barack Obama and the congressional Democrats in 2008, there remains a primal fear among many Democrats from states dominated by right-wing media when votes come up on health-care reform or other progressive goals.
Indeed, it's hard to understand why Democrats from Montana, Arkansas and other states remain so timid if one doesn't factor in the continuing U.S. media imbalance, which is especially intimidating in parts of the country where the right-wing media dominance is almost total, where a politician can be demonized by Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and pro-Republican outlets with little opportunity to mount a public defense.
Walter Cronkite was surely not to blame for this ongoing distortion of the American media-political process. It was the failure of CBS and other mainstream news outlets to live up to Cronkite's standards that enabled the Right to take the United States down this destructive path.
Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories in the 1980s for the Associated Press and Newsweek. His latest book, Neck Deep: The Disastrous Presidency of George W. Bush, was written with two of his sons, Sam and Nat, and can be ordered at neckdeepbook.com. His two previous books, Secrecy & Privilege: The Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq and Lost History: Contras, Cocaine, the Press & 'Project Truth' are also available there. Or go to Amazon.com.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
