I'm writing this diary today because three things i saw today ticked me off. The first was seeing how David Gregory belittled Barney Frank on today's so-called "Meet the Press" Gregory's right wing bias was in clear evidence.
The second thing that ticked me off was reading the latest tripe from Newsweek about how America is still a "center-right" nation and the Big Socialist Boogey Man was coming to GET YOU. ooooooooooooooooooooo, really scary, right out of a Joe Flaherty Count Floyd routine from SCTV.
The third thing that ticked me off and inspired me to write my first diary was a response to a proposal I made in another diary about how to restore balance in the media. I got a response that said
"Like that's going to happen..."
That got me to rewrite my proposal and post it as a diary.
Amend the Communications Act of 1996 to:
1)Reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. All Broadcast and print media are required to have differing points of view. Don't tell me this cannot be done. I remember growing up in Pittsburgh with KDKA hearing liberal Mike Levine or Roy Fox for 3 hours then conservative John Cigna had his 3 hours. It should be mandated on all media.
2)Force divestiture--No entity may own more than a total of 5 media properties in the US. Period (Media properties include: newspapers, wire services, magazines, TV stations, Radio stations, Broadcasting companies, computer companies, motion picture studios, talent agencies, software companies, entertainment production companies, cable systems, web pages, advertising agencies, publishing companies, stores that sell books, DVDs, music, broad and narrowband companies, web hosting sites and webpages)
3)Media companies may not have interlocking directorates. Screwpert Murdoch has NO business sitting on the board of directors of the ASSociated Press!
4)No media company may own more than one media property in a market.
5)Religious broadcasters are included in these rules. No more endless Republican propaganda being broadcast by liars like Paul Crouch who wear a cross on their sleeve, talk the Jesus talk, but they walk the Ayn Rand walk.
6)Advertisers are held responsible for the content of media they advertise or sponsor.
7)Newspapers, and broadcasting companies are responsible for their content.
8)All Media companies are taxed at 25% of their gross income, the funds derived will finance real public broadcasting with no corporate ties. Establish a REAL Public Broadcasting System and REAL National Public Radio where you do not have to listen to announcers droning on and on about their various corporate underwriters.
9)Give the FCC REAL TEETH to enforce these provisions! AND Adopt tougher libel laws. See how long Rush, Mikey Weiner, Prager, Coulter, Bernard Goldberg and Fox News will continue with their libelous litany when they and the folks who underwrite their propaganda get hit with repeated fines.
The airwaves belong to the American people, not to Murdoch, GE, Redstone or any other billionaire.