Monday, March 09, 2009

The Threat to Obama's Presidency

By Robert Parry
March 9, 2009

Less than two months into Barack Obama’s presidency, it has become clear that the top threat to his ability to accomplish his goals – from reversing the recession to reforming health care to building a greener economy – is not just an obstructionist Republican Party but a U.S. news media that remains largely tilted to the Right.

Read on.
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4 comments:

sanda said...

Obama got elected despite the media. Question:how did FDR manage with some very hostile Republican owned media? (Somebody must know

Mon Mar 09, 11:55:00 AM 2009
James Young said...

Wait! This ISN'T just a goof!?!?!

Only in the moonbatosphere....

Mon Mar 09, 02:46:00 PM 2009
Anonymous said...

Let's not forget the communication structure and its techniques that allowed the Neocons (radical conservatives) to become such a powerful voice and influence even though few in number. For example, why did CNN run the 90-minute speech of Rush Limbaugh from CPAC uninterrupted with commercials? Presidents should be treated so well. Major TV news departments have help the Neocons a lot; so it is important to know about their methods. The major TV news networks keep ratings high by using many techniques; however, the top three in importance in my view are not readily apparent to viewing audiences. First, network news analysts must make their corporate executives happy along with all corporate subsidiaries and stockholders. Accordingly, they take direction from supervisors who not only dictate what is reported and how but also edit what goes out on nightly broadcasts. Such arrogance! When the president speaks, they tell you what he said and what he meant by what he said. They assume "the masses are asses," as Barry Goldwater was found of saying. Since most of the ownership is staunchly conservative Republican in philosophy, and part of and loyal to the Wall Street corporate world, Republican presidents fair well and Democrats in the White House catch hell from the get go. Remember, Obama got no 100-day honeymoon; CNN was after him the very day of the Inaguguration. Second, these networks and their news departments get rich by defending the status quo within the Belt Way and the corporate world, demanding that everyone play by the old rules that govern political dynamics and dialog for decades, or suffer the negative consequences. Anyone who is serious about changing Washington is in for some hard knocks via bad press. Third, the networks interject themselves into power and become powerful by making the powerful cow tow to their every whim and the desires of their corporate sponsors. They do this in several ways. Newscasters depict themselves as experts in the know, so high above everbody else that the electorate is made to feel ignorant and helpless - - after all, who can fight city hall? That is why when Obama came along with the slogan, "Yes we can," all of the networks and members of the House and Senate went on the defensive in covert, hidden ways. They had spent millions of man hours and dollars "putting the public where they belong - - frustrated, helpless and apathetic." That is why TV networks cannibalize, nitpick and negate (CNN, get it?) politicians who do not play by their rules and policies, or who offend the network owners and their corporate buddies. How can we stop this game that trivializes both politics and the electorate? I sincerely believe the answer is that we must hit the networks in the pocketbook by not watching and by letting their sponsors know why we stopped viewing, and for what reasons. Otherwise, things will never change in Washington. The crafters of most reality in America
are the TV media, particulary news departments. Pope John Paul II, a media savy man, said, "If it does not happen on television, it doesn't happen. It is TV that defines what happens, what is said and what is portrayed by preselected images on television."

Mon Mar 09, 03:10:00 PM 2009
Anonymous said...

Obama and the Democratic Party is still not being treated fairly by the Mainstream News Media (MNM). The MNM is controlled by the same corporate executives that have a right-wing mindset. Apparently, GE and NBC have decided if they can't compete with the right-ring drivel that their competitors at Fox, CNN, etc. dish out, then MSNBC should go left-ring as an alternative. MSNBC has done this effectively with the Rachel Maddow Show and Keith Olbermann's Countdown. If you want a liberal view of the news then watch MSNBC.

Mon Mar 09, 05:52:00 PM 2009

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