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Post by trisha on Oct 13, 2004 21:15:54 GMT -5
I feel it is my civic duty to pass this on. Ignore it if you like, but judging by the metal caliber I see posted here every day, I believe this will enrage even Bush supporters. And it should. From Freepress.net "Sinclair Broadcasting, the largest owner of local television stations in the US, ordered its 62 stations to preempt regular programming to air an anti-Kerry documentary just a few days before the election. Sinclair's mission is clear: sway the election in favor of an administration that lets companies like Sinclair get even bigger. It's great for Sinclair's bottom line ? terrible for our democracy. This is not about 'liberal' or 'conservative.' It's about corruption, the threat to democratic discourse, and the manipulation of elections." Protect the campaign process and our democracy. Help stop this gross misuse of power.
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Post by NikkiGreen on Oct 13, 2004 22:21:02 GMT -5
That's just completely ludicrous. Aren't there some regulations in the US about giving equal air time to all opposing sides?
I went to the site you linked, Trisha. Unfortunately, I can't express my opinions since I'm not in the US.
I read last week about how Michael Moore was trying for a TV airdate of November 1st for "Fahrenheit 9/11". I now hope he gets his way. A new expression formed around here in the last few days...Bush, the man who didn't want Superman to walk.
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Post by Observer2 on Oct 14, 2004 0:25:04 GMT -5
Okay everyone, all together now... (you all remember the tune, don’t you?)... “Thunderbird is a Gallo wine! You’ve got to put that bottle back! You can’t drink it ‘till Gallo signs! You’ve got to put that bottle back!”<br> That's a bit from the theme song from the United Farmworkers boycott against Gallo wine. It had a great, catchy tune and went through, naming the different brands of wine that were really from Gallo, so you could always remember what not to buy. I don’t think there was a theme song for the Nestles boycott, which was a shame, because you would NOT BELIEVE how many brands of EVERYTHING are owned by Nestles. Even without a song, though, it was the more successful boycott. It wasn’t related to a strike though – it was to force Nestles to quit pushing baby formula in Third World countries, through the use of people dressed up as doctors and nurses, claiming that formula was better for the baby than mother’s milk. They would give out free samples – enough to feed the baby until the mother’s milk dried up. Then the people would have to buy the formula. But many families couldn’t afford to buy enough, so they would dilute it with water – reducing the nutrition, and exposing the infant to water-borne illnesses. The number of babies who were dying of dysentery as a direct result of Nestles’ marketing practices would break your heart. We got ‘em, though. They were losing money from the boycott, and being flooded with bad publicity (which they feared would cost them more sales over time), and so they stopped those practices. THAT was a successful boycott. So I know it sometimes works with corporations to hit-em where it hurts... in their wallets. For broadcasters, the main vulnerability is through their advertisers. Calls and letters to advertisers, expressing outrage and stating that you will not buy their products, and will encourage all your friends and everyone on your email list to not buy their products, if they continue to support this broadcaster, may have an impact. Here’s a site with discussion and a link: www.e-thepeople.org/article/35783/view?viewtype=bestAnd here’s a site that’s an excellent resource: www.boycottsinclairbroadcasting.com/pages/1/index.htm"Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire
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Post by Sirenna on Oct 15, 2004 10:47:53 GMT -5
yes, I remember that one. there are many versions of that one though, for instance dumping unapproved FDA drugs in desperate areas. Boycotts work though. thanks for the link.
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Post by trisha on Oct 15, 2004 16:50:05 GMT -5
Great links, Observer. I'm just worried that their advertisers would also like to keep enjoying the huge tax cuts they've gotten because of our dictator, I mean president.
The FCC can stop them, though, and through the equal air time law. If they are going to run something defaming of Kerry, they should have to air something equally praising of him -- or equally damning of Bush, soon after. Anything else is the equivalent of stuffing ballot boxes.
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Post by Techguy on Oct 15, 2004 18:23:19 GMT -5
If the Sinclair group gets its way and the anti-Kerry documentary is broadcast, then the FCC SHOULD step in to at least require the following caveat be added before, during, and after the broadcast: "Hi I'm George W. Bush, and the Republican National Committee and I approve of this message."
The other alternative is, broadcast this documentary on the same night or successive nights along with "Fahrenheit 9/11" and advertise both as political programming. All the major networks would be required to air both, under equal time laws, plus the PBS stations and cable news outlets are sure to pick them both up.
If we're going to have a meaningful debate, then let's bring them BOTH on, and let public opinion in the marketplace of ideas decide the winner.
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Post by trisha on Nov 3, 2004 13:00:00 GMT -5
www.freepress.net/news/5221This link will take you to an article that appeared in the LA Times. It is both encouraging, and depressing. If political organizations can buy air time to air slanderous material about candidates under the guise of an "infomercial" than our electoral system is seriously flawed. What that organization did is disgustingly dirty, underhanded, and utterly un-American. They are no better than the zealots who stole and/or defaced Kerry/Edwards signs, and harassed minority voters across the nation. The Bush supporters have cheated him back into office to continue his campaign of terrorism, economic ruin, and demolition of American civil liberties. Long live the USSA, eh?
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