They're at it again, those doggone corporate media meanies are at it again...it is so unfair...or is it? by Gary Wood
(libertarian)
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Ω The Internet and media have been all a-buzz with the latest news from the news. In my email I just received an immediate call to action from a non-partisan independent action organization. It begins with;
"Dear Gary,
Once again, the corporate media is trying to tell you which candidates you're allowed to vote for.
ABC and Fox News are sponsoring debates just before the New Hampshire presidential primary.
Both ABC and FOX are ruthlessly using their control of these debates to limit the choice of American voters -- before the first vote is cast!
...FOX and ABC are using arbitrary criteria to exclude the diverse and anti-war voices in the Democratic and Republican primaries and limit the participation of independent voters."
The email goes on to outline the outrageous conduct and decisions made by ABC and Fox News. Again, this is an independent group that currently has supported no single candidate. Simply put, they are infuriated with the idea corporate media in the United States is attempting to sway the elections and has chosen who they wish to invite to their events and who they wish to not invite. This group is not the only upset caucus of citizens. Check out the reporting and blogging and you’ll hear from Paul, Hunter, Biden, Kucinich, Richardson, Dodd and Gravel supporters as well as others. Anyone who favors fair and open discussion during the campaign season is upset.
Well, everyone whose candidate is not invited. For those supporters of candidates who’ve received their invitation the comments are more about learning to deal with it and urging people who are upset to quit their whining and pick a winner instead of a loser who cannot get an invite. For those with a seat at the table the corporate media and ABC and Fox specifically are doing a fine job. After all why clog their air with voices of candidates who simply are not viable (ask the Iowa Democratic Party what measures viability, they have it down to a statistical science).
So, with so much already out there regarding this story already what do I have to say about the situation? Corporate media, ABC, Fox and any other company that falls into the category are completely within their rights to exclude and include any candidate they wish to. Whether you think it is a grand move since your candidate is there or you think it is a travesty due to your candidate being excluded matters little to the real bottom-line fact, if you own it you decide.
There are those among the loudest screamers yelling foul that support candidates standing for old fashioned free market liberty and freedom. It is amazing there can be a cry of impropriety from those who claim to champion the U.S. Constitution. If there is a unified call for boycotting the stations that is a market reaction, I can deal with that. If, based on the call, the corporate media outlet chooses to change its criteria, I can deal with that. Yet to somehow believe we have a right to tell them directly how they can run their business is counter to liberty, in my opinion.
Many moons ago the Murdochian decisions influencing the FAUX Newz network led me to a decision. I choose to never watch their broadcasts or commercials since I simply do not trust their views nor appreciate their opinions. This I can freely do and will continue to do. The fact they are excluding my candidate from their forum is of little concern to me as I would not watch the façade of fair and balanced discussion anyway. In fact, with all the publicity my candidate has received due to the ‘injustice’ angle of the story has no doubt served his candidacy far more than if and when they should change their minds and include him.
Corporate media can and will always choose to influence our elections. The entire process is designed to make our corporate media extremely wealthy. With billions of dollars flowing in to their advertising coffers it is no wonder we see such long campaign efforts today. If we do not like what they are doing we can turn the dial. If we reach a point where there are no more dials to turn we can find other outlets. For inspiration in this regard read Nolan Chart columnist Dann McCreary’s "Bye, Bye FOX: WE ARE the Media Now!" Yet, never deny corporate media the right to their freedom and liberty, simply allow their decisions to be subjected to the response of the free market consumers they often forget they serve.
The views expressed
in this article are those of Gary Wood only and
do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates.
Gary Wood is solely responsible for the contents
of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated
with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Gary, the element of legitimacy I see in those complaints is that a federal agency, the FCC, "licenses" the news outlets in one way or another. Under those circumstances, the exclusion of Ron Paul is probably "unfair."
The solution (in addition to your simple "turn them off") would be to remove the feds from that whole sordid process and allow a truly free communication market. In some sense, that's what I see the internet doing. To the extent that we bypass, end-run, ignore, and obviate the need for both media and oppressive government, we diminish their influence upon us.
