Excuse me, but all these years I have been under the impression that the American people own the airwaves that radio and television networks broadcast their programs on. If this is indeed the case, then how in the hell have our airwaves been nearly completely taken over by right-wing neocon fascists and Christian wackos (John Hagee anyone?) intent on broadcasting their propaganda 24 hours a day?
Now there is a "new" television news network, called "American News Network" (ANN), broadcasting into American living-rooms, and if you think FOX News is bad, wait until you see this bunch! More after the fold:
I live in a rural area where cable is not available. The only television available to us is via the PUBLICLY OWNED airwaves that spirit through our local skies. The other day I was flipping through the few channels we receive, and came upon a news show I had never seen before.
Intrigued, I watched the program. It was slickly produced in a CNN/Fox News style, with national and international reporting (using many foreign feeds), sports, weather, and other features. It's called "ANN", or "American News Network".
Here's some of what their website (www.americannewsnetwork.tv ) has to say about them:
The American News Network began broadcasting its nightly news programs in January 6, 2003. Back then, our goal was to be in every market in the nation. We are proud to say we’ve achieved that and more thanks to you. Our mission is to provide viewers with a choice.
We started ANN with one nightly broadcast. Now we offer an Early and Late Edition Newscast. ANN’s newscasts cover the behind-the-scene events that shape our lives. Each broadcast delivers international and national news, business, health, entertainment, weather and sports.
For the past four years, we’ve been making news available throughout America to independent stations and TV Networks, keeping you, our viewer, informed. Our coverage takes everyone inside the story with pictures and people.
It’s been an honor to have you let us into your homes. And as ANN moves forward, we will continue to be part of your family choice for news you can trust!
The American News Network is carried by 6 independent national television networks, over 200 broadcast TV stations, more than 6,000 cable channels and Direct Broadcast Satellite through Sky Angel.
Only when I finished watching their program, did I find out it was being carried by one of the two(!!) local Christian TV stations. During their newscast, there was no reference whatsoever to religion, and as I pointed out earlier, it was very slickly produced.
The problem is, that all of their reporting was so totally slanted to the right, it was beyond all reason. They made Fox News look like a centrist/liberal organization, and millions of people have access to, and watch this garbage, every day.
For instance, they showed clip after clip of Bush slamming Pelosi and the Democrats, but allowed no retort or response from any Democrat. They also used several so-called "experts" from the fascist Heritage Foundation, and the American Enterprise Institute, for comments, conveniently neglecting to offer opposing views from more liberal think-tanks. And on, and on it went....
Their message was very clear throughout every new segment I watched; They love G.W. Bush. They love Republicans. They think Democrats are traitorous scum.
It's one thing to use the public airwaves to broadcast religion (which frankly, I don't agree with either), but it is quite another to broadcast 100% right-wing, Republican propaganda, using the PUBLIC AIRWAVES religious broadcasters have been granted the license to, to broadcast religion.
Our media is now so polluted, so foul, that one cannot escape the 24 hour a day propaganda barrages of the right-wing, their neocons allies, and their religious affiliates. There is no escape. This must change, and quickly.
Our national debate has become so polluted and debased because of these propaganda mongers, that our democracy is in danger of imploding. We're almost out of time to save it. In addition, many of these nuts are all but calling for a civil war and violence against all those who don't agree with their sick thinking. Danger lurks therein.
It's bad enough for people like John Hagee and Dobson being allowed spread their sick screeds on our airwaves, but quite another when they try to pass off overt propaganda as straight news reporting to their gullible viewers (after all, would these "messengers of god" allow something to be broadcast that wasn't true?), and all under the licenses granted them to broadcast religious programs. Enough!!
Please, contact your Democratic congresspeople, and urge them to start taking steps to take our media back from the hands of those who intend to destroy our democracy.