Goodbye Terry Gross, we never knew ye—on liberal media denial (Bageant)

[Clara T]

Goodbye Terry Gross, we never knew ye—on liberal media denial
By Joe Bageant
Online Journal Contributing Writer

Jan 21, 2006, 20:34

Having come to understand that mainstream media are in the business of selling fried chicken and cars, giving Wall Street head, and stealing bandwidth from the public’s airwaves, none of us expect them to question anything afoot in the empire. We quite understand they cannot be wasting profitable air time on a nation whose collective memory is 30 seconds long.

So we watch them pull their punches and wait for the commercials, which are their whole point anyway. If, god forbid, you are the pointy-headed type interested in details, turn on NPR. And if you consider yourself hipper than the couch taters out here in Budland, go onto the net and visit Salon. Or if you are so worldly and hip you are a downright commie, then subscribe to Mother Jones. That’s the way it used to be.
But now we are seeing what were once considered the more intelligent and in some cases more principled media such as NPR, Salon and Mother Jones distance themselves from meaningful controversy -- pulling the few wimpy punches they have. (Bullshit controversy, however, is still in fashion.)

We are talking about Mark Crispin Miller’s new book, Fooled Again - How the Right Stole the 2004 Election and Why They’ll Steal the Next One, Too (Unless We Stop Them). Miller has become a known and respected progressive figure, one of the few in-your-face bespectacled lefty author types with any credibility. But when it comes to promoting Fooled, the guy can’t even get arrested. No interviews, nothing.

In fact, these days even his cash bounces -- Miller can’t even buy a spot on National Public Radio for his book. Now you may be saying to yourself: “Public Radio doesn’t sell advertising.” Which would make you one of those delusional souls who believe that shameless brand hawking by the oil companies and the financial establishment on NPR is not advertising. I mean, after all, ADM and Wal-Mart? NPR has sales people out chasing these sponsors. They sell these damned announcements. The only difference between NPR’s “paid sponsorships” and the puke jock shows’ commercial radio ads is that the NPR folks don’t have a real rate card. Which is either stupid or brilliant, I’m not sure.

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_443.shtml

[bluerum]

1. I don't support NPR anymore. If they are chasing the big $$$'s

they don't need my $50 a year. The right has been after them since day one and they are just about to wrap it up. I say cut them loose and move on. Let CNN and FOX have them.

NPR's attempt at appeasing the right will end up losing them their soul. The right will not stop until NPR is fully bought and paid for. IMO this has already happened and a few NPR holdouts are trying to hang on until retirement.

on edit; grammar.

[Wickerman]

2. Brilliant

I will look forward to Bageant's book.

thanks for posting.

[niyad]

6. I think you mean miller's book? bageant wrote the article quoted here

[stevedeshazer]

8. Bageant's book is mentioned

<snip>

Joe Bageant is a writer and magazine editor living in Winchester, Virginia. His forthcoming book, Drink, Pray, Fight, Fuck: Dispatches from America's Class Wars, is due out this year, to be published by Random House. Visit his blog at: www.joebageant.com. He may be contacted at: [e-mail].

[Wickerman]

11. No, Bageant has a book coming out soon

and it sounds interesting.

Miller's I have read and would recommend though most here would know the fundamentals.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. man, that is good

and well=deserved.

[Sal Minella]

4. Heard the NPR commercial for Wal-Mart today and can't believe

they're still taking money from those crooks.

[Bozita]

12. Walmart is a PBS sponsor of ... get this ... Tavis Smiley

With government funding cuts being what they are, Walmart is attempting to buy respectability at the very lowest price.

Visit the Official US Government Garage Sale. EVERYTHING'S for sale.

[glitch]

5. These four paragraphs are perfect. Now I am off to read the rest.

with a K & R.

Edit: wow that was the best diagnosis of our national denial I have seen in a long time. This should be required reading for everyone.

[nashville_brook]

7. "George W. Bush has no right to be farting into the oval room desk chair."

K n R on that line alone.

[spun_in_montana]

9. I have never cared for Montana Public Radio as

the programming seems filtered to fit our "red" state status but surprisingly, Wyoming Public Radio seems to operate on a more "unfiltered" and even progressive level. Perhaps they have only progressive listeners in the Cowboy State.... Whatever the reason, letters or emails to YPR in reference to these bias issues go unanswered.
I have long wondered why NPR accepts dough from ADM when ADM works directly against producers and farmers in our area and indeed, a good part of the world. Dont get me started on Monsanto....

[MarinCoUSA]

10. Post-Iraq invasion I am happy to suffer Air America commercials

pull the plug on NPR