Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
The Republican National Convention's entertainment director, former Gospel Music Association president Frank Breeden, calls his part of the program "Preachers and Patriots." He explained, "Entertainment plays more of a prominent role in marketing messages today than ever before," and convention organizers want to use music and culture to sell their political philosophy "just like Cadillac uses L
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"Remember how the broadcast networks explained that they would cover only three hours of each of the four-day Democratic and Republican conventions because they are nothing more than infomercials?" asks Lisa de Moraes. Well, ABC and CBS will run "infomercials for products in which the networks have a financial interest" on their Friday newsmagazines. ABC will feature Victoria Gotti, of "Growing Up Gotti" on A&E, owned in part by ABC.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"At this late stage, media companies have grown so large and powerful, and their dominance has become so detrimental ... that there remains only one alternative: bust up the big conglomerates. ... We've done this before: to railroad trusts in the first part of the 20th century, to Ma Bell more recently.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"I think there are a lot of reasons to be critical of the media in America. I think that a lot of times the media sensationalize or magnify things that aren't - that really shouldn't be. I do think there's a big move away from actual reporting, trying to report facts.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"Fear has increased in every newsroom in America," said CBS's Dan Rather during a discussion of "The Press and the Election" at Harvard University. That's fear of "a torrent of e-mails and phone calls" complaining about media coverage of controversial issues. Rather said journalists might think, "when you run this story, you're asking for trouble. ...
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
PBS anchor Jim Lehrer blasted the major TV networks for limited coverage of the political conventions, since "we're about to elect a president of the United States at a time when we have young people dying in our name overseas, [and] we just had a report from the 9/11 commission which says we are not safe." NBC's Tom Brokaw countered, "These conventions are so managed, so over-managed" there's not much to report.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"All PR people pitch stories to reporters, but Fox is unusually forceful ... and active in letting reporters know when it is unhappy," writes Alex Ben Block.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"Four years ago, more Americans said they got their political news from the broadcast evening news than cable news, according to a study by Pew Research Center. ...
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Clear Channel Communications refused to display a peace group's billboard ad in New York's Times Square during the Republican Convention. The ad features a red, white and blue bomb graphic with the words "Democracy Is Best Taught by Example, Not by War." The peace group says Clear Channel also rejected their alternative ad, in which a dove replaced the bomb graphic.
Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
Conservatives and liberals alike are concerned by growing media consolidation, notes Jack Bradigan Spula, but he warns that "this outrage is being channeled into a national debate about 'indecency,' 'values' and moral policing." The Federal Communications Commission, headed by Michael Powell, recently announced large fines for broadcasters whose programming is deemed indecent.
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