Posted on 05/30/2004 7:30:48 PM PDT by neverdem
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May 28, 2004, 8:44 a.m. A New Attack on Rush
David Brock, the former self-described "right-wing hit man" turned "progressive" activist, is escalating his campaign against conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.
Brock runs a new organization called Media Matters for America, which, according to Brock, was created to fight "conservative misinformation" in the media (see "David Brock is Buzzing Again," NR, June 14, 2004). Earlier this month, Brock and Media Matters produced a television commercial attacking Limbaugh for comments about the Abu Ghraib prison-abuse scandal. Brock, who has raised more than $2 million for his new venture, spent $100,000 to air the spot on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox, and ESPN.
Now, Brock has written a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld asking that the Pentagon remove Limbaugh's program from the American Forces Radio and Television Service, formerly known as Armed Forces Radio. Arguing that Limbaugh has condoned the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib, Brock wrote, "It is abhorrent that the American taxpayer is paying to broadcast what is in effect pro-torture propaganda to American troops." Brock asked Rumsfeld to consider removing the Limbaugh program to "protect" American troops from Limbaugh's "reckless and dangerous messages." Brock also expressed concern that Limbaugh "continually uses prejudiced rhetoric that divides rather than unites Americans."
Brock based his letter in large part on a story that appeared Wednesday in the anti-Bush online magazine Salon. That article, "Rush's Forced Conscripts," in turn relied on Brock and other critics, like Limbaugh competitor Al Franken of the new liberal talk-radio network Air America, to accuse American Forces Radio of a "rightward tilt" and of airing a generous portion of Limbaugh while not allowing liberal voices to be heard. Limbaugh, according to Franken, provides "a bad message for troops to be hearing."
"Rush's Forced Conscripts" discounted the argument of American Forces Radio chief Melvin Russell, who told Salon that his service included Limbaugh on the basis of Limbaugh's popularity, and that American Forces also provides programming from National Public Radio. That's not the same thing, Franken explained: "Rush's message is that liberals hate America, while NPR is straight-ahead reporting and journalism."
But American Forces Radio provides not only NPR programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered but NPR commentary, as well. American military men and women abroad have access, for example, to the talk show of liberal host Diane Rehm. Indeed, Rehm's biographical sketch on the NPR website says her program is "heard on U.S. military instillations around the world via Armed Forces Radio." (For a schedule of NPR programs provided to American Forces Radio, click here.)
Military listeners can also hear NPR's Tavis Smiley Show, Talk of the Nation, and Fresh Air programs. Beyond NPR, listeners can also hear brief commentaries by former talk-show host Jim Hightower and CBS News anchorman Dan Rather. Viewed as a whole, the list of names suggests that military listeners, if they want to hear a variety of views, can do so on American Forces Radio.
But according to those who design its programming, the point of American Forces Radio is not to provide some sort of perfect ideological balance but rather to give military men and women a representative sample of the programming they could hear at home. To that end, American Forces Radio provides about 1,200 different programs to military radio stations around the world, which then make up their own schedules. "We try to provide a cross-section of programming that they would have available to [soldiers] were they stateside," says Melvin Russell. "We feel that the variety, the 1,200 programs that we offer each week, gives us that balance that we're looking for."
Most of those programs are music shows, but there is a significant news and talk lineup as well. If you liked to listen to Dr. Laura Schlessinger at home, and you're stationed in South Korea, you can listen to her there, too (the first hour of her program is included in American Forces Radio, just as the first hour of Limbaugh's program is provided). If you liked NPR's Car Talk at home, you can listen overseas, too. If you preferred Dan Patrick's ESPN Radio show, that's there, too.
Given that, it would be odd if American Forces Radio attempted to replicate the menu of radio choices available in the United States and decided not to include Limbaugh, who produces one of the most popular programs in America.
As for Air America itself, it has been on the air less than two months, is heard on only a handful of stations, and faces an uncertain financial future. If it succeeds, portions of its programming might well be included in the American Forces lineup. For now, people on military bases with access to the Internet can listen to Air America on the web just like they would at home.
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http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200405280844.asp
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It's called "Armed Forces Radio". I know because my nephew used to run the West Coast operation.
Somebody correct if I'm wrong, but Brock was a writer and conservative working for the American Spectator magazine, who wrote mostly about the Clintons and all their questionable behavior in Arkansas once Clinton secured the rat nomination in 1992. This continued harassment hounded Clinton almost throughout his presidency. Then around 5 - 6 years ago, he writes a book "Blinded by the Right" saying that he was an ignorant, useful idiot for the vast right wing conspiracy, said he was gay coming out of the closet, and he's been a hard core lefty since then.
"...while NPR is straight-ahead reporting and journalism..."Ya just don't wanna know what these liberals smoking...
Remember the book about "The Real Anita Hill"? That was Brock. He has done a complete 180 to the dark side.
Nice backhanded slap to Err Amerika there.
I am curious about Brock. He was supposed to be a conservative for so many years, but I wonder if he wasn't always a mole. He was a long time friend of Hillary Clinton having gone to college with her I believe. I just don't think someone switches sides so completely so suddenly.
There really is a war going on against Rush that is for sure. The left obviously fears him as they are doing everything in their power to discredit and silence him. How dare this puke presume that he should choose the listening material of the troops!
For the record, Rush didn't condone the so called abuses, he just thinks they were over reacted to for political purposes, as do I!!!!
While wanting dialog with the terrorists! They declared war on Rush, but are against war against terrorism! Hmmm.
And Mr Brock because you are a liberal POS who happens to be counted among the presstitutes, and I am a lowly regular old person, that means The Secretary should heed your advice and not mine, right?
You called it right, even if it was deleted!!!
From what I've seen of him, he's nothing but a lisping leftwing opportunist trying to cash in on whoever is fair game for the pooparatzzi in the political pornagraphy perpetrated by the prevailing provacatouers of progressiveness, in other words, he's a stinkin' lib.
What? You can't give people a choice! We all must be subjects of the great utopians like brock and his kind.
I wouldn't doubt it.
For the record, Rush didn't condone the so called abuses, he just thinks they were over reacted to for political purposes, as do I!!!!
Terrorists and non-uniformed fighters deserve summary judgment and execution, but further stories have been printed that say innocent detainees were tortured to death. How truthful they are, I don't know. Expect the rats to run with it as far as they can take it. They won't shut up until we're nuked, and then they'll probably say it was our fault in the first place.
ANTIAMERICAN diatribes (and death threats against the president, like the "take him out and shoot him" comment from Randi Rhodes) do not belong on American Armed Forces Radio. It is bad enough that we pay for our own antiAmerican propaganda on Radio Free Europe.
These kooks would have demanded we broadcast Lord Haw Haw and Axis Sally in WWII.
Brock will be worthless after Nov. 2. He won't even be able to get his own obit published after the election. Another useful idiot.
I would have to say that after skimming their contact I would have to conclude that to them only liberal media matters as their watchdog efforts for accuracy in the media is spelled out as to only to be applied to conservative outlets and commentators inferring that if you are a liberal outlet or commentator you have a free reign for misbehavior.
Daryl L. Hunter - Editor |
Talk about misquoting to the extreme of distorting any truth...Brock tops himself here. I am curious if David sincerely believes Limbaugh in any way condoned the abuse...or if he is simply the left-wing hit-man he claims he was the opposite of before. Speaking of which, exactly who does Brock think he is kidding here. To come full circle, I remember when I first started listening to Rush in the mid 90's, when David alledged had this "conversion" from conservatism, and I read Brock's cyndicated collumns in my local newspaper and becoming enraged. David Brock, even back then crystalized an example for me of what I was at the time just learning from Rush-dishonest liberal media bias. I distinctly remember looking at the picture of his oblong, ugly bald head and feeling so irritated at him thinking he had pulled a fast one on his readers spouting his cloaked leftwing BS, and now he's claiming back then he was some conservative???? This is Orwellian.
Brock asked Rumsfeld to consider removing the Limbaugh program to "protect" American troops from Limbaugh's "reckless and dangerous messages."
I'm sure all of time Brock spent crafting his no doubt pretentious prose in the letter took up all of about 15 seconds of Rumsfield's assistant secretary's son in charge of sorting the mail before being crumpled and thrown in the trash.
Anyone else find it hilarious that David Brock has to go groveling to none other than Donald Rumsfield in order to get his censorship whine heard? My goodness that really makes it hit home how much the left needs to get the Bush Administration out of office-guys like Rumsfield are in charge. I would wish you luck David in your unholy quest, but we both know I do not mean it.
Yeah, a balanced approach. Brock wishes to promote the left and destroy the right. Fair and balanced, comrade Brock.
if they edit out all the time rush spends laughing at his own jokes and talking about the times he predicted something (while ignoring the times he was wrong) they could get the entire broadcast down to 59 minutes
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