Posted on 09/09/2005 10:54:21 PM PDT by dware
The Power of the Internet “Movement” News
by Stephen Crockett
http://www.opednews.com
The Power of the Internet “Movement” News
Recently, the power of the Internet-based “Movement” news outlets is making it difficult for Corporate media to spin news developments in favor of Bush Republicanism. The Bush Republicans has given huge tax breaks to large corporations that currently dominate mainstream media from newspapers to cable news channels to talk radio. Republicans have severely undermined all anti-monopoly laws and regulations that once insured diversity in broadcast and print media. Corporate control of media played a direct role in the increasing Corporate control of American politics and government.
In response to the pro-Corporate bias and pro-Republican bias of the mainstream media, an alternative Internet-based media has developed. Websites, news services, blogs and Internet talk radio arose out of the grassroots of American politics to provide a more balanced outlook. The movement really started getting serious during the 2000 election. Gore was slandered viciously by the Corporate Media while Bush received very little critical reporting. The bias was obvious.
The earliest movement news outlets discovered by this writer included Democrats.com http://www.democrats.com , OpEd News.com http://www.opednews.com , Buzzflash.com http://www.buzzflash.com , Truthout.org http://www.truthout.org , Political Posts.com http://www.politicalposts.com , Independent Media TV http://www.independent-media.tv , Online Journal http://www.onlinejournal.com and Smirking Chimp.com http://www.smirkingchimp.com . Thousands of websites and blogs have developed over the past 5 years.
Blogs like Off The Kuff.com http://www.offthekuff.com , Mike Hersh http://www.mikehersh.com , Atrios http://www.atrios.com , Daily Kos http://www.dailykos.com, etc. are more recent but important developments. We get critical news and analysis from independent sources not controlled by huge corporations around the clock.
Local communities have developed Internet newspapers like the Alachua Post in Florida http://www.alachuapost.com , the Magic City Morning Star http://magic-city-news.com and the Wyoming Network of community websites. The number of local Internet newspapers is growing rapidly. They are growing in popularity and slowly developing an advertising base. In the next decade, these sites will eliminate the monopoly of local news coverage once maintained by local Republican publishers in hundreds of communities around the nation.
Some communities have combined local newspapers with “movement news” site. One of the best is We Are Michigan http://www.wearemichigan.com. Of course, local Democratic sites have grown dramatically in numbers and content. Sites like the East Bay Democrats http://www.ebaydemo.org have created great news and opinion sections.
The importance of Internet media outlets can be seen in the coverage of Katrina. The Corporate Media has been spreading distorted and sometimes false charges against the Democratic Mayor of New Orleans and Governor of Louisiana. A timeline of hurricane developments and government actions is now widely available on the Internet http://opednews.com/articles/opedne_jackson__050908_timeline_shows_the_d.htm that refutes most of the false claims. The Corporate Media has largely ignored the facts revealed by the timeline. Blogs like America Blog http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/09/governor-of-louisiana-declared-state.html has helped correct false charges about when local Democratic officeholders declared the state of emergency in Louisiana.
Internet writers have explored the attitude of the Bush Republicans toward government that explain their terrible record in dealing with the crisis. Thomas Hartmann wrote You Can’t Govern if You Do Not Believe in Government http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_thom_har_050908_you_can_t_govern_if_.htm . Blogs like Alter Net http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/25195 documented the Bush Administration attempts to keep reporters from reporting on how bad actual conditions are in the aftermath of Katrina. The mainstream corporate media has reported about the censorship attempts of FEMA that is aimed at keeping photos of the dead victims from the American public. Blogs broke the story first just like they did in the censoring of photos of coffins of American soldiers killed in Bush’s Iraq War.
The Internet will make it impossible for Corporate Media interests and the Bush Administration to keep information and facts from the American voters. Politicians ignore the power of Internet “Movement” news at their own risk.
Written by Stephen Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.democratictalkradio.com ). Mail: 7A Planville Drive, Fayetteville, TN 37334. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com . Feel free to post on your blog or website. Newspapers are welcome to publish as Letters to the Editor, Op Ed, guest editorial or Democratic Voices column
www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com
Stephen Crockett is co-host of Democratic Talk Radio and author of the Democratic Voices opinion column.
Is this guy for real?
Stoner I'de bet.
What a Crockett!
Yesterday, news was what we would say
Now the facts comes out everyday
Oh, We believe in yesterday.
Gradually, propaganda is not what it use to be
There's too many ways for the world to know.
The dirty truths we won't show
We could lie, show one side, our tune was all that played.
When... we... could be so wrong , how we long for that sweet day!
Yesterday, the camera only pointed our way.
Now are viewers are turning away.
Oh, we believe in yesterday
Both he and they are barking mad. We should keep track of them in case they turn rabid and start biting. But other than that, these folks serve only the purpose of our amusement.
Congressman Billybob
ROTFLMAO....
Oh yeah this guy is right on the money </S> WTF ???
What's he smoking and injecting and snorting?
ummm, Democratic Talk Radio....sure to accurate and....is this guy a real person or the figment of some demented mind? This moron is in the same league as the MEMRI clowns who are promoting the Zionist hoax on 9-11.
to: Stephen Crockett
from: John Armor
re: The Power of the "Movement" Internet News
date: 10 September 2005
I just read your article on the Net. I do a spot of radio myself in Boston, Kansas City, and points in between. I also write about media matters, among other subjects.
I have just one comment. Hear this in your mind in your best Steve Martin voice, "You've GOT to be JOKING." Tell me you're kidding. Reassure me that a fellow sentient being does not believe what you wrote in your article.
Or, not.
Cordially,
John /s/
Congressman Billybob
I believe he took a literary "movement" with the typical RAT inverse view of the universe. If it was a math paper, you'd say he got the sign wrong.
What a Crock of ****
HA!
Yea, and Air America is right on Rush Limbaugh's heels.
Actually I'm glad this was posted on FR, as it lists a bunch of Dem sites to explore. There's the old saying: Know thy enemy. I shall check them out for info on what they're up to, and, if for no other reason, for humor's sake.
What, no mention of FR, I am shocked I tell you, Shocked. NOT
I'd appreciate that.
Damn Karl Rove and Halliburton control everything.
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