Gore TV channel to outfox US rightwing media

The Guardian (a Brit 'slime' rag) ^ | 6/20/03 | Dominic Timms

[harpu]

The Guardian

Former US vice president Al Gore is planning to launch a liberal cable TV news network to challenge the dominance of rightwing media such as the market leading Fox News.

Mr Gore, a Democrat who was beaten to the White House by George Bush in a controversial contest three years ago, is talking to financial backers and entertainment veterans about launching the channel.

Although it is not clear what format the liberal network would take, sources close to Mr Gore said the former presidential candidate was firmly behind the venture.

"He can pull out at any time. He can say, 'This isn't my deal'. But he's interested, " one associate told Time magazine.

Mr Gore wants the venture to counter the increasing dominance of hard right republican views on America's TV and radio networks.

He has described sections of the US media as the "fifth column" that inserts "daily Republican talking points into the definition of what's objective".

Although the UK's independent television commission yesterday cleared Fox News of pro-war bias, commentators on both sides on the Atlantic complained about its one-sided portrayal of the Iraq conflict.

Mr Gore, who recently said he would not run for the White House in 2004, has been developing ideas for the network with Joel Hyatt, the founder of Hyatt Legal Services, a chain of low-cost legal clinics.

Once source told Time the venture would put "video cameras in the hands of kids," while another said it would be "something totally different in concept and format" to traditional cable news channels such as CNN.

Mr Gore has always blamed the conservative media for his narrow defeat in the 2000 presidential election.

"The media is kind of weird these days on politics and there are some major institutional voices that are, truthfully speaking, part and parcel of the Republican party," Mr Gore said in an interview with the New York Observer last year.

"Fox News Network, The Washington Times , Rush Limbaugh - there's a bunch of them, and some of them are financed by wealthy ultra-conservative billionaires who make political deals with Republican administrations and the rest of the media."

· To give MediaGuardian a story email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 7239 9857

[RandallFlagg]

Oh, yeah. Al Gore interviewing Al Franken. REEEAL interesting.....

[grumple]

Al Gore - Inventor of the Inner-nut

[Gil4]

Zzzzzzzzzzzz.....

[jimtorr]

I hope Algore goes through with this, and sinks his own money in as well.

I like how all of the critics of "right-wing" dominated media can never name any other outlet than Fox, Wash. Times and Limbaugh. Limbaugh is only a talk-show host, not an outlet at all.

I'm still waiting to here of any other outlet for the VRWC.

[TomGuy]

MSNBC dumped Donahue

CBS 60 Minutes isn't fawning over the Clinton-Dole-drum face-offs

Al Gore will probably have about the same level of success. Maybe he and Geraldine Farraro could do a tag-team as the to VP candidates who "might have been".

[prisoner6]

Gore ...to outfox...rightwing

Here's a clue. If ya can't run with the Big Dogs, stay on the porch.

prisoner6

[9999lakes]

I wouldn't advise anyone to invest money is this venture that seems doomed to failure.

But I do have several potential candidates for interesting people to work on such a network.

Bill O'Reilly -- fun to listen to, but not really a conservative.

Geraldo -- Who is the most chameleon-like of all talking heads.

clinton -- obviously. Though unlikely he would tie himself into such a venue.

and certainly NOT Algore himself.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Nice of Gore to step forward to remind all of America just what a pompous moron he is.

[LanPB01]

"Welcome to GNN! I'm your host, Al Franken. In today's top story - Al Gore still sucks. We now go live to Ashleigh Bansfield on the scene. Ashleigh?"

ASHLEIGH: "Thank you, Al. I'm here on the Gore farm in Tennessee, attemtping to locate Mr. Gore for his comments. Due to the pathetic ratings we have suffered in our one week in existence, I have decided to once again dye my hair. Today, I'm a brunette; tomorrow, who knows? Stay tuned for my next report, where I'll attempt to jumpstart our ratings by going topless and performing an interview while on rollerskates."

[ricpic]

Gauranteed, this will NEVER get past the planning stage. Deep down, or should I say shallow down, liberals no that the market will expose their emptiness.

[ricpic]

no = know, D'oh!

[RightOnline]

"...and some of them are financed by wealthy ultra-conservative billionaires who make political deals with Republican administrations and the rest of the media.""

Ohfercryinoutloud............not this "VRWC" bulls**t again...........................

[steve8714]

maybe they could channel through crystals?

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Mr Gore . . . has described sections of the US media as the "fifth column" that inserts "daily Republican talking points into the definition of what's objective".

Compare that fatuous conceit with the routine herding of "the great objective journalistic class" toward whatever puts Republicans in a bad light!

Brit Hume provides what struck me as a classic example in a discussion of the reporters' "quagmire."

[BubbaJunebug]

I hope Algore goes through with this, and sinks his own money in as well.

Whores like Gore never use their own money...it is always "OPM"

[LanPB01]

ASHLEIGH: "And we're back here on GNN. As you can see, during the break I removed my blouse and bra, and have also donned a pair of rollerskates. Further, I have located Mr. Gore. Sir, how do you respond to allegations by your critics that you seem to have no detectable human emotions?"

GORE: "All social security funds will be put in a lockbox."

ASHLEIGH: "I see. Would you like to give the viewers any further insight as to why you decided not to run in 2004?"

GORE: "This lockbox would be secured in a location that only I am aware of."

ASHLEIGH: "Sir, I'm standing here nude from the waist up. I've been suggestively licking my lips for this entire interview. Yet not once have you so much as glanced at my ta-tas. Don't you think this is the sort of robotic, cold behavior that so many Americans were turned off by?"

GORE: "Boobies are a beautiful thing, Ashleigh. My studies of humans have indicated that, in fact, males enjoy looking at them. I helped invent them, you know."

ASHLEIGH: "Thank you, Mr. Gore. Back to you, Al!"

[Alas Babylon!]

Hmmmm..... I might actually watch this!

[PigRigger]

Another Democratic proposal doomed for failure.

The only time the Dem's succeed is when they legislate compliance.

Fortunately, the airwaves still use ratings to dictate profitability. Without the ability to "force" viewership, Gore will never succeed.

Man these people are idiots.

[sd-joe]

pompous moron

Excellent. Best description of Gore that I have heard in a long time.