Free Republic

Appearing on the September 13 edition of "Fox News Live," MRC president and NewsBusters publisher Brent Bozell questioned the deep 60 percent discount that liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org received for its infamous "Betray Us" ad attacking the honor of Gen. David Petraeus. Bozell noted that "unless the New York Times can explain itself away and show how this was some incredible coincidence" that the paper is in effect "a co-sponsor of that despicable ad." Video (2:10): Real and Windows, plus MP3 audio. Below is a transcript of the interview: BRENT BOZELL, President of the Media Research Center: Well, let's start...

Historians have discovered that Dante actually envisioned a 10th circle of hell, with sinners condemned to spend their eternities traveling from one destination to the next on any one of America's insufferable airlines. It appears that the people running this industry have found a way to make every single aspect of this form of travel an experience in misery. The latest casualty is to be found in the in-flight movies. Most offerings these days are monumental cinematic embarrassments, movies that would never rise to the level of the $1 stack at Blockbuster, and probably cost the airlines even less. So...

After CNN and YouTube organized a fairly silly and yet seriously liberal presidential debate for the Democratic presidential candidates this summer, GOP contenders developed cold feet about placing their ambitions in the hands of these groups. When only two GOP candidates accepted invitations for a proposed CNN-YouTube debate in September, the event was called off. In response, a set of conservative bloggers started a Web site called SaveTheDebate.com, urging that "Republicans cannot afford to write off the Internet" and risk "denigrating" the youth vote and the way they communicate. Five GOP candidates have now agreed. The new date is Nov....

After CNN and YouTube organized a fairly silly and yet seriously liberal presidential debate for the Democratic presidential candidates this summer, GOP contenders developed cold feet about placing their ambitions at the feet of these groups. When only two GOP candidates accepted invitations for a proposed CNN/YouTube debate in September, the event was post-poned until November. In response, a set of conservative bloggers have started a website called Savethedebate.com, urging that “Republicans cannot afford to write off the Internet” and risk “denigrating” the youth vote and the way they communicate. These bloggers are fine conservatives, but no one should be...

Sen. Charles Schumer is a legendary pursuer of television cameras. But look at the way the national media are covering Schumer's heavy-breathing pursuit to make Attorney General Alberto Gonzales cry uncle and resign. It makes you wonder just how hard Schumer has to work to get press attention. The media appear Schumer-owned and operated. One interview really captures how the press acts more like a Democratic goon squad than nonpartisan observers of the national scene. On ABC's "Good Morning America," news anchor Christopher Cuomo, son of Mario Cuomo, asked this pushy question on July 27: "Is Alberto Gonzales out of...

Every four years, journalists present themselves as objective questioners in presidential debates only to be roundly, and correctly, denounced by conservatives for being anything but. When, oh when, we ask, will America be able to enjoy a candidate forum free from liberal reporters inserting their slanted worldviews into the discussion? When, oh when, we ask ourselves, will they get out of the way? It looks like we should be very careful what we ask for. On Tuesday night, CNN did this -- or at least said it was doing this. The network teamed up with the video site YouTube to...

WHY ISN’T THE PRESS CHALLENGING ELIZABETH EDWARDS TO CONDEMN THE EDWARDS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FOR HIRING AND DEFENDING HATEFUL BLOGGERS? ALEXANDRIA, VA --- Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, has called on Americans to stop conservative Ann Coulter’s “hate words.” But when that campaign hired two hateful, anti-Christian bigots as “official” bloggers, Mrs. Edwards did not object and the campaign decided to give them a “fair shake,” as John Edwards said. The bloggers resigned in February only after their bigoted writings were exposed by other bloggers and conservative talk radio, causing a huge embarrassment. ABC, CBS, and NBC...

Six silent television screens are tuned to six different channels on the third-floor offices of the Media Research Center in Alexandria, producing a discordant TV tableau. On a recent afternoon, one screen shows a woman crying on the "Dr. Phil" show, while on another screen, director James Cameron is promoting a documentary that purports to show the tomb of Jesus.     It's all in a day's work for the center, whose red-bearded founder, L. Brent Bozell III, chuckles cheerfully as he guides a visitor on a tour.     In a nearby room, he points to row upon row of archived video recordings...

The hubbub raised over six Islamic imams being removed from a US Airways flight in Minneapolis for suspicious behavior is the latest in a string of incidents underlining one consistent thread in the war on terror: Muslim terrorists have never given up on the tried and true idea of hijacking airplanes and blowing them up to kill and demoralize the infidels. Police and witness reports suggest a list of suspicious activities and remarks. Some of the imams were discussing in Arabic about “bin Laden” and condemning America for “killing Saddam.” Imams asked for seat belt extenders for the extremely obese,...

Bozell Blasts Biased Media Coverage: National Press Is 'A Laughingstock' Posted by NB Staff on November 8, 2006 - 11:19. MRC President Brent Bozell appeared with other conservative leaders at the National Press Club this morning to urge that the Republican Party respond to their election defeat by returning to their conservative Reaganite roots. During his remarks, Bozell lambasted the national media?s biased campaign coverage, blasting them as ?a laughingstock when it comes to the idea of objective journalism.?Video available (1:13): Real (2.0 MB) or Windows Media (2.3 MB), also MP3 audio (355 KB)In the press conference televised live on...

Are television critics a menace to society? What do we do when our media tastemakers, the men and women entrusted to evaluate the artistic merit of Tinseltown offerings, exult in Hollywood's lack of taste? When perverse novelty and "edge" and complete moral confusion is what these critics live to watch and love to promote, they appear to be seeking to establish the polar opposite of a moral tone in our culture. Take as an example the critics' views on the new Showtime drama "Dexter." Its sickening premise makes a hero out of a sadistic serial killer, because he kills only...

Maybe you're familiar with the computer-animated cartoon "Veggie Tales," a video series targeted at children ages 2 to 8, and which features moral and religious tales hosted by Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber. Beginning in 1993, the series was distributed on VHS tapes, telling biblical stories like the Battle of Jericho, David and Goliath and the tale of the Good Samaritan. Each show ended with a Bible verse. And it's been a marketing phenomenon. Without any broadcasting or syndication on television, "Veggie Tales" has sold more than 50 million "Veggie Tales" DVDs and videotapes -- primarily, but quietly,...

A television watchdog organization dedicated to protecting children from sex, violence, and profanity has released its annual "Top Ten Best and Worst Advertisers." Topping the "best list" was Coca-Cola Enterprises -- and taking the honors of the "worst" was General Motors Corporation.  The Parents Television Council (PTC) says its list spotlights companies for how frequently they use their advertising dollars to support family-friendly, prime-time TV broadcast -- and also calls out those that frequently sponsor graphic television content. As PTC president L. Brent Bozell puts it: "Responsible broadcasting is possible -- and this responsibility not only falls on the entertainment...

HOW WILL MEL GIBSON MAKE AMENDS? (PART II) ADVERTISEMENT Last week in this space I addressed the Mel Gibson bigotry issue and tried to put it in its proper perspective, to wit: As awful as his anti-Semitic remarks were, they pale in comparison to the anti-Christian, and more specifically, anti-Catholic bigotry raging within some elements of the entertainment community. But this doesn't exculpate Gibson. He said what he said. Twice he has apologized publicly and profusely, and some, like long-time nemesis Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League, have accepted Gibson's act of contrition. Others, like Jewish super agent Ari Emanuel,...

Gibson's remarks were disgraceful. But is Gibson now to be disgraced? And who is qualified to make that judgment?

George W. Bush and the Curse Heard ‘Round the World By Jim Dyke The National Ledger August 2, 2006 Is license to curse on live television a presidential perk? If George Bush were a NASCAR driver or an NFL quarterback, his use of the s-word might have triggered a six digit fine from the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC commissioners aren’t making a fuss over their boss’s on-air swear at the G-8 summit, but the incident brings some clarity to the indecency debate. It demonstrates that live broadcasts cannot always be appropriate for most children if they are also appropriate...

"You kept me alive!" I wasn't skeptical when I was invited to a private screening of Oliver Stone's upcoming "World Trade Center" movie. I was downright cynical. As a conservative I've long considered so much of his work the bane of my existence. From "Platoon" to "Salvador" to "Born on the Fourth of July" to "JFK," and let's not forget last year's ghastly "Alexander," Stone has delivered one left-wing screed after another, specifically intended, I'm convinced, to bring my blood to the boiling point. When I learned a few months ago that he was working on a project about 9/11,...

There was the expected wailing and gnashing of teeth from the left when New York's state Court of Appeals ruled against installing so-called "gay marriage" by judicial fiat, as they had in the People's Republic of Massachusetts. The New York Times, as expected, was stunned that the judges could find a "rational basis" for traditional marriage, and that judges would defer to elected legislators. This outrage was plastered at the top of the Times with two "news" stories. One was a front-page editorial (they call it a "news analysis") by Patrick Healy, who focused on the "gay-rights advocates" and their...

With Katie Couric lounging in the wings, Dan Rather is now expendable, and the suits at CBS News are squeezing him out of his last remaining gig on "60 Minutes." This has caused great distress for those who like their news to look like a long commercial for MoveOn.org, which is to say, the Dan Rather fan club. CBS smiled politely as they pushed him away, but the Philadelphia Inquirer quoted an anonymous former CBS executive, who denounced the shove-off as "disgraceful. He's a legend. He gave his life to that company. Even though he made a big mistake, he...

TV Watch Statement on Government’s Role in Controlling What’s On TV: President Bush signs broadcast indecency bill into law, but is that what Americans really want? When the FCC slapped local broadcasters with a record $3.5 million in fines this March, it said it was reacting in part to an increase in public complaints about broadcast television. But a closer look at the pattern of complaints the FCC receives shows that the vast majority of individuals file complaints at the prompting of just two special interest groups, and complainants often admit they didn’t watch the episode in question. TV Watch...