Support AlterNet
Do you value the information you're getting from AlterNet? Please show your support with a tax-deductible donation.
Feedback
Tell us how we're doing.
Media Need to Move On
Also in Media and Technology
Michael Jackson's Death Was Tragic, But He Was Little More Than an Icon of Mediocrity
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
It's the Right-Wingers Who Are Unloading the Harshest Critiques About Palin’s Bizarre Departure
Eric Boehlert
Will the Tragedy of Michael Jackson's Life Be Inherited By His Kids?
Patricia J. Williams
Summer Blockbusters: Why Do We Insist on Watching Really Bad Movies?
Sameer Pandya
"More Better Faster!": How Our Spastic Digital Culture Scrambles Our Brains
David Bollier
Michael Jackson Was a Freak -- Just Like You and Me
Richard Kim
This years presidential campaign has already provided many reasons to bemoan the state of American journalism. Heres one more: the marginalization of grassroots activism.
This marginalization is caused by two reasons. One, the media does not cover instances of popular political expression, including demonstrations, issue-based activism and other organizing outside of the two-party system. Or, if these activities are covered, they are presented as spectacles not as an integral part of our ongoing democratic dialogue.
Two, the media in contrast gives inordinate attention to fly-by-night groups with little evidence of real support. Why? Because these groups sensational claims make for entertaining and easily produced news stories. The result is that a Swift Boats Veterans for Truth has greater impact on the national debate than long-established activist organizations.
The United for Peace and Justice march outside this years Republican National Convention was the largest protest ever at a political convention. If journalists had treated that demonstration as politically significant, they would have devoted print space and air-time to issues that led protesters to travel from around the country to the streets of New York. Candidates in turn would be forced to offer their plans to address those issues, if elected.
The short-lived coverage of the RNC demonstrations focused instead on the remote possibility of violence, the legal back-and-forth over the rally permit, how angry the protesters seemed, and questionable police tactics. In under-covering the protesters, the media also in effect passed over the issues important to the nation. For example, a Lexis-Nexis search reveals that newspaper and wire reports on the presidential race during the week of the RNC mentioned Vietnam nearly as often as Iraq.
This warped sense of priorities also reflects the preponderant influence of the new, small and factually-challenged group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in shaping media coverage, which was driven by their false allegations regarding Sen. Kerrys Vietnam War service.
As the presidential campaign enters its last month, more such dubious groups and more ads are likely to rear their ugly head. On Sept. 3, Associated Press reported on the most recent addition, MoveOnForAmerica.org. Move over, MoveOn.org, the article began. The liberal-leaning group that has raised millions of dollars to run negative ads attacking President Bush now has a competitor on the right with a somewhat similar name.
The AP report illustrates how lazy reporting helps media manipulators, at the expense of real concerns voiced by significant numbers of real people. The story lead suggests that MoveOn.org and MoveOnForAmerica.org are comparable organizations, running similar negative ads.
Even cursory research proves otherwise.
MoveOn.org is a liberal, grassroots-focused, Internet-based organization that has been around for six years. Its more than two million members support the groups activities, mostly through small donations.
In contrast, MoveOnForAmerica.org is less than one month old. Stephen Marks registered the web sites domain name on Aug. 25; he registered the group with the IRS on Sept. 3 the same day that AP ran its story. Marks admitted that the groups name was chosen just to get the presss attention. We want to kind of do what MoveOn.org has done, but on the other side. MoveOnForAmerica.org was created due to the Bush campaigns largely timid ads against Mr. Kerry, according to its web site.
Diane Farsetta is the Center for Media and Democracys Senior Researcher. More information on MoveOn.org, MoveOnForAmerica.org, Americans Against Hate and many other groups seeking to shape the public agenda can be found on the Centers interactive research website, Disinfopedia.org.
Liked this story? Get top stories in your inbox each week from Media and Technology! Sign up now »
| More Opinion: | ||
|
10 Dangerous Household Products You Should Never Use Again Health and Wellness: Air fresheners, disinfectants, and cleaners found under your sink are more dangerous than you think. Sustain Lane. July 9, 2009. |
My First Abortion Party Sex and Relationships: When I got the invite to a friend's abortion party, I thought it was a way to help her through a difficult decision. I was right and wrong. By Byard Duncan, AlterNet. July 8, 2009. |
"Twilight" Pushes the Harmful Gender Stereotypes We've Fought for Decades Reproductive Justice and Gender: Young readers of the popular books encounter women shoved back into traditional gender stereotypes that have taken years of effort to overcome. By Esté Yarmosh, The Women's Media Center. July 7, 2009. |