(AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
“I personally encourage the president to establish a White House commission on public media,” said legendary news anchor Dan Rather at the Aspen Institute Tuesday night.
The host of Dan Rather Reports called for President Obama to establish a "White House commission on public media" in order to help save the press. He believes that the media has become sleazy and "dumbed down."
A truly free and independent press is the red beating heart of democracy and freedom. This is not something just for journalists to be concerned about, and the loss of jobs and the loss of newspapers, and the diminution of the American press’ traditional role of being the watchdog on power. This is something every citizen should be concerned about.
So let me get this straight: In order to make sure the press stays "truly free and independent"...we want the government to get involved?
There are, or course, a lot of countries where the government backs the press: North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, the former Soviet Union...
Which one do we want to base ourselves off of?
Comments
I'm amused to see how you and others jump to the conclusion, not evident in Rather's remarks, that a government step to aid the press while maintaining its independence automatically implies not maintaining its independence. I guess those on the right are very content with allow financial interest control the press and don't want it diluted.
Of course, there are examples, notably the BBC in Britain, and PBS and NPR which have public support and are non-commercial, where the government doesn't control content. Of course, the fact that these don't always tow the right wing line makes them the targets of the "liberal" charge the right loves to throw.
I'm not sure what you mean by "financial interests". Financial interest control everything. You go to work because of "financial interests", Walmart supplies goods because of "financial interests" and you buy them because of "financial interests".
Now, if the government backs something, that group better be careful. PBS and NPR are well-documented to slant left, and there is nothing anybody can do. They are subsidized groups that would long have been out of business without taxpayer support.
You say that it doesn't matter if the government has influence in the news, that they will be able to stay unbiased. But its not PBS or NPR who will ever break Watergate, Lewinsky, or other scandals.
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