U.S. official: We need independent labor media
The mainstream media has become so biased against working people that even a federal agency canât get its message out, says a senior Department of Labor official.
President Obamaâs Labor Department has an impressive list of accomplishments, but most of the media doesnât bother to report on them, Carl Fillichio, Labor Secretary Hilda Solisâs senior adviser for public affairs and communications, told the annual gathering of the International Labor Communications Association.
Referring to the midterm elections, Fillichio said, âWhy we fared the way we did three weeks ago is because things werenât explained enough to people. There is a great need for people to get the full story.â
The role of labor media is therefore all the more precious, he continued. In many cases, the only way his department can get its accomplishments known is through the independent media.
âWe battle every single day when we try to put something out,â he said. âThe Washington Post, the New York Times, cable televisionâ and others want to focus only on the nuts and bolts of policy issues. âNobody is really telling the true story about how this is going to affect real people in real time in real ways.â
Fillichio announced at the meeting that he had hired a staff person specifically to deal with labor media, and then proceeded to give his name, e-mail address and phone number to everyone in the audience.
