One step closer to dictatorship

[bugscoe]

SENATOR’S SHOCK FANTASY: FCC TELLS FOX NEWS & MSNBC ‘OUT…OFF…END…GOODBYE.’
Posted on November 17, 2010 at 9:52pm by Scott Baker Print

Sen. Rockefeller’s shared some thoughts that were not in his prepared remarks today. The West Virginia Democrat gave a mini-lecture on communications and journalism during a Senate hearing on retransmission consent:

Mr. Rockefeller spoke broadly about the ways he believes television is ailing, and in doing so he singled out the “endless barking” of cable news.

He said: “There’s a little bug inside of me which wants to get the F.C.C. to say to Fox and to MSNBC, ‘Out. Off. End. Goodbye.’ It would be a big favor to political discourse; to our ability to do our work here in Congress; and to the American people, to be able to talk with each other and have some faith in their government and, more importantly, in their future.”

There is little the Federal Communications Commission can say about Fox News or MSNBC since the channels are on cable, not delivered over the broadcast airwaves.

<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wz-i7qIYGCQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wz-i7qIYGCQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>

Additional transcript from The New York Times:

When it comes to developing content, our entertainment machine is too often in a race to the bottom. Even worse, our news media has all but surrendered to the forces of entertainment. Instead of a watchdog that is a check on the excesses of government and business, we have the endless barking of a 24-hour news cycle. We have journalism that is always ravenous for the next rumor, but insufficiently hungry for the facts that can nourish our democracy. As citizens, we are paying a price.

 

[nutmeg]

We have journalism that is always ravenous for the next rumor, but insufficiently hungry for the facts that can nourish our democracy. As citizens, we are paying a price.

He can kiss my ass. For one, "citizens" were hungry for the facts of the health care bill AND what were we told ""We Have to Pass the Bill So That You Can Find Out What Is In It".

 

[bugscoe]

The elites in the media and both parties can feel the control slipping away. They no longer control the messaging. Their panic is bringing out their true colors.

 

[bugscoe]

Granted this is Al Sharpton, the curiosity is the push to get the FCC to simply start banning media outlets by multiple sources:

<object width="518" height="419"><param name="movie" value="http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/eyeblast.swf?v=hdSU6U6UqG" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/eyeblast.swf?v=hdSU6U6UqG" allowfullscreen="true" width="518" height="419" /></object>

Sharpton To Schultz: FCC Should Threaten Radio Stations Carrying Rush
By Mark Finkelstein | November 17, 2010 | 19:30

If the left can't get Rush by reviving the Fairness Doctrine, maybe the race card will work . . .

Al Sharpton has called for the FCC to go after the stations that carry Rush Limbaugh, unsubtly implying that their licenses should be in jeopardy. Sharpton made his speech-chilling suggestion to Ed Schultz on the latter's MSNBC show this evening.

The background is the back-and-forth betweeen Schultz and Rush regarding Limbaugh's comments on Jim Clyburn, Pres. Obama and Sheila Jackson Lee. But the bottom line is that the left wants to find an excuse, any excuse, to grab the mike from the man who has wreaked so much havoc on their cause.

View video after the jump of Sharpton repeatedly calling for the FCC to threaten stations carrying Rush's show.

Watch another member of the Dissent Is Patriotic crowd urge the Obama administration to use its power to silence a critic.

AL SHARPTON: When you keep having all of these racial tones, that is supported by federally-regulated radio--remember, these stations that he is on go to the federal government to get consolidation, to get waivers--the government has a right to protect free speech but they also have an obligation to hold standards where American people are not subjected to this
. . .
I think that even if his advertisers can't be stopped with boycotts, the FCC must step in and deal with standards on how they give station clearances to people that just want to race-bait. This is not about opinions, this is not about what you or I say in our college speeches or churches. his is on federally-regulated airwaves that the FCC gives the license to stations to let them do this
. . .
The Congressional Black Caucus, Progressive Caucus and others ought to take this up with the FCC. Their ought to be a line, on race, on gender, on sexual status. There ought to be a line where people have the right to say what they want, but they do not have a right to use federally-regulated airwaves to malign people because of groups
. . .
I think that Rush Limbaugh does what he does. I think that /b]what bothers me is there are stations and networks that are allowed to make money off of him[/b] desecrating the presidents of the United States on Mount Rushmore. That bothers me.

 

[bpcnabe]

Quote from bugscoe:
Mr. Rockefeller spoke broadly about the ways he believes television is ailing, and in doing so he singled out the “endless barking” of cable news.

He said: “There’s a little bug inside of me which wants to get the F.C.C. to say to Fox and to MSNBC, ‘Out. Off. End. Goodbye.’ It would be a big favor to political discourse; to our ability to do our work here in Congress; and to the American people, to be able to talk with each other and have some faith in their government and, more importantly, in their future.”

There is little the Federal Communications Commission can say about Fox News or MSNBC since the channels are on cable, not delivered over the broadcast airwaves.

And this is who we have elected to office to create federal laws and yet he doesn't know how these federal agencies operate?

 

[TGregg]

It would be a big favor to political discourse

to declare some speech illegal.

And people thought Bush was dumb.

 

[bugscoe]

"Jay Rockefeller recently spoke out saying he would love to see the FCC remove Fox News and MSNBC from the air. Levin points out that another Rockefeller – Sharon Percy Rockefeller – is the CEO of the Public Broadcasting Corporation’s affiliate in Washington D.C., WETA-TV. No doubt, PBS is what Rockefeller would consider “quality news.” It just so happens Fox News and MSNBC are competitors to PBS.

Oh, by the way – Sharon Percy Rockefeller is Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s wife. Interesting."

 

[bullmarket79]

In this midtermy cycle 87% of all incumbents were reelected,only 13% tossed out,,lets double the rate of tossed out next cycle,,what do ya say

 

[Ricter]

Quote from bullmarket79:

In this midtermy cycle 87% of all incumbents were reelected,only 13% tossed out,,lets double the rate of tossed out next cycle,,what do ya say

One of the criticisms of Obama has been that he's "inexperienced". Term limits and a generalized culture of "throw the bums out" could have the undesired outcome of instituitionalizing inexperience.

 

[Lucrum]

Quote from bullmarket79:

In this midtermy cycle 87% of all incumbents were reelected,only 13% tossed out,,lets double the rate of tossed out next cycle,,what do ya say

I'm all for it.