It’s a new year and that means lots of predictions from media pundits. To make sure that those who reside in West Michigan do not just get bombarded by right-wing media predictions, I have come up with some of my own. Besides, I couldn?t think of any real articles to write this month, so this seemed like an easy way out.
- 10. Rush will not be prosecuted for his drug use
Right-wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh will not get prosecuted not go to jail for his illegal drug use. If he were a poor black man he’d probably spend the next 10 years in jail. Even more disturbing is the fact that he will continue to promote racist and anti-poor rhetoric on his radio show. He’ll probably continue to lambaste drug users as he did before, even though the corporate news media won?t report on it (more info).
- 9. Third Party Candidates will not be allowed to participate in the Presidential Debates. Once again the public will only see a Republican and a Democrat participate in debates that have been highly managed. The debates used to be run by the League of Women Voters, but the two major parties decided in the late 1980s to take control of the debate process and make sure that there would be no independent thinking or candidates (more info).
- 8. Afghanistan will not be newsAfghanis?.what? Remember that other country the US was supposed to liberate? The US Military continues to occupy to Afghanistan with permanent bases. The ruling power, the Northern Alliance, is acting just as brutally as the Taliban and opium production is at an all time high. And what about Afghani women? The US government could care less about their plight, despite using repressed women under the Taliban as an excuse to bomb Afghanistan (more info).
- 7. We will be bombarded with Paid Political Ads from Democrats & Republicans As 2004 goes by we will be bombarded by more and more paid ads. You know, I don?t know anyone who gets excited about being beaten over the head by radio and TV ads that use high-tech play ground trash talking as a way to win votes. Yet, this is the tactic of both the Democrats and Republicans, so much so that most of the millions of dollars raised by candidates will be spent on paid mud slinging (more info).
- 6. US Soldier Deaths will be news, but not Iraqi Civilian DeathsWe will hear about the growing number of US military casualties, we just won?t see any images of them?..body bags, coffins or funerals. The Pentagon and the major news media have decided that these are not appropriate images to show. Iraqi deaths are insignificant, and as General Tommy Franks said “We don’t do body counts.” (more info: The Iraq Body Count Project)
- 5. Celebrity scandals will continue to be front page news Whether it is Jacko or Kobe, Liza or J-Lo, the news media will continue to shovel this crap into our lives. Have you noticed that the major news outlets resemble check out counter tabloids in recent years? Who gives a shit about these people? If I want to know about this crap I?ll watch Entertainment Tonight. Project Censored calls these stories Junk Food News. Each year they document the top 25 censored stories in the US and the top 10 Junk Food News (more info).
- 4. The growing global resistance to US policies will not be news Millions of people around the world suffer at the hands on direct US military intervention or from the US support of repressive regimes ? Palestine, Iraq, Cuba, Colombia, Nigeria, Venezuela and Bolivia just to name a few. We only hear of these countries if there are acts of violence or “terrorism.” The courage of organized groups who are resisting US imperialism will not be news (more info).
- 3. Local News will continue to be driven by crime and fluff. I can attest to this one, since I punish myself daily by monitoring the local news. Our studies continue to show that crime stories will overwhelm elections stories by as much as 20 to 1. But hey, as long as Lee & Juliet help us feel the difference and Tom Van How is my Hair & Suzanne Geha thank us for inviting them into our living rooms the world will be a better place?..NOT! (more info)
- 2. People breaking windows at demonstrations will get covered, not the impact of Neo-liberal economic policies.
The next time there is a WTO gathering, a G-8 meeting, a World Bank Summit or FTAA negotiations the news in the US will report on whether or not protestors were violent. We will not get information on what the consequences are of these economic policies – global poverty, the global AIDS crisis, Sweatshops, global sex trafficking, nor the millions of people who are fighting against these policies (more info).
- 1. Issues of concern to Working People will not be part of the 2004 Presidential Platform More and more Americans are working longer hours, with less pay and no health benefits.
Our public schools are failing and an increasing assault on the environment will particularly hurt the poor and minority communities. Corporate CEOs continue to make millions and corporate crime continues to be sanctioned by the government. Unfortunately, both Bush and the Democratic Presidential candidate will not make these election issues. Even if their rhetoric refers to these issues they will not speak in detail about anything that concerns working people and I?m sad to say that the news media will not challenge them to do so (more info: Citizen Works, United for a Fair Economy, and Jobs with Justice).
Organize! Educate! Agitate! www.mediamouse.org
Jeff Smith is a local activist that is just upset that he did not get asked to MC a dinner to honor Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel. [email protected]
