How can one hold the media accountable?

[maxr4clark]

What do we have to do, start petitioning the cable companies to drop CNN, Faux, MSNBC? Boycott the companies they advertise? Introduce legislation requiring equal, free time for all candidates on any station that shows a news program, or any candidate that can submit a certain number of signatures by a given date? On every TV station no matter what they usually show?

The media clearly have too much power over the political process. The writers of the Constitution had no way to predict this kind of trouble. What kind of change could there be to the Constitution to protect our democracy against the media-industrial complex?

I'm caucusing in Washington on the 7th, and I'm thinking about drafting a resolution on this topic. Help me get it right, and maybe it will end up on the Democratic platform this year.

[salinen]

1. We quietly watched as the media was overthrown

by the RW. Nobody ever gives up power based on the greater good. The RW media monopoly will only end when we throw the tea off the ships into Boston harbor.

[IrateCitizen]

2. The best thing? Ignore them.

And while you're at it, try to form community groups that help other people to ignore them as well.

Years ago, people actually DID THINGS outside of their working lives. Anymore, they come home and turn on the tube and passively absorb everything they see on it.

But it doesn't have to be this way. The best way to start countering the negative effects of the TV media is to simply turn it off.

[el_gato]

3. interesting experiment i just did

I had some relatives who are t.v. addicts just come and visit.
They have in the past repeated to me verbatim some of the talking
points from fox news etc.

Anyway, while they stayed at my house they had absolutely no access
to a t.v. Meanwhile I have a large shelf of books of which they could choose any. By the time they left they were talking about going home and spending more time reading, how nice it was not to be around the tv, etc.

BTW, I got rid of the t.v. over a year ago and I am so much better off for it.

[WatchWhatISay]

4. Ignoring them won't help, there are too many zombies

out there, including some Democrats. You have to fight back with your wallet, your mouth and your time and support the most independent media you can find in your area, whether that be Free Speech TV, Indymedia or even just PBS and C-Span if thats the best you've got.

When most of this country can be convinced that we are better off with the same old Democrats we've had for years, instead of someone who was on a campaign to return Democracy to the people, as are Kucinich, Dean and Clark - when people have decided that all three of these are too liberal and that that is a bad thing - well, good luck trying to put a stop to the medias deciding who should be our candidate.

All we can do now is try to build some strong alternatives. If Dean doesn't get some momentum back within the next couple of weeks, that is where my money is going. Not the Democratic party.

[RetroLounge]

5. I say a media Kristallnacht might help

Break all their windows and run thru all their doors.

Tear down the antenaes and sattelite dishes.

Burn down the buildings and their headquarters.

Tar and Feather the anchors.

Stomp on their microphones.

Call everyone of them a whore.

Who knows, but nothing else is working...