The election was stolen because the Dems have NO real MEDIA!

[Dems Will Win]

A fair media reporting all the horrors of the Bush Administration from Plame to Tora Bora to Jobs and Healthcare and we would have won those 136,000 votes in Ohio and much much more.

The Dems can only fight with one hand tied behind their back.

We need to buy up or compete with all the small-town newspapers, radio and TV stations in Ohio, New Mexico, Iowa, Arkansas, Tennessee, etc.

Then we need more AAR and several Cable News Channels. And While we're at it, Soros should buy up controlling interest in ABC or Viacom and run that as well.

And we might as well start our own USA Today type newspaper for the whole country.

Then let's see what happens when the Dems have two arms instead of one.

WE NEED OUR OWN MEDIA! KERRY DID NOT LOSE, THE MEDIA STOLE IT FOR BUSH!

[Paradise]

1. Yes! n/t

[Cobalt Violet]

2. I cant watch it at all.

It makes me ill. We need an Air America type of news channel.

[4_Legs_Good]

3. Good idea!

But I don't think AAR converted anyone.

I don't know. The press is a HUGE part, though, you're right, but how do we deal with the problem. Buying partisan outlets will only speak to the converted, I fear.

david

[Dems Will Win]

9. You don't make them partisan

Buy a current chain, they are often for sale. Don't be blatant, don;t change a thing at the newspaper for several months, then start telling the real news a little bit at a time.

When the next election rolls around, tell more and more of the truth.

THis works, I've seen it happen on a local scale. It would be lots of small papers.

All we had was 21 AAR stations with weak signals and the Daily Show.

NOT ENOUGH!

We are unarmed in a gunfight, without even a knife!

[4_Legs_Good]

35. You have a good point. Rush definitely helps mobilize their base

Even if it's just partisan, at least it's mobilizing.

But non-partisan, as you say, is better.

I like alternative media, but the masses don't see it.

david

[itaintoveryet]

4. bull

this election was lost because the democrats have been playing goody-goody with the RNC.

These past four years each and every democratic senator and representative has
been laying down for Bush and the RNC; perhaps it is time for the DNC to act
as a true opposition party ? Kerry may have had a chance to win if he had the
guts to call Bush a liar and calling him on everything he did wrong. Where was
the ad showing a snickering Bush looking under a lecture table for the WMD's,
"are they under here?" where was the ad showing Bush saying that the "Have and
the Have Mores are my base ?". With Bush's disasterous decisions, Kerry should
have won by 5-8 points.

[Dems Will Win]

5. Because the MEDIA rips them a new one if they make a peep!

[gordianot]

11. That's the rub.

Maybe he did. Will we ever know.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

59. Better yet.... imagine a group of Dem soldier amputees hobbling around in

an oval office look alike, looking under tables, chairs, in his desk, etc, etc, etc.... now wouldn't that speak volumes. Then, they could say they found them when they unearth the nobid contract papers for Hallibacon and co., Cheney's energy meeting papers, the forged Niger Documents, etc, etc, etc..... the true weapons of mass destruction.

When you come right down to it, we live in an extremely uninformed, no stooopid country.

[featherman]

6. Agree.

[johnkerryyip145]

7. Exactly n/t

[davhill]

8. They have been working for Thirty Years

To take over the once "Liberal" media. After Viet Nam they realized they could no longer fight their wars with a free press. Now we wake up and it is to late. For now we have the Internet but is only a matter of time before the Christian Right has it shut down because of "all the porn".

[Dems Will Win]

12. Soros could buy a dozen small newspaper chains with a front organization

in about a month with some pocket change.

If he playwed his cards right no one would know what hit them until it was too late.

To beat the Republicans, you have to buy newspapers and TV and Radio Stations like the REpublicans.

It's that simple.

[fearnobush]

21. Good point. We need to seriously grow our Christian Left!!!

There are many Christians unhappy with the right. We need to launch a campaign to grow our liberal Christian Left. I don't believe we can win without it.

[sr_pacifica]

70. Also, very good point.

We can't continue to have gospel values (read "social justice") co-opted by the right. There must be a place made for the christian left in our party too.

[lizzieforkerry]

77. liberalslikechrist.org is a start

[Festivito]

26. Yup and Yup, too much uninterrupted RW blather.

When some factoid goes unanswered anaddressed time after time it becomes as good as truth. They hammered, we did not.

[gordianot]

10. Where are the capitalist when you need them?

Someone out there needs to pay attention we are here for the taking. This could trump Fox. There is obviously a sizable portion of the electorate ready and willing.

[kerry2win]

13. I AGREE 100%

When you control talk radio 24hrs a day of right winged lies and cable tv news shows you then can control WHICH TOPICS YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE NEWS HEADLINES. There is no way to ever compete with that no matter if you have the best candidate ever against the worst ever.WE NEED TO GET OUR OWN CABLE NEWS SHOW 24 HR CHANNEL AND 24 RADIO TO SPREAD NATIONWIDE JUST TO MAKE IT 50-50

[Dems Will Win]

14. Exactly! Even Jesus Christ would have lost for being a pacifist

[Roland72]

15. New Usatoday County vote map

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2004/countymap.htm

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

65. Goodness Gracious we got hammered.

[Suziq]

16. Yes, Yes, Yes! n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. I hate to say it, but you are right in the short term

Outflank the GOP at their own game. Then, when we get back into power we bring back the Fairness Doctrine.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
FIGHT for election reform at the municipal and state level!
Clean up the American government from the ground up!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/electionreform

[fearnobush]

18. I do agree and I DO NOT BLAME HIM FOR CONCEDING!!!

We have no fucking chance against this oligarchical, totalitarian right wing lying media. Kerry did great with what he, we were up against. As the forces of evil tore him down with Swift boat demons preaching the words of character destruction and with the media totally backing these demons up, putting them on talk show after talk show, then squashing any truthful attempts we made (F911 etc.) to prove our case, Kerry actually kicked ass.

The day we get our own 24hr prime time cable news channel, is the day we win. Without FOX news, Kerry would have won most states and would have pulled 65% of the pop vote. We need our own FOX and we need it soon. This is a long term fight. Be patient and hyper focused and we will win.

[Dems Will Win]

20. Exactly! To the Bitter end of the GOP!

[cheezus]

19. I'd invest $1000 in a media outlet

and I bet 10,000 other people would too

this is the return of the great co-op. Media owned by its consumers. The Howard Dean funding paradigm

[byronm]

25. Send me a private message

with your email and info.

I'm working with others to develop a funding project to start independant media companies. We have some of the biggest brains in the world and its time we put them together to come up with a media empire over all forms of communications (internet, tv, cable, radio, satelite and more..)

[blueraven95]

36. if people are serious about starting liberal media

I work in media in MD and I would love to get involved. Unfortunately, I have no money to contribute, but I would definately work.

[cheezus]

41. it's broken now, write down my username and pm me later

I'll forget. I don't have the money to lose on some half-ass attempt, but I think there are plenty of co-op models that we could follow that would be quite successful.

For example, my alma matta just sold the AM public radio station -- only slightly over a quarter million. I believe in local ownership of media.

[crispini]

31. I'll kick in $$$$ too. Whatever it takes.

No PMs now... but I'll bookmark this thread.

[silvershadow]

63. count me in for $1000...I've always wanted to be a media owner

let's make this happen from the ground up, a grass roots organization.

[fugue]

22. Should we lobby Soros and Ted Turner to make a liberal network?

Or am I dreaming?

I think the media has got to come first. Until we've got a real media, the Republicans will be able to do whatever they want.

[donhakman]

23. The Christian left

has a good ring to it.

[michigandem2]

24. why not...they would get ratings..AAR is doing well and growing

we need some help...Fox is a contributor to the GOP...we will never ever get the truth out competing with that...

[Dems Will Win]

27. Soros already is starting a TV News channel

But he needs to secretly start buying up small newspaper chains left and right.

[johnlal]

30. Sinclair is in financial trouble

Perhaps we can snap up those stations for a song.

[sr_pacifica]

71. "the media has got to come first"

I heartily agree. I'm thinking this is our next move. We need media reporting what doesn't get reported and media challenging this administrations actions and press releases.

We're onto it.

[Lefty48197]

28. I have to agree

We are at an institutional disadvantage when you consider that Rush Limbaugh spends 15 hours per week on the air promoting the right wing agenda. Sean Hannity spends even more time than that between radio and TV. Toss in Bill O'Reilly and all of the news organizations who constantly give unchecked forums to the likes of Tony Blankley, Ed Gillespie, and Mark Racicot and there is an incessant drumbeat of right wing propoganda pounding in the ears of America virtually all of our awake hours.
Our only hope is to bring down the corporate media empire.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

29. How naive. Do you really think the election was stolen by the media?...

Ever hear of electronic voting machines? You know...those gizmos that have no way to verify who has voted for whom, and telling you that votes were not magically switched from one candidate to another?

How about voter intimidation?

How about allowing people to stand in line for hours and then tell them that they are at the "wrong" polling place, or that the polls are closed?

Incredible.

[retread]

34. If they didn't steal it, they drove the get-away car!!!

*

[kerry2win]

38. YEP..swiftwipes put Kerry in a hole

never fully recovered from it.....even though he was vindicated 3-4 weeks later,it was too late.. THE MEDIA RUSHED IT TO AIR WITHOUT ANY INVESTIGATION.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

57. Bullshit. Nobody in their right mind believed that crap but the...

...goose-stepping fascists themselves.

Try again.

[kerry2win]

61. I DISAGREE

[LTR]

37. How about bullshit propaganda?

There are reasons people feel that Bush is strong in the 'war on terra', though he fucked up and allowed attacks that killed thousands.

And there are reasons why people felt Kerry was a flip-flopper, traitor and tax-happy liberal, all far from true.

Why did so many drink the Kool-Aid? 'Cuz the media told them. Remember, people believe who they trust, and if they hear it on CNN or wherever, they assume it to be true.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

56. How about it? Did they design the electronic voting machines...

...or the software that operates them? Do they wear uniforms and intimidate voters? Do they control where the the polling places are located?

Hell, no, they don't. Put the blame for this election squarely where it counts, and don't start slamming Southerners as I saw this morning, and don't tell me that Kerry is solely to blame.

[LTR]

58. There are a lot of problems with voting machines

That much I agree with you on.

But, believe it or not, there are actually people out there that agree with Bush's line o' shit. There are actually people who voted for Bush because of 'moral values' (whatever that means). People think a guy who sits on his ass reading a fucking goat book while his country is being attacked is a hero. A lot of people really eat this shit up. And it starts somewhere, right?

Bush's people were very effective at exciting their base, perhaps more than us (which I find hard to believe).

[Stuckinthebush]

47. Dude! Look at your screen name fer chrisakes!

The media was an accomplice in this whole thing - an unwitting accomplice. They have failed to do their job for many years now. They helped spread the lies without providing the truth.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

55. Yes, DUDE, I know my boardname, but I also know who is the primary....

...thief in this election and isn't the press. Yes, they participated in the cover-up, but they didn't do the actual crime.

Accomplices, yes....primary perps, no.

[justgamma]

60. If the media would do it's job

and investigate and report on all the irregularities, maybe we could get something done about this. If they don't, who will notice or care besides us?

[doubleplusgood]

74. the media allowed the R/W to control the message

Look at all the free publicity that was given to the "Swift Boat" liars for how many weeks ? And then "Rather-gate", focusing on the credibility of the memos, instead of the veracity of the claims themselves. How else do you think that most folks who voted for Bush came to believe that he was some kind of hero and Kerry was a traitor ?

The "buzz" is everything and right now, the GOP controls it.

[paranoid floyd]

76. Check This

http://salon.com/politics/war_room/index.html

Scroll down to

'The paperless machines were (probably) not rigged'

[LTR]

32. This should be an immediate goal

The broadcast media is a sham these days. Fluff outlets are the standard, and it's non-stop sucking up to conservatives and nonsense like Scott Peterson and Ashlee Simpson updates. Serious news purveyors like Dan Rather and CBS are crucified for not caving in to their ways. I find it truly appalling.

There is always light at the end of the tunnel, as the saying goes. Liberal talk will be a fast-growing format, and don't be surprised to see Air America explode and spread like weeds to cater to an angry populace that literally comprises of half of America. Ed Schultz is the best liberal talker out there and he's spreading even faster, even to small town America. I am a big fan of his show, his style and wit.

As for television, MSNBC, CNN, et al are true shit. It's all fluff, and perhaps there will be a backlash someday. Hope is on the way in the form of INdTV, teh new Al Gore network. They claim it will be non-partisan, and it should be, since true non-partisanship breeds honesty instead of outright bias on either the left or right side. But this network, which sounded like a bad idea when originally proposed, does seem to have potential. It actually sounds like early-90's era MTV News, and we all know how much that helped Bill Clinton. Maybe this will do the same. Let's hope so. Here's their site, with more info:

http://www.indtv.tv/

[Maiden England]

33. I wholeheartedly agree

take the airwaves back - sign me up to be a shareholder

[Dems Will Win]

39. Hey! We've already raised over a thousand dollars on this thread

in 45 minutes for this!

[Dems Will Win]

40. People are PROGRAMMED to believe the news

Even FOX

[cheezus]

45. it fits into my plan for ND perfectly

we're populists. We vote on god gays and guns for republican presidents, but all three of our national reps are Democrats. We have a state owned bank and a stated owned grain elevator. There are state colleges all over the place, even though our population is only a half million. Farmers are able to farm, sell their crops, and get food made from them through Co-ops. Co-ops are where many get their electricity and heat as well.

We'd rather own our own media than having it owned by some corporation in New York City.

[TheDonkey]

42. Where's Gore's TV channel? We need the tube, that what murican's love

we have the radio...

We'll come through this. We must struggle during this nightmare before we can wake up.

[jjanpundt]

46. If Gore's TV channel gets on air soon, I'm

hoping he'll have a news segment that is truly fair and balanced. I know some DUers don't like Dan Rather but I thought he did a really good job on the election watch. I also got the feeling as the night went on that he was dismayed at the direction the results were heading. Maybe he could be hired as the news anchor/director. I remember his reports from the fields of Vietnam and he really was passionate about getting the news of what was truly going on there out to the people. Just an idea.

[crickets]

51. Good question

I was wondering the same thing, so I googled a bit. Does anyone have any more information? Is anyone currently getting this channel?

Media Company Led by Al Gore & Joel Hyatt Acquires Newsworld International From Vivendi Universal
http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/story/PRNEWS/20040504/2004_05_04_13_0213_1141411

NEW ORLEANS, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Launching an independent cable television network in an industry dominated by conglomerates, a newly formed media company led by former Vice President Al Gore and successful entrepreneur Joel Hyatt today acquired Newsworld International (NWI) from Vivendi Universal Entertainment for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition by INdTV Holdings, LLC was announced during the annual NCTA convention. NWI will be developed by its new owners into a network offering innovative and compelling programming created by and for a target audience of 18-34 year-olds.

NWI, a 24-hour channel dedicated to global news produced by The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, has earned a reputation for journalistic excellence and a comprehensive perspective on daily world happenings. Following its acquisition by INdTV, NWI's programming will continue to be provided by CBC. NWI is currently distributed to appx. 17 million subscriber households across the U.S. through DirecTV's most popular "Total Choice" tier, Time Warner Cable's most widely distributed digital tier, as well as Comcast systems in key markets and other cable operators.

(more)


Newsworld International
http://www.nwitv.com/

[drunkdriver-in-chief]

43. Dems would get coverage if they'd attack the repugs

You have to give the media a catchy story and dems won't do that. Like all dems, kerry just talked about the boring issues and never attacked bush. If he'd called bush a hypocrite and a pathological liar who got a thousand american soldiers, he'd have gotten coverage.

[jobendorfer]

44. we also need a multi-pronged messaging strategy

I.E. crafting the message carefully for the target audience.

In Jung's typology: most of us on DU are Thinking types,
with Perceivers somewhat outweighing Judgers.

Alas many of the voters we were trying to reach yesterday
are Feeling / Judging types.

We can either (a) tell them they're stupid -- the natural
stress reaction of Thinker/Perceivers towards Feeler/Judgers
or (b) start framing our arguments and messages in language they
can hear.

I agree 110% about the need to develop TV, radio, and print
media networks that are friendly (if not outright controlled)
by the party. Expecting the corporate media to objectively
deliver our message is sort of like turning to satan for help
with sin.

J.

[Cats Against Frist]

48. I completely agree with you

The media didn't stop the Smirky/Snarly machine from spreading its logical fallacies and false binaries. That "rumored" ABC memo had it right: at some point, we're being too fair, if the other side is a RAGING NAZI PROPAGANDA MACHINE.

You'd think, with the entertainment empire on OUR side, that we should be able to put together a machine just as effective. We start -- NOW!!!

If that doesn't work, here's the other solution:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1305989

[Copperred]

50. put up or shut up............

if anyone here has real financial resources...contact me... i am in private equity and have a media news family entertainment plan that is what you want...it's been sitting on the shelf a long time and goes right to the heart of the matter.....

launch market: 300 Mile Radius of Columbus Ohio

[Scooter24]

49. Let's

start mobilizing the investors :)

Something like this would require one hell of business plan. I'm sure international support and investments would come in. Procede with caution and make sure every 'i' is dotted and every 't' is crossed.

I'd be happy to help in any way

[Copperred]

52. .....

scooter...

[PROGRESSIVE1]

53. George Soros

[Copperred]

54. ......serious inquires only

George Soros comes last......u need a true visionary plan..with a top executive team........if u dont have that u fail- eos......example gore's idiot idea to buy Newsworld Int'l and gut it.....it was goood...he shoudl have built on it....dumb dumb dumb...

ok...if there are serious people here on this...contact me on message......

[silvershadow]

62. I am all for that

Someone should put together a panel to look at a comprehensive solution (newspapers, radio, television etc.

[Dems Will Win]

66. It has to be done quietly or the Repuke owners of the media chains

won't sell to the new enterprise.

Better to quietly buyout a huge recognized chain of small-town papers and then add to it.

A new company would draw attention.

[Flammable Materials]

64. Too little, too late.

We should have been working on this back in 2000. AAR did some good, but again, too little too late. Now we're going to have to sit back and watch the Clear Channel AAR affiliates jump ship.

DISCLAIMER: Author is drunk on Belgian ale. But many a truth is spoken in a state of inebriation.

[woo me with science]

67. Finally....a voice of reason!!!!!

great post!

[PieMaster]

68. Explain

Please explain then why in the heck is Air America using CNN for it's news reports if it's not liberal?

[sr_pacifica]

69. This is very true.

I'd like to see it more progressive than centrist, too. Media that questions. Soros---who else on our side has the money to do it?

[dqueue]

72. Amen! I so very agree with you! n/t

[Findlay]

75. Divide and conquer

We were caught playing checkers while Karl Rove was playing chess. For example, getting the gay-bashing state constitutional amendments lined up more than a year before the general election brought out the Christian right vote. One of the things we really need are some strategies that will divide the Repubs.

One thought I had today was based on the Republican support for Nader at the state level as a means of dividing the progressive vote. How about turning that strategy around on them the next time and contributing some progressive financial support to the Constitution Party, which would have the effect of splitting the Repub base?

I'm a Viet Nam War vet in Oregon. At Vet Admin clinics, I've talked to several right-wing Viet Nam vets who were torn between Repubs and the Constitution Party because they believe the latter better supports their values. I urged them to go for it, because I knew I'd never persuade them to vote for a Dem candidate.

Think about it. Would Soros' millions have better achieved his goals if he gave the money to the Constitution Party rather than the Dems?

[Copperred]

78. burn everything down.....

sounds like it should have been done for sure...

fight fire with fire my friends...

this is America...

[symbolman]

73. I love this

Take Back the Media.com is me, my wife and another person in NYC. We mortgaged our home to fight this bastard. We thought at some point someone would come to our aid with $$ if we just worked hard enough and made enough noise.

So we created flash political attack animations, we're up to over 50 now. Some were quite popular and all were well recieved - but lately whenever I'd post them here they'd drop like a rock - too many "Was Lincoln Gay?" posts or "Look at me, I put a Kerry sign in my yard" etc..

We actually were one of 14 finalists in the Moveon "Bush in 30 seconds" contest, and what did we get out of that - I think $300 and had to get four of us to NYC to attend. Moveon hasn't called or offered any money to us, so we've been beating our brains out to the point where I guess I'll just have to go get a job, and with a baby on the way and a back injury it will be a stupid Bush "manufacturing" job, or putting up with tourists, whatever..

While we were in NYC we made a coffin from carboard and black paper and laid it with a flag at the foot of the enlistment center and filmed the cops coming, etc.. no one cared. They sent money to Moveon who has millions and millions of bucks while we ate sandwitches

We did an online radio show for over a year, a good show every week, we did news for progressive shows daily, no one cared, some sent some money, not enough to run the place but we were grateful for that..

We went to New Hampshire to cover the primaries, and to Boston to cover the Convention - while we were there we hosted a Gathering of Websites, Authors and Progressive orgs to try to form a huge union of all of these with strength enough to do real damage, to get everyone on the same page, to try to create a cohesive force.. A liberal network.. nobody cares.. if you don't have MoveOn's money (who I think spent some of it very unwisely) no one gives you MORE so that you can keep fighting..

I'm sort of sick of trying to fight with no money - I've used every connection I know and none of it works.. the progressives keep their money tight to their chests and little guys like us (even tho we had 100 million hits on our website in the first year) get NOTHING.

I've been on TV fighting these guys, and I was good at it, on the first Scarborough show MSNBC they threatened to turn my mike off, did O'Rielly, did Lou Dobbs..

We cost Limbaugh major advertisers as well.. no one cares, no one got behind us.

No one even thinks of TakeBackthemedia.com here -- not a single mention of the perfect vehicle to take these bastards on - US..

I'm sick to death of this. I'm pretty much through with going after the Nazi with out help.

So excuse me for this rant, but I'm sick of working my ass off for nothing, and so will a lot of other talent on the web, and that's a damn shame.

[DARE to HOPE]

79. Hey, Michael, you're the best! :-)

Your "Bush is NOT a Nazi, so stop saying that!" is a classic! And you were GREAT on cable--cheered for you. Good things will come--you do have talent. Leftist causes tend not to be big moneymakers in our society, though Michael Moore is certainly disproving that little rule.

Hang in there!

[Democat]

81. Take Back the Media is great, don't lose faith!

Keep up the great work on the site and with everything else you do!

[Bongo Prophet]

82. I don't know what to tell you, Symbolman

Another artist here, constantly underemployed, losing money and savings since 2000. Lost my father, saddled in debt, depressed and angry. If you were here in Tx I would share my beans/rice and laugh bitterly at the madness. We stick together with friends, and make it through somehow. It could be worse, and it will get worse.
Maybe you will do bumpers for some new media in near future? I hope to see more of your work someday soon. I have been too down and scrambling to animate, or even record songs. I think I will have to sell most of the studio, lighten my load and get out of Tx, but debt and responsibilities weigh me down.


So good luck to you brother. My hopes go out to your team to regroup and prosper.

[JFW]

80. yep

..

[oscar111]

83. afl-cio subsidize AAR: and, your last Will include AAR

we need to get aflcio and DNC to permanently subsidize AAR.

and, add AAR to your last will and testament.

We need AAR in every state, then every city.

Clear Channel has 1200 stations, 25 per state on average.

[schultzee]

84. Kerry had time to make thses unauditable machines an issue and

he did not. He knew they would use them to steal it and he did not even try to make it an issue. I spent 2 years lobbying for a paper audit trail. He just gave it away to that pig gw bush. Gave it away.