1st there were the stories about right-wing groups sympathetic to the causes of the Administration producing "fake news stories" to be picked up by local media markets. The viewers thought these were network or affiliate produced stories but they were paid for and produced by non-media entities to tout Administration policies.

2nd came the story of the "Pay 2 Say" journalists (Williams / Gallagher / McManus) who were paid, or in a round about way, paid to tout the Administration and its programs.

3rd came the "minders", the people who monitored/watched who the jounalists talked to and what they said at Inaugural events this year. They even threatened to throw one jounalist out for going where they should not have gone (slap, slap).

4th comes a story I could not believe when I heard it and had to search the net to read about it just to make sure I was not losing it. Now, the Bush Administration has sunk as low as you can go. They now have "fake journalists" in news conferences. There job is to ask "softball questions," "not be critical" and "steer the conversations". Don't believe me? Do a search on your favorite search engine under "Fake Reporters", or go here:

http://politics.abovetopsecret.com/thread118286/pg1

I was listening to the Diane Rehm show on NPR this morning and when this topic came up, I thought; "How paranoid is this Administration"? Now our Government and the USA Media has its nerve to talk about Iraq and other contries engaging in "propoganda". Well, what does the Administration call what it's doing? They are limiting the flow of news, creating fake news, paying people to say what they want the public to hear and sending out people to monitor you and who you talk to at events where politicians and press are present. What and the heck do you call all this?

It's not the America I grew up with. It's not the America I served in my youth. It's not the America I have loved all my life.

Nay.

They want us to study their machinations. That's how they think they'll always be ahead... We should study their wake while they make history, or so the neo-con dellusion goes, until it smacks right up against reality... like Hitler's Germany...

"CIA Hired and Trained Goons," is what I call them. They've been with us a very long time. I think they always will be.

The fake reporters "real name" is Jeff Gannon (per the link in my original article) or Jeff Gunkett as reported on FOXNews Sunday this morning. I could have sworn that was the name they referred to this guy as. Anyway, he works for a right-wing outfit called TalonNews.

I was watching that great bastion of fair and balanced reporting, FOXNews Sunday. The issue of that CNN producer came up (the guy who said coalition forces have killed reports) and the Jeff Gannon/Guckett issue was discussed. Brit Hume railed against the CNN producer saying what he said was irresponsible. But he said you can't even compare the actions of Jeffy and the CNN producer. He felt what Jeffy did was not all that serious. When panelist Juan Williams tried to call Brit on the carpet, he did what all good Repubs do when under attack - skirt the issue by diverting the conversation to something else (strange that's just what Jeffy's role as a fake journalist). Brit started comparing Jeffy to Helen Thomas.

What a joke!

To Jeffy:

Jeffy?...You're no Helen Thomas!

To Brit:

And Brit? You're no journalist!

No one on Faux News is...they're just Bush mouthpieces probably receiving a tidy little monetary supplement and who knows what other perks under the table, compliments of Karl Rove.

Catherine

And, it doesn't even stop at the previous lists... Recall how the Bush campain was found to have employed subliminal advertising against Gore in 2000... How' about the Pentagon's new mass media program (actually a new mass media network), tax payer funded, to push its military and political agenda? How's about big media advertising contracts that tell producers what can and cannot be covered in a program?

"The merging of corporate, military, and political power is fascism." -
Benito Mussolini

Catherine, the way you feel about Fox is the same way we Conservatives feel about CNN, NBC, ABC & CBS. THey have been in bed with the liberals for a long-long time.
And why is Fox kicking all these stations butts in ratings? Are these numbers fake as well?

It isn't about feelings! It's about facts in a reality based world. The facts should shape your opinion. Your opinion should not form the facts like you neo-con chickenhawks are wont to do. If you are for perpetual war but have never faced the music nor signed up, shut the fuck up!!!

Amazing isn't it, Benjammin', all this patriotism the conservatives talk but when it comes to actually doing it, they always have an excuse for why they can't.

Lip Service Patriots... Suck!

We've got the Stripes and therefor I'll be damned if I'll let the sick-o-phants pollute the truth with their "liberal media bias" bullshit. It 's pure bullshit. Ask Michael Powell. He's gone. The whore of mega-merger-media is toast. So is his career. Want some of this neo-connie? BRING IT ON!!!

I am in total agreement with you, Stripey and Ben!

I'm sick and tired of playing nice with some of these quasi-educated morons who have what they think is a PH.D from the University of Faux News. They're proudly paying their tuition bill disguised as their cable bill. I'm also tired of trying to get them to see and understand the truth.

(Willie, have you served in the military? If so, what branch? Where did you do boot? Are you aware your hero was and is a military coward?)

Not many of those like Willie can stick to facts or even use the internet properly for citing sources. They can't type, spell, or form a coherent sentence. Just like their Bushgod. And we're supposed to try to debate these people?

Their hero had to use a wire to get through the three debates he had with John Kerry, (and Bush was still declared the loser), while the real president, Karl Rove and/or Dick Cheney, repeated into his wax-filled ear what he should say.

In another forum, Willie has been trying to convince us there's an organization called NAALCP!!!

I wonder if Willie knows what the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was. His Boy Bush sure as hell did not.



Catherine

(Willie, have you served in the military? If so, what branch? Where did you do boot? Are you aware your hero was and is a military coward?)

No but my brothers and uncles did (Air force, Army & Marines)

Never have I said that Bush is a genious. As a conservative Bush has done things I would never agree with. But just like the Liberals claim "Anyone but Bush"...we said the same about Kerry.

Nice post Catherine. I'm with you all the way. I believe everyone has the right to free speech and I'll fight to the death for their right to say what they will. On the other hand, the neo-cons better be bringing it, when they're the ones stomping on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and buying all the TV time and the politicians, AND don't have the HUEVOS
to walk their talk... I'm not interested in ditto head blah, blah, blah, and bushit!

Willie! Signed up yet? Prove that the liberals control big media TV news.
Then, I'll eat your lunch! I'm working on a doctorate in media studies. Oh, yeah, and I have seen combat...

You people think you own the flag. Think again! And, in the meantime, stop demeaning it every time you piss on the Constitution. Millions of people have died for these ideals and there are millions of us who are really incensed at how you dishonor them every fucking day. I don't think you chickenhawks understand how you've lit a fire you're not going to be able to put out. Why don't you spend your time productively like calling your Congressional Representative and demand that Congress reinstate the Veteran's Benefits that Bush is trying to cut?

I ain't playing. You dig?