Note to NBC's Mark Murray regarding Memo to liberals: You're outnumbered

[AndyA]

As the liberal blogosphere confab, Netroots Nation, kicks off today in Las Vegas, it will inevitably further the "Why are progressives disappointed in Obama?" storyline.

In the past few months, liberal commentators have bemoaned that the public option wasn’t included in the health care law, that the financial reform legislation -- which President Obama signed into law yesterday -- isn’t strong enough, and that Gitmo still isn't closed. The Nation's Eric Alterman even penned a widely discussed essay explaining these disappointments on a system that's stacked against progressives.

But here is something to consider: It's the country -- not the system -- that's stacked against liberals and progressives.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/22/4729317-memo-to-liberals-youre-outnumbered

Mark, here are a few things for you to think about, considering YOU are a part of the problem. You write this story as if the whole story is that the people of this country lean to the right, and that's the story. But it's not the story, it's only part of the story, and that's why there's an issue.

People are prone to believe what they are told. Especially when it's a major news media outlet doing the reporting. People feel they should be able to trust what is said on the air to be accurate, truthful, and complete. But it's not. Not by a long shot. And that's why this country seems to lean to the right...it's because that's what most people hear, 24/7, and they believe what they're told.

Consider the right wing hate jocks on radio:

- Glenn Beck
- Mike Gallagher
- Dennis Miller
- Sean Hannity
- Laura Ingraham
- Neal Boortz
- Laura Schlessinger
- G. Gordon Liddy
- Mike Rosen
- The Huckabee Report
- Rush Limbaugh
- etc.

In fact, there are 201 different programs listed on an internet site that allows you to stream these radio programs.

That same site lists just 131 "liberal" programs, and some of them are not as liberal as the conservatives ones are conservative. Diane Rehm, for instance, is certainly not a raging liberal by any means. Progressive radio has far less reach, and few popular shows when compared to the hate radio side of the spectrum.

There are huge sections of the country where you can hear conservative radio on multiple stations, yet not one station broadcasts progressive programming. I've heard it reported that the reason for this is because there is no market for progressive programming, yet when you look at the station ownership mix in these areas, they have conservative corporate ownership with conservative agendas. They squeeze out any opportunity for a different point of view.

Where I live, I would have to drive hundreds of miles to find a progressive radio program over the air. Yet, there are multiple conservative stations that air only hate radio.

When you go into a hotel lobby, they have Fox News on. Same thing at the doctor's office, and many other public places. Could it be that the country leans right because that's all they hear? Conservative values, conservative this, conservative that. Liberals are bad. They're baby killers. They want to tax you to death. Big government. Blah blah blah.

And the truth is, of course, that what is being reported all too often is NOT THE TRUTH. Or sometimes it's only HALF THE STORY, where the part not reported would likely change the story entirely. It happened just this week with Shirley Sherrod. It happened with ACORN. And there have been other instances as well.

The right leaning media reports on the Tea Baggers, with their signs condemning high taxes. Yet they don't report that under the Obama Administration, taxes are lower now for most Americans than they've been in generations.

We're told how bad big government is. And we're not supposed to remember that government got a lot bigger under George Bush and the Republicans.

We're told how horrible the deficit is, and how our children and grand children will be paying for our borrowing. Yet, most of the deficit is due to George Bush and the Republican's tax cuts for the wealthy. MOST. OF. THE. DEFICIT. IS. DUE. TO. TAX. CUTS. FOR. THE. WEALTHY. Is that being reported on Fox News? Is Rush Limbaugh talking about this?

For that matter, are YOU talking about this, Mr. Murray?

If the country is leaning right, I believe it's because that's the only message the majority is getting. MSNBC has several shows that are progressive in nature, but that premium cable channel isn't as widespread as the free Fox News channel is. So the progressive message isn't as pronounced.

There is no fairness in news today. No accountability when you lie, or tell half truths. Glenn Beck can compare our President to Adolf Hitler, and no one bats an eye. Rush Limbaugh can play a song, "Barack the magic negro" over and over again, and that's not racist. But let someone who's viewed as progressive make a perceived--but similar--offense, and there are immediate demands for them to step down, resign, apologize, etc.

Are these same demands placed on "conservative" personalities? I think we all know the answer.

There is a double standard in this country. Right wingers and conservatives can run up the deficit, ruin the economy, start wars based on lies, and generally do whatever they want to do and it's OK. But when progressives or centrists who lean just ever so slightly to the left try to fix the mess the conservatives have created, they are condemned to hell for their actions.

And the media--of which you are part--by and large does NOTHING. Any outrage over things a conservative has done or said is watered down if it's reported at all.

It's a shameful thing. And that's the reason why this country appears to lean to the right. And that's why we need fairness and accountability in today's media.

Are you going to do anything to see that your industry is honest, accurate, and fair, Mr. Murray?

[fascisthunter]

1. Send this to Anderson Cooper... apparently he thinks the left is equal in this regard to the right

[old mark]

2. The media is owned by the rich. It works for them, and has NO incentive to be fair or

truthful...in fact they are paid to lie to protect their masters, the rich foreign influences and corporations that own them outright and seek to complete their ownership of the country.

mark

[PearliePoo2]

3. excellent

Send it to him and post his response. K&R