Arrgh!!! CNN, NPR, Etc., Giving Free Airplay To GOP Attack Ads!?!?! Already?

[TomCADem]

Today, President Obama officially announced the start of his campaign for 2012. So, right on cue, we get the corporate media providing free airplay of a GOP anti-Obama attack ad that they put on their website. WTH? Its as if Citizens United was not enough, but the corporate media has to throw in some propaganda on the house.

Does Move On or Democracy for America get similar freebies? Of course not. The only time they get any airplay is if the media decides to broadly condemn their ads. Otherwise, liberal and progressive groups have to pay full freight. All the while, you will have Fox News dedicating half hour segments in which they play GOP attack ads in an endless loop in the interest of journalistic inquiry.

I know some corporate media apologists will assert that this is necessary to counter the liberal bias in today's media, but most DUers understand that liberal media myth is just a cover-up for the corporate ownership and bias of the mainstream media. Pretty much every news outlet I saw felt compelled to offer a showing of the GOP's youtube attack ads while not showing any of the initial pro-Democratic videos offered by the DNC.

If only the corporate media would offer similar airplay to ads created by liberal and progressive groups, but we saw during the Health Care debate that such ads were rarely shown on cable news.

[msongs]

1. Obama is now an announced candidate. his public appearances are now campaign stops. things change

when Obama wants free publicity for his reelection others want free publicity too.

[emulatorloo]

4. So basically anybody who puts up a lie ad is guaranteed lots of prime time coverage and play

on the cable outlets.

While Obama's speeches and statements are taken out of context, or are barely covered at all

[AndyTiedye]

6. Yes, Those are the Ground Rules. Have Been Since Reagan Rescinded the Fairness Doctrine

[TomCADem]

5. Yet, I Don't Recall Move On Or Democracy for America Getting Similar Free Airplay

Plus, we are talking about news such as Obama announcing his candidacy versus a GOP attack ad. Are you seriously arguing that whenever a news organization reports something that President Obama has done, then the GOP should get free airplay of their attack ads? That sounds like a Fox News version of "fair and balanced."

Moveon has published numerous videos hammering on Republicans who are in the news, but have you seen these ads on cable news with the uniformity and deference you get for Republican ads?

http://front.moveon.org/

You can find several ads that are relevant to ongoing efforts by Republicans to roll back women's rights, workers' rights, etc., but do you see these ads? No. Instead, you just get the same corporate media narrative pushing the idea of the Tea Party as a grass roots movement, but ignoring the involement of Fox News, the Koch brothers, or Dick Armey and Freedom Works.

[WCGreen]

2. That accusation was made for so long that the "journalists" that

occupy the anchor seats go overboard in trying to not be cast as liberal even though they are far from liberal.

[emulatorloo]

3. That's the strategy. Put up a controversial web ad, then the 24hr cable news will "report" on it

[FrenchieCat]

7. Didn't you know the Media works for the Republicans?

Well, they do.

[tahrir]

8. welcome to the show

all part of the drama