Saturday, May 15, 2004

Overlapping interests

Charles Sanson write in:
I have only one major objection: the underlying assumption that the degredation of journalism has something to do with its absorption of a conservative agenda. I'm not conservative, and I'm highly partisan, but it's clear to me that conservatives have no monopoly on bad journalism.

Plus, if the revolt is to be successful, the left AND the right are going to have to put some of their differences aside to confront the big media monoliths. And we all know that some of the most vociferous critiques of the mass media are levelled by right wingers and conservatives. On my blog I've spent a great deal of time attempting to show that the demands and interests of the left and the right (both of which are marginalized in the mainstream press) overlap on some of the most important issues of the day, and media reform is not the least important among them. When the FCC voted last year to ease restrictions on media ownership, Congress acted almost immediately to criticize the ruling because groups across the political spectrum immediately rose up to voice stringent disapproval of the FCC ruling. The NRA and conservative Christian radio groups suddenly found themselves allied with the likes of Pacifica Radio media activists, anti-globalists and left wing anti-corporatists.

I think if you were to substitute references to the two-party system or the political mainstream for what you basically term "conservative influence," your critique would not only be more accurate, it would not automatically alienate conservatives who would otherwise agree with your overall point.

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