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At YearlyKos, I met FCC Commissioner Michael Copps. He’s an amazing man, but he told us something very disturbing. He thinks that the signs are out there that the FCC is getting ready to loosen media ownership rules against the will of the public. They have already done this with the internet, and Congress has not acted to remedy the problem.
A few days ago, the problem because crystal clear. AT&T censored political speech over streaming video by Pearl Jam at a concert. This was overt censorship of political speech. With the flurry of outrage, it’s increasingly clear that corporate control over our media system is not only a huge problem but a well-understood problem by the public. AT&T is trying to pass this off as a simple mistake, though there’s no particular reason to trust what the company has to say, and Wired is reporting that the company may also have censored political speech by the Flaming Lips and the John Butler Trio. But whether this is a mistake or not is not really important. The question is whether there should be a gatekeeper in front of what we have the right to say. And the answer to that question is obviously no.
I’m going to reprint Michael Copps’s full speech below. It’s a clear warning of some important regulatory changes that are underway right now at the FCC. We’re going to need millions to speak out on this. Read the speech here…
3 Trackbacks To “Sounding the Alarm on Pearl Jam, Censorship, and Media Freedom“
What the GOP excerting media control? I am so schocked!
This strikes me as par for the course w/r/t the incestuous relationship between Big Corporation and Big Stoopid, but as a (bad) songwriter I find it terribly disturbing. Ailes can put estupido analysts up all he wants, tho’ I wish they wouldn’t pretend they’re “news.” But mic. cutting is for little men like Bill-O’Loofah.
Ergo, to quote Cartman … “That … is … SOOO … Weeeaaak.”
I’m dumping my at&t cellphone account
Maybe the Democratic candidates need a question or two about this at their next “debate.” That way, when Ralph Nader starts up with his “there’s no difference between the two” nonsense again this election, we’ll really know for sure.
What our corporate big brothers have been saying over the last several years:
Now it’s:
Next it’s:
Copps is the only - ONLY - FCC commissioner who makes sense. He hasn’t been purchased by the corporations; and hopefully he never will be. He needs to be chairman of the FCC.
Perry Ferrell needs to find a new sponsor for next years Lollapalooza!
Dump At&T!
We need millions to speak up for more than this alone. Strike911.org is trying to organize a nation wide General Strike to protest everything that is wrong with this administration and the Dems/Reps that allow it all to happen.
This type of censorship is only going to get worse along with everything else. I know everyone is waiting for someone else to do something. Here is something that can be done collectively.
http://strike911.org
“In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.” - Mark Twain
Which of you are the Patriots and which of you are the timid?
This type of censorship is only going to get worse along with everything else. I know everyone is waiting for someone else to do something. Here is something that can be done collectively.
http://strike911.org
“In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.” - Mark Twain
Which of you are the Patriots and which of you are the timid?
I predict the Internet to be implicated in a terr*r plot which will give the fascists the excuse to severely curtail its free use. Technology is advancing to the point where commercial cable television as a news source is a laughing stock and the Net will handily replace it as a source for information- IN A BIG WAY! The Republofascists can’t allow this to happen. Mark my words. The 9-11 of the Internet will end the Net as we know it. Then what will we do?
When this article was posted a couple of days ago on C&L, I immediately
wrote the Corporate Headquarters of AT&T and informed them that the
“excuse” used(accidental mistake) was not acceptable and that in my mind,
and others, this was a from of CENSORSHIP and they should be ashamed
and that I was seriously thinking about cancelling my services w/them.
The crowd sung pretty well.
The guy with the mike was flat.
ooopss sorry for the double post…WOrdpress froze.
#10 - Do a search on Net Neutrality for info on what they want to do to the internet.
Not much different then when Ed Sullivan’s producers kept the cameras above Elvis’s gyrating hips on his first big national TV appearance.
Ironic that Crooks posts about internet censorship when they deleted a post of mine just because they did not agree with the point of view.
[That certainly isn’t the case-Sitemonitor]
Don’t forget, Poop-squirt Murdoch owns Myspace too.
-GSD
FranklyFrank @ 10:
I think you are right on the money.
-GSD
dont you know that the media is liberal?
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L.A. Confidential @ 14:
Except that the producers didn’t ‘accidentally’ censor Elvis’ hips. Plus, Elvis wasn’t commenting on the Eisenhower (or was it Truman?) administration.
Bud @ 20:
Wouldn’t want to offend the general public.
Yeahhh, I suppose - but to me you’re talking sex (Elvis) vs. politics (Pearl Jam) and they’re two different animals.
(but then again, this is the USA in 2007 we’re talking about here…) :)
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Doggiebobo @ 11:
Seriously thinking about canceling your service? Hell! I dumped them the next morning. If all these telephone companies start doing this shit, I’ll start using smoke signals as my long distance carrier.
I’ll just paraphrase Randi Rhodes from the other day…”You’re worried now cuz they’re censoring your favorite bands…They’ve been spying on you snce before 9-11…Idiots”.
drb @ 15:
That’s because you’re a moron. Duh.
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You should try posting it again to see what happens :)
I have been (censored) here at crooks and liars for being off topic.
Maybe Eddie Vedder was just off topic too!
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It’s time to fire up the biggest petition campaign this country has ever seen for congress and the FCC. The bad laws and regulations of the past must be repealed and there must be divestiture of assets. Longterm, the FCC must have all those who would prostitute the institution must be put on the street. As it stands today, the internet is the last functioning bastion of not only free speech, but also free press and freedom of assembly. Effective monopoly power over these rights has been handed to a few mega corporations who are all in collusionto exercise absolute control over information. When they achieve their final success, America is toast.
Johnny - GOOD RETORT!
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sssshhhhhhh…………………..their watching….
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with so much riding on the next election…nothing surprises me anymore….But I will say this…C&L are alot more tolerant of opposing views than say….poli pundit…….if you go there and post honest facts and don’t curse or insult(be prepared to get attacked and insulted like you’ve never been)and prove your point without doubt….it’s gone in a matter of minutes….if not seconds…they simply will not tolerate a precise opposing view.
Brent @ 34:
hahahahaha..ohohohohoho,hehehehehehe…LOL….yeah rrrrrrrriiightttttttt
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Conservative sites NEVER censor opposition comments. They invite the debate, just like Conservative Talk Radio.your own statement proves that your wrong………as for deletion…read the comment policy….it’s like a bar….they reserve the right to refuse service to anyone…….I’m a Liberal…and I get deleted…usually for not being civil enough.
Pearl Jam sucks!
Censorship is only one of the problems. Other problems include the U.S. MSM simply not reporting what is happening in other parts of the world. The ‘coalition’ is continuing to meltdown: http://www.asahi.com/english/H.....80383.html
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Dirty Hippie Blogger @ 38:
Projecting aren’t you?
AT & T is bound to be one of the telecommunication companies that has been conducting illegal, warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens at the behest of the Bush administration.
They are one of the criminally-complicit U.S. companies who just tried to get their liability for their past criminal actions “forgiven” in the just-passed Protect America Act.
Just like the previous rubber-stamp Republican Congress, these AT & T executives have sold-out to the worst and most corrupt administration in American history.
So, no one should be surprised that AT & T would censor any dissenting voice of anyone challenging their masters in the White House and at the Republican National Committee.
Brent @ 40:
First, why not try saying right now what you claim to have been censored about and second, when your done telling us your sad, sad tale why not move along to RightWingNews, they like assmonkeys.
Brent @ 40:
your delusional….those things happened to me YESTERDAY….and this morning and the day before yesterday and a week ago for that fact…your facts are skewed.Perhaps you should dilute the koolaid slowly so it wont hurt too much.
Brent…name one thing that this admin has done correctly….just one….if we get into a good debate we need to go to the open thread…deal.
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mudshark, Market Collapse, are you kidding, market is in the 13,000-14,000 range, almost doubled since 9/11 (a 3-digit up or down day is no big deal as a percentage of the new much higher market).
On Global Warming, Greenland was agricultural and settled during the Viking days and England was attached to the European Continent before that. Carbon dioxide increase is very minor compared to water vapor effect; and, even if there were man-made global warming, do you really thinkg driving a prius would make a difference. Get real
Global warming is an excuse for government control and takoover from those evil corporations that all the Dems hate and take away power from the USA.
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