[Media-watch] FW:CBS plays politics with speech

[David Miller]

-----Original Message-----
From: freepress_e_activist-bounces at mediareform.net
[mailto:freepress_e_activist-bounces at mediareform.net]On Behalf Of Robert
McChesney
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:28 AM
To: freepress_e_activist at mediareform.net
Subject: [FP] CBS plays politics with speech


Last week, CBS censored free speech by refusing to sell airtime to the
MoveOn Voter Fund for a political ad during the Super Bowl. The ad is
critical of the Bush Administration's run-up of the federal deficit.

CBS -- owned by media giant Viacom -- says it doesn't run
"controversial" ads during the Super Bowl. But it plans to air a White
House drug policy spot during the game. The last such ad linked
marijuana smoking to terrorism... hardly uncontroversial.

It is no coincidence that the White House and the FCC are pushing
through new media ownership limits at the behest of CBS and other media
giants -- efforts that MoveOn and Free Press activists have been
fighting. CBS/Viacom spent $4 million lobbying Congress in the last
four years alone.

CBS is playing politics with the right to free speech: another example
of media monopoly's chilling effect on democratic debate.

We need your help to spread the word about CBS and the growing media
crisis. Many members of Congress continue to fight media consolidation
because millions of Americans have raised their voices. This recent
insult proves that we need millions more.

First, forward this email to everyone you know who cares about free
speech and democracy.

Next, go to http://www.mediareform.net/media to learn more and sign up
to be a Free Press E-Activist if you are not one already.

Help us expand the number of activists working to build a media system
that serves the public interest, not just corporate interests. Our
democracy depends on it.

Onward,
The Free Press Team

P.S.  Stay up to date on news relating to media reform with our free
daily headline service. Sign up at
http://www.mediareform.net/news/deliveries.php . Give it a try; both
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P.P.S.  Support media reform by becoming a Free Press Action Fund
member at http://www.mediareform.net/support.php

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