“There are examples of other institutions in the U.S. where state support does not translate into official control. The most compelling are our public universities and our federal programs for dispensing billions of dollars annually for research. Those of us in public and private research universities care every bit as much about academic freedom as journalists care about a free press.”
Can we sell them the CBC?
Syncro
Cant get any worse than it is however I refuse to sanction any more giveaways. From here on forward it is sink or swim on your own.
The implication that the views of those working at universities hasn’t been tilted by their paymasters is absolutely preposterous!!!
But insanely ridiculous lies seems to be par for the course in the MSM these days!!!
Well Kate with this WSJ article, I’m assuming the Asteroid has finally hit…DEEP IMPACT!
Ummmm…I’m wondering if Barry is listening and wanting to make it his next priority…with the midterms coming and all…Gotta have the kinfolk well informed ya know.
Reading some of the the WSJ comments was very entertaining though…So not a complete waste.
Interesting! Here’s an observant dinosaur who sees the asteroid but thinks it can be stopped with government subsidy.
Its an attitude that is anti-Dawinist – that dinosaurs (unadaptable organisms) should exist for their own sake even though they are made redundant by fate,time,nature and evolution.
Perhaps in one way he is correct; this kind of prehistoric hubris cannot be eradicated by a single cataclysmic meteor impact. Paleo journalism will carry on in one form or another in the internet age just as the reptiles did, but it will be detectable by its gargantuan hubris and ludicrous sense of self worth.
I am just surprised that journalism schools haven’t yet been funded by The Pravda foundation or the Islamic Foundation For Truth and Openness. I mean if mentioning that countries spy on us is met with indifference or disdain, then what is stopping the folks with agendas to fund budding journalistic minds?
And not to fall too far off the track, has any investigative journalist found out how the “American” spy with Canadian passports got a hold of them? My last time getting a passport was far from easy.
The argument for state-funding of journalism implies the abolition of a free press, which is a pillar of political freedom.
I am not the least bit comforted knowing some journalists would relinquish a free press so they could hold on to their jobs just a little bit longer.
Cue Franklin: “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Kate, if you accept classified ads, please post the following and send me a bill:
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I am no longer responsible for even a penny of debt incurred by any level of government in the US or, for that matter, anywhere in the world. Mike McCormick, Miami, FL
“One idea under consideration is enhanced public funding for journalism”
Ummm…that’s the ONLY idea.
Exactly Mark P, liberals believe they have a right to work in which ever industry and location they desire; and, get payed handsomely regardless of the demand for their product. Journalism doesn’t need government funding, Journalists need to start taking some business classes and learn to cope in a changing world. Like everyone else!
BTW, I mentioned in the 2008 election that the MSM was “all in” with the Obama campaign, and are depending on a lucrative bail-out to slow the bleed while the those that can take as much as they can before the dino goes tits-up.
“Let them die”-C.Kirk
The lefties have largely the control of the legacy media but have no control of the internet.
They have a need too control public information/opinion so their solution will be to try to shut down the internet.
The legacy media is failing financially because their product is not in demand. If they weren’t the propaganda arms of leftist elements they would have no difficulty in subscibing over the net…..They simply can’t sell subscriptions either print or web-based because there is no demand.
The really sad part is that the voting public has little power to prevent this from happening. The governing system has become so large that the wishes of the citizens are meaningless. Taxpayer funding of the old media will happen one way or the other. If politicians can’t get the funding out the front door then they will sneak it out the back.
BTW, didn’t Democrats attempt to use the NEA to produce pro-Obama propaganda.
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/pcourrielche/2009/08/25/the-national-endowment-for-the-art-of-persuasion-patrick-courrielche/
Politicians have shown that they are willing and able to corrupt everything they touch – Law, Science, Art, Energy, Medicine, Economics, Business – so why would the media think they can survive unmolested. Of course the overwhelmingly left-leaning MSM has no intention of fighting any “persuasion”, anyway. They are already a willing partner to progressives…now they want the payoff. Preferably with the same great benefits, high wages and secure pensions as the rest of the government workers.
I think the cartoon in the article summarizes the end result quite well. If you notice the press is taking money from the left (hand) and beating on the right (hand.)
I think that represents the MSM view of things.
Two media stories
“The al-Dura hoax was first broadcast by France 2 — French public television — on September 30, 2000. For years, people all over the world have fought for what seemed to be the impossible: have France 2 admit they aired a fraud.
http://tinyurl.com/2u7zznx
“The [Montreal]Gazette will cease publishing a print version of the paper on Sundays as of Aug. 8.
http://tinyurl.com/3686pb7
The swansong for modern western civilisation has arrived.
Elite zillionaire Banksters in cabal with their enabling corrupt politicians are at the final stages to bring down the powerful majority middle class to their knees by systematically manipulating markets and slowly taking their savings before they can roll in deflation. Then watch interest rates inevitably sky rocket.
When we saw the Berlin wall fall, we all though communism was dead. We were deceived. Socialism has been steadily creeping in; disguised as “progressivism”. Joseph McCarthy will eventually become a folklore hero.
Elites the world over have come to the conclusion that Democracy is no longer viable.
The world will become very large once again as nations will disintegrate into localized tribal laws and gangs. Just like Africa.
Dark ages part II cometh.
There is so much BS in Bollinger’s piece it is hard to know where to start.
He states it is essential to save old media with tax dollars so we all know … what is going on !!?? Ya, ok.
While the TV networks and newspapers could not get enough of Obama, many blogs (including this one) had him sized up from day one of ‘the one’. A dud.
While, from day one, the new media knew the UN’s Kyoto was the biggest fraud the world has ever seen, the old media is still pushing it.
And Bollinger has the gall to say University professors are free to speak out because they are gov’t funded !!?? Ya sure. So why are hundreds of them not taking Suzuki to task for demanding jail time to climate realists? Instead, hundreds, if not thousands of flakey Profs are ready and willing to appear on TV peddling the climate alarmist line.
Will it never dawn on these old media types – that perhaps, Perhaps, PERHAPS! the reason old media is failing and new media is blossoming is because of quality of product??
Similar to 1970s when USSR hockey players in North America noticed the store shelves were full of quality products while theirs had a little junk.
Bollinger makes it very clear – liberal fascism is the new communism. Be free and easy with other peoples money when it comes to saving the ‘failed ones’ all in the name of ‘for the people’.
And in this land of CBC $Billion dollar subsidies, Jeffrey Simpson has the nerve to demand Canada deny a Fox News type channel here – even though FN has a far larger audience than all the others combined. Could it be that the people see the Obermans, and Mathews for what they are? – Liberal Fascists.
The evolution from cocaine snorting, promiscuous party girl to crack addicted, pimpless hooker took longer than expected.
Those of us in public and private research universities care every bit as much about academic freedom as journalists care about a free press.”
Gee that makes me feel secure. Since even before Obama. When has the press ever cared about free speech?
“Paleo journalism will carry on in one form or another in the internet age just as the reptiles did, but it will be detectable by its gargantuan hubris and ludicrous sense of self worth.”
~Occam’s Disposable Razor
And like the reptiles, the “journals” and their marketing ability will get smaller and smaller.
Eventually they will stabilize at one or two man operations which will be visually recognized as 75 year old hippies handing out recycled handbills on street corners.
Bollinger’s column goes straight to my conservative porn file (S&M subfolder). To sense the pangs of desperation of a failed liberal institution down on its knees. To witness the fear of facing empty J-school classrooms. To hear the submissive appeal for government support of a tired, lazy and corrupt institution. To share one’s fantasy of a healthy, well-oiled, free-thinking, public-loving press supported by government handouts, acting and thinking and communicating nobly, honestly, independently and fruitfully. And to realize that this piece was written, not by an out-of-work J-school flunkie but, by the President of Columbia University.
Shear ecstasy. Oooooh. Ahhhhh.
So, let me get this straight: the President of Columbia University wants us to imitate communist China and Al-Jazeera. Oh, OK. I’ll go get my checkbook.
Wouldn’t subsidizing toilet tissue cut out the middleman and leave a smile at least?
[quote]This system needs to be revised and its resources consolidated and augmented with those of NPR and PBS to create an American World Service that can compete with the BBC and other global broadcasters. The goal would be an American broadcasting system with full journalistic independence that can provide the news we need. [/quote]Link
Horse Shit! In a democracy the MSM must be held accountable to the people…When you lie and cheat, like ABC, NBC, CBS, engaging in a political agenda… you should lose your Air-waves (license to use public property)
This is an attempt to create a Independent Communist Network, like the CBC, that pushes UN policies 24/7 with unlimited taxpayer Funding
The Networks need to sell Advertising & and if the public does not like thier “editorial”, or programming they lose viewers and get punished at the cash register. The Competition creates a need for better programming & responsible broadcasters..
Bollinger is talking his book, as they would say on Wall Street. He’s the prez of a university with a large expensive journalism school. He’s just trying to talk up job prospects for the grads and keep enrollment from crashing.
OT:
How come it says there are 15 comments to this post on the main page, yet I only see three above?
Heh, now it sez 23 comments…
I have been gleefully observing the downward spiral of the mainstream media for several years now, stubbornly charging ahead with their tired old biases even in the face of all the evidence that people aren’t buying it anymore. Now, with a sense of delicious schadenfreude, I eagerly await being able to gawk over their splattered remains after they finally hit the ground with a dull, wet thud. I might even suggest that one could best pay their respects to the deceased by taking the opportunity to relieve the contents of ones bladder onto the fresh, oozing corpse. Especially if any part of it still resembles Chris Matthews or Keith Olbermann.
Sadly, in reality I, like every other American tax payer, will probably end up paying for their life support machine. Such is reality in Obama’s America.