Why is the Obama Administration Putting Government Monitors in Newsrooms?

[mrclose]

Anyone see a problem brewing here?

How many 'monitors' will be assigned to Fox?

(lots more at the link within the snippet Wall Street Journal and at link below)

The Obama Administration’s Federal Communication Commission (FCC) is poised to place government monitors in newsrooms across the country in an absurdly draconian attempt to intimidate and control the media.

Before you dismiss this assertion as utterly preposterous (we all know how that turned out when the Tea Party complained that it was being targeted by the IRS), this bombshell of an accusation comes from an actual FCC Commissioner.

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai reveals a brand new Obama Administration program that he fears could be used in “pressuring media organizations into covering certain stories.”

As Commissioner Pai explains in the Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304680904579366903828260732


Last May the FCC proposed an initiative to thrust the federal government into newsrooms across the country.

http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/why-is-obama-administration-putting-government-monitors-in-newsrooms

[mrclose]

My apologies for the WSJ link being a pay site and that the full article cannot be seen there. 

 You can google for other links using the article for key words .. I would guess?

 (The aclj.org link is fully readable)

[Chieftain]

Why indeed??  The AP is so far in the Administration's pocket they can hardly require much monitoring....

[EC]

Why indeed??  The AP is so far in the Administration's pocket they can hardly require much monitoring....

They do commit the odd random act of journalism. Not tolerable to the thin skinned Worm.

[mountaineer]

Why indeed??  The AP is so far in the Administration's pocket they can hardly require much monitoring....

BHO has AP, Reuters, CNN, USAToday, WashPost, et al. in his pocket. It's really just FOX and a few local news sources that might present a problem for him. I know if they tried to put a monitor in the smalltown newspaper newsroom in which I've worked, the (conservative) executive editor and publisher would be livid.

[mrclose]

Being talked about (somewhat) on Fox today!

[Gazoo]

Please tell me this is from the onion.

[Rapunzel]

Please tell me this is from the onion.

Nope, I posted the same article last weekend.

[mrclose]

Nope, I posted the same article last weekend.

Sorry Ma'am.

I searched using Government monitors before posting. 

I'll try to do better.  

[mrclose]

Just in case ...

The proposal is titled ”Research Design for the Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs,” and was released in April. The study was produced by a company called Social Solutions International, Inc.. SSI has been awarded hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars in federal contracts. Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn said that the FCC has a “duty” to find out what news is being broadcast in the announcement she made on May 24, 2013. Mignon is the daughter of James Clybern, who is probably the loaded voice on the Left to bring back the "Fairness Doctrine".

 There is a lot more to this proposed "study" than to just check out TV & Radio news content and who/what/when/why/where/how that content is given to the public. The proposal for the study shows that they are doing the same thing with Newsprint media, Internet Media AND Blogs -- and then they will go into 'target' neighborhoods to "study" the people who get their news, what media they participate in (Facebook, twitter, blogs, neighbors, church, organizations, family) .... you name it, they want to know it. The study also proposes questions about voting/politics and all this is connected to Census Data and Demographics .... if fact, Demographics is the first thing they have to determine about each and every step of the process. They have to discover the Demographics of all the employees of all of the News Media. It points out that the "interviews" with the Media employees should be 'secret' once the correct people to interview have been determined.


http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db0524/DA-13-1214A2.pdf

[Gazoo]

Sorry Ma'am.

I searched using Government monitors before posting. 

I'll try to do better.  

  the search does not work half the time. Don't worry about it. I am sure Rap is happy it is posted again. I am because I missed it.

[mrclose]

the search does not work half the time. Don't worry about it. I am sure Rap is happy it is posted again. I am because I missed it.

Thank You Gazoo.


The following fits in nicely with the whole brewing mess:

A prime example of Government pressure:

Medical Center won’t let patients watch Fox News

 So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered a Michigan health care facility, funded by federal tax dollars, blocked Fox News Channel from its waiting room television sets.

 The president of Family Health Care directed staff to block Fox News after a board member complained about our network’s coverage of the Affordable Care Act, an employee told me.

 “The board member complained that patients were turning the channel to Fox News,” said the employee who asked not to be identified for reasons related to the unemployment line. “They are pro-ObamaCare and they felt (Fox’s) stance did not mesh with our stance.”

 Family Health Care is a private, non-profit business that operates community health centers in five Michigan towns. According to the employee, the health centers have ObamaCare facilitators on site to help people apply for the program.

Medical Center won't let patients watch Fox News | Fox News

 “the health centers have ObamaCare facilitators on site”

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/02/13/medical-center-wont-let-patients-watch-fox-news/


(thanks go out to ilovesarah2012 for the above)

 Yep .. y'all read the name correctly. 

[Olivia]

I suppose they'll get away with it, too.  Pushing the limits and winning is what this administration is all about.  No one has the guts to stand up to them except a few Congressman and they're being vilified by their own side.

[Gazoo]

A prime example of Government pressure:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/02/13/medical-center-wont-let-patients-watch-fox-news/

That is crazy! The feds blocking Fox News! It reminds me of Atlanta airport. Only CNN is ever on tellies there.

[R4 Trump]

That is crazy! The feds blocking Fox News! It reminds me of Atlanta airport. Only CNN is ever on tellies there.

Go in the United Airlines lounge in any airport and Fox is usually on. IF it isn't just ask and they will gladly turn it on! Even in Newark..LOL

[Rapunzel]

Thank You Gazoo.


The following fits in nicely with the whole brewing mess:

A prime example of Government pressure:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/02/13/medical-center-wont-let-patients-watch-fox-news/


(thanks go out to ilovesarah2012 for the above)

 Yep .. y'all read the name correctly. 

Correct... I have no problems with it being a duplicate, people pretty much ignored it the first go-round and I think it is important.

[Gazoo]

Go in the United Airlines lounge in any airport and Fox is usually on. IF it isn't just ask and they will gladly turn it on! Even in Newark..LOL

I will remember that. But I don't like flying anymore unless I HAVE to. I have not flown United in years. Always Delta or US Airways. And sadly the US Airways crash in PA in the 90's happened after I had an emergency landing for the same thing on a 737. A flock of birds-STORY. And I was on Delta! Because of my plunge from 38,000 feet and the engine on fire I have researched plane crashes. And just recently found this so I won't be going on an airplane soon. lol thread hijack here is a simulated video. It makes me wonder if the crash in PA in the 90's was a terrorist attack.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNWixoYpzIo

[Rapunzel]

Didn't they blame it on a hinge failure on the stabilizer?

[Gazoo]

Yes, Rap they did. But they said a flock of birds at first. I really don't think they know the real cause to this day. I used to think lack of maintenance issues until I happened upon a pilot forum online. I actually found that video because of talk that the 911 plane in PA was shot down or crashed? They were comparing the impact of the planes. Shortly after my emergency landing there was a 737 that a woman and her son died just sitting on a plane when the engine backfired? blewup? ( I am only alive because the pilot was prior military and knew how to fly off auto-pilot) He was BTW fired for telling us the engine fell off the plane over the speaker after he confirmed it himself walking off the back stairs of the 737. The FAA lied and said a flock of birds (birds can't breath at 38,000 feet). so I have always researched. I know one airliner was bombed off NY coming in from across the pond. These others were either mechanical failure or terrorists that never bragged.

[mrclose]

I will remember that. But I don't like flying anymore unless I HAVE to. I have not flown United in years. Always Delta or US Airways.

I was probably one of the pilots on one of your flights!

Flew for Delta from 72-87.

Now I can barely see anything on my 55 inch monitor!

Cataract surgery Match March 1st ... y-a-a-a 

(See? I told ya)

[Rapunzel]

Yes, Rap they did. But they said a flock of birds at first. I really don't think they know the real cause to this day. I used to think lack of maintenance issues until I happened upon a pilot forum online. I actually found that video because of talk that the 911 plane in PA was shot down or crashed? They were comparing the impact of the planes. Shortly after my emergency landing there was a 737 that a woman and her son died just sitting on a plane when the engine backfired? blewup? ( I am only alive because the pilot was prior military and knew how to fly off auto-pilot) He was BTW fired for telling us the engine fell off the plane over the speaker after he confirmed it himself walking off the back stairs of the 737. The FAA lied and said a flock of birds (birds can't breath at 38,000 feet). so I have always researched. I know one airliner was bombed off NY coming in from across the pond. These others were either mechanical failure or terrorists that never bragged.

Every single American should watch the documentary they showed (and still show periodically) on Epic about the TWA Flight 800.........  it will convince you just how crooked our government is...

[Rapunzel]

I was probably one of the pilots on one of your flights!

Flew for Delta from 72-87.

Now I can barely see anything on my 55 inch monitor!

Cataract surgery Match 1st ... y-a-a-a 

My preference was always Delta or Continental. Started taking Continental when I flew to NYC because they flew non-stop from Las Vegas... and in the winter I wanted non-stop.

[Oceander]

A little more from the article on the purported purposes of this new attack on freedom of the press:

Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission, where I am a commissioner, does not agree.  Last May the FCC proposed an initiative to thrust the federal government into newsrooms across the country.  With its "Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs," or CIN, the agency plans to send researchers to grill reporters, editors and station owners about how they decide which stories to run.  A field test in Columbia, S.C., is scheduled to begin this spring.

The purpose of the CIN, according to the FCC, is to ferret out information from television and radio broadcasters about "the process by which stories are selected" and how often stations cover "critical information needs," along with "perceived station bias" and "perceived responsiveness to underserved populations."

How does the FCC plan to dig up all that information?  First, the agency selected eight categories of "critical information" such as the "environment" and "economic opportunities," that it believes local newscasters should cover.  It plans to ask station managers, news directors, journalists, television anchors and on-air reporters to tell the government about their "news philosophy" and how the station ensures that the community gets critical information.

The FCC also wants to wade into office politics.  One question for reporters is:  "Have you ever suggested coverage of what you consider a story with critical information for your customers that was rejected by management?"  Follow-up questions ask for specifics about how editorial discretion is exercised, as well as the reasoning behind the decisions.

Participation in the Critical Information Needs study is voluntary—in theory.  Unlike the opinion surveys that Americans see on a daily basis and either answer or not, as they wish, the FCC's queries may be hard for the broadcasters to ignore.  They would be out of business without an FCC license, which must be renewed every eight years.

[Rapunzel]

First, the agency selected eight categories of "critical information" such as the "environment" and "economic opportunities," that it believes local newscasters should cover.

In other words - they have to give the Obama line or they will not receive their FCC renewals.

[mrclose]

In other words - they have to give the Obama line or they will not receive their FCC renewals.

In Soviet Russia there were two television channels.

Channel 1 consisted of nothing but programming made to praise the Party and the glory of communism. 

Channel 2 had a man telling you to turn back to channel 1.

(Shamelessly stolen from a far funnier poster than me)