In his Fox News show yesterday, talk show host Glenn Beck opined that the Obama administration is trying to destroy commercial media. Instead of an independent free press, Obama and his allies want the government to take over the media; hence, the newspaper bailouts.
I know, I know, that sure does sound crazy, doesn’t it? Beck can’t be right! It sounds like some kind of conspiracy, not like something that would really happen in the real world!
That’s what I thought too, until I actually took the time to listen to Beck’s explanation. Beck proves that the above is indeed what important Obama allies and progressive activists want. How does he prove it? Simple: by showing you what they said and wrote about this subject themselves.
Most of them have been pretty honest about their ambitions. Take, for instance, the group Free Press, which is pressing for net neutrality; which would destroy, as Beck puts it, “the free market that created the Internet” in the first place.
They are also “searching for new ways to save journalism” by, guess!, having the government bail out (leftist) newspapers.
In a paper called “Public Media Moment,” Free Press’ Executive Director Josh Silver tells President Obama how he can take advantage of the current crisis many newspapers and channels are in. “You have the opportunity to reinvent public media,” Silver writes.
“The growing crisis facing commercial journalism – and public media’s unique ability to address it – makes such reform all the more urgent. You have a rare opportunity to achieve real change and to reinvent public media.”
Adding: “Just as the economic crisis has put an end to free market fundamentalism, so too should the failure of commercial media to adequately serve the public interest and the myth that the government has no role in fulfilling society’s information needs.”
Silver calls on Obama to create a media trust fund to accomplish the goals described above. Such a trust would be expensive, Silver realizes, so he suggests Obama implement a new tax; 0.5% on all electronic devices. This way, Silver argues, devices meant to merely “entertain Americans,” will indirect serve to “enlighten” them. No joke.
Oh, and an additional benefit is that this means that “those with the means” to afford luxury items, will carry the burden, Silver says. How’s that for spreading the wealth around?
Watch yesterday’s show:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMuFZ3TGvqo[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWI1aJ2FgQI[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wwy2VDkbm0[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR9LKOZQD8Q[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuAEbIGyK2Q[/youtube]
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