Media chiefs back Kerry campaign (Also Dean's anti-media trust statements)

[w4rma]

Media chiefs back Kerry campaign

Owen Gibson
Tuesday February 10, 2004

Fresh from his latest win in Maine, the favourite to challenge George Bush for the US presidency has secured the financial support of some of the most powerful media moguls in the world.

As John Kerry's campaign to secure the Democrat nomination - and with it a crack at the White House - continues to gather pace, it has emerged that it is being bankrolled by key executives from News Corporation, MTV-owner Viacom and Sony.
...
Others who have pledged to raise more than $50,000 include the Viacom chief executive, Sumner Redstone, and Sony chairman Howard Stringer, whose name has recently been linked with the vacant chairmanships at ITV and the BBC.
...
US political commentators have speculated that Mr Kerry has enjoyed the support of the media community in an effort to head off the challenge of Howard Dean, who has fallen back in the race despite being the frontrunner before the primaries began. Mr Dean made statements last year about wanting to break up media conglomerates.
...
http://media.guardian.co.uk/city/story/0,7497,1144464,00.html

[La_Serpiente]

1. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=302493

[CWebster]

2. This should be widely broadcast

Sent to every progressive journalist and publication before it disappears into the memory hole. It is damning evidence, along with the evidence of Kerry's pow wow with major media players weeks before Iowa, that the media was in his court....and to what end? We all witnessed what happened to Dean. That is cause for us to rally around Kerry? I think NOT!!!

[w4rma]

3. No. I don't think it is a cause to rally around Kerry, but rally I will.

These guys may have too much power to take head on.

[CWebster]

4. Might as well give up then, huh? nt

[w4rma]

5. Heck no. The primary isn't over. Dean supporters are very sought after

, very politically knowledgable voters/supporters. We've got influence, but holding a grudge for things already happened and refusing to budge because of what has happened in the past, instead of pushing on the issues (and on respect for our POV) won't help the situation, IMHO.

Remember that alot *will* happen in the many many months between now and November.

[CWebster]

6. Sort of like not holding a grudge against Smirky?

Think it through.

[w4rma]

7. Nope. Smirkboy moves us backward, and could even blow up the world.

I am pretty sure that Kerry will move us forward, if only a little bit. IMHO, Dean would move us forward more than Kerry.

[blm]

10. "Major media players" like Alterman and Will Pitt?

Those were progressive journalists at that grilling, with a few of the mainstreamers and it was NOT a meeting, unless you'd like to claim that Pitt and Alterman were lying.

Here's why the idea that Kerry is being pushed by the media is demonstrably untrue. In fact, this is why Kerry's candidacy was declared dead for many months and the media focused mostly on Dean:

From June 2003:
>>>>>>>>
As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerry expressed concern that the FCC’s decision will hurt localism, reduce diversity, and will allow media monopolies to flourish. He said this raises significant concerns about the potential negative impacts the decision will have on small businesses and their ability to compete in today’s media marketplace.

In a statement released earlier regarding the FCC’s decision, Kerry said:
“Nothing is more important in a democracy than public access to debates and information, which lift up our discourse and give Americans an opportunity to make honest informed choices. Today’s wrongheaded vote by the Republican members of the FCC to loosen media ownership rules shows a dangerous indifference to the consolidation of power in the hands of a few large entities rather than promoting diversity and independence at the local level. The FCC should do more than rubber stamp the business plans of narrow economic interests.

“Today’s vote is a complete dereliction of duty. The Commissioners are well aware that these rules greatly influence the competitive structure of the industry and protect the public’s access to multiple sources of information and media,” he said. “It is the Commission’s responsibility to ensure that the rules serve our national goals of diversity, competition, and localism in media. With today’s vote, they shirked that responsibility and have dismissed any serious discussion about the impact of media consolidation on our own democracy.”
>>>>>>>>>>>

[LuminousX]

8. Kerry knows how to play ball.

[RichM]

9. The true function of the Democratic Party - laid bare for the world to see

It's to ensure that the candidates of both big business parties are 100% safe & reliable Establishment members. Then the "discussion" of the ensuing campaign can never reach into territory that the US financial elite is uncomfortable with. Every subject that truly matters is off the table.

So, Rupert Murdoch's company and Viacom like Kerry? Gee, what a surprise. Such people wouldn't be finding Kerry acceptable unless they were certain he was a well-behaved Democrat who'll keep his mouth shut on subjects he's not supposed to talk about (such as media concentration).

The Kerry nomination is a textbook case of the Dem Party selling out the interests of working people. They posture as having a slightly populist flavor - but only just enough to attract some votes. Kerry may criticize the new FCC media concentration rules here and there -- but this money from the media titans shows they know he isn't serious about it.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

11. I wonder if any are fellow Russell Trust alumni?

That would be interesting...

[revcarol]

12. It's why Kucinich is getting NO press.

The media knew about Kucinich's plan for media breakup and taking anti-trust action against the media, pharma and other groups. Dean's slide came when he proposed his plan later.

Isn't it just loverly that the leading contender right now is is the laps of big media?<heavy sarcasm>

:argh: