The mainstream media’s relentless left-wing bias is maddening. This
, however, is scary — not the idea that the Obama Administration is planning to place federal officials in newsrooms. Government wants to control things. That’s what they do. No, what is scary is a mainstream media that would be apoplectic if a Republican administration did the same while being content to roll over when Obama threatens their freedom.
In an effort that would make George Orwell spin a few turns, Obama’s Federal Communications Commission has named the act of sending researchers to monitor newsrooms and grill editors and reporters over their editorial choices the “Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs.“
The Wall Street Journal reports:
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.
The WSJ points out that participating in the study is voluntary. But with the FCC holding your broadcast license over your head, ” the FCC’s queries may be hard for the broadcasters to ignore.”
No one should be pleased that our government is meddling in this way, but again no one should be surprised. This is what governments do, especially with Democrats in charge.
What is truly worrisome, though, is that the news of this study broke over two weeks ago and the American media is still not screaming holy hell.
As subservient as our media is to President Obama, Democrats in general, and the power of the federal government, you can usually count on them to at least fiercely protect their own freedoms even as they fight for the government to strip us of ours. Not this time.
I’m only late to this story because I was out of the country. After first learning of the FCC’s plans yesterday (thanks to Fox News of course), a chill went down my spine when I realized that the mainstream media is still not storming the White House with pitchforks and torches.
Is the media now so enamored with the idea of federal power that they are willing to give up even their own freedoms? Or is the media so worried about the effect another scandal will have on Obama that they are willing to let this outrage pass without mention.
It’s got to be one or the other.
Sadly, it is likely both.
Hey, I hate the media with the power of a thousand suns. But I don’t want to see anyone controlling them outside of market forces and unbridled competition. Apparently, this is another area where the media and I disagree.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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