As daily newspapers continue their decline, rocket scientists like Ezra Klein have actually argued that government should directly fund the news. What's good for the banking and automotive industry is good for the press. But seriously, would you really want some politician deciding how you get your news? Unfortunately, it's already happening, as Noel Jones points out in her Easton Neighbors blog.Noel's maintains a terrific hyper local blog that concentrates mostly on Easton's West Ward. But her story is not about her own publication. It's about the West Word. That's published only three times a year. It's funded by the CACLV's West Ward Partnership Program, which in turn gets its money from both public and nonpublic sources.
It was up for a $9,750 renewal last week, and two elected Easton officials dropped by to complain about West Word. One of them is Mayor Sal Panto himself, who groused that, instead of reading about West Ward shootings, he wants to see more stories about girl scouts selling cookies.
Say what?
Panto still supported the funding.
The other Easton official? Mike Fleck. He's a City Council member, NIZ cheerleader, and political consultant to Democratic candidates and trade unions.
According to Noel, Fleck stated, "The primary objective of the paper is not to get the people thinking and discussing.”
In his case, I can see why.
Although The West Word was ultimately funded, I expect to see a lot more girl scout stories.
Why the surprise? People know that Fleck is a Panto pol. He will get a county job if Panto runs.
ReplyDeleteYou are mistaken. In fact, on this blog, they have argued. I doubt too many people trust Fleck.
ReplyDeleteJust say no the government funded news. PBS is a cheerleader for activist causes.
ReplyDeleteAll of us remember Dr. Joseph Goebels. News ends up as propaganda eventually.
I think the NAZI's would have thought this was a good idea. Of course they achieved the same ends more directly by shooting any editors who criticized them in print. Paying for propaganda is perhaps a step above that methodology.
ReplyDeleteScott Armstrong
This Fleck guy is really quite entertaining.
ReplyDeleteOr should I say "hysterical"?
Repeatedly.
:-D
http://www.goironpigs.com
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Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeitpartei = National SOCIALIST German WORKER's PARTY = the Nazis
He who cannot learn from history is condemned to fall for the same tricks ...
If only Panto was as upset with the shootings as he seems to be with the reporting of the shootings. Best to blame the reporters.
ReplyDeleteIf the publisher doesn't want to have gov't interference, don't apply for the funding. Go sell ads.
ReplyDeleteYou can't have it both ways. If you want the gov't money, you get the gov't hassle.
Cable news and the print media are already run by the same crooks running our government. Super PACs, and other assorted special interest groups and lobbyists. Average people call them, bribers.
ReplyDeleteThey just don't get tax dollars, unless we count the ads in print papers for public sales and meetings--and the federal agencies ad campaigns for all sorts of programs for decades on the broadcast media. (Plus O'Hare's beloved NPR).
But now I'm just splitting hairs with FACTS! lol
I do like NPR and many of its programs. It does receive some public funding, but much less - 4.6% - than was true at one time. Stations like WDIY receive no funding from the feds at all.
ReplyDeleteI would agree completely that no public money should be spent to fund public radio or any form of news.
Thanks Bernie for Noel's link.
ReplyDeleteThe Fleckster is a Trickster and will try to get away with whatever he can. His past is proof of this.
anything remotely associated with ccalv should be suspect and investigated by real Americans.
ReplyDelete"real Americans"
ReplyDeleteYou mean white folks, not black Muslim presidents from Africa.
No, let's not assume racism.
ReplyDeleteanon 8:10,
ReplyDeleteu obviously have a severe problem