Women
for Peace
Media
“Tour of Shame” at Fox TV
Wednesday,
April 23, 2003
Why
the Media?
The Federal Communications Act of
1934 requires media outlets to “serve the public interest.” The airwaves belong to the public. All media – especially mainstream media outlets, with
their broad audiences and larger resources – must use our airwaves
responsibly. That means featuring
a broad diversity of opinions and voices, asking hard questions of officials,
and accepting nothing on face value.
A
critical, skeptical media is essential for democracy; it is the oxygen of a
free society. The founders of this
country did not restrain what people said. Instead they encouraged a system that would foster diverse
views, examine policies and draw people into civic life. They intended the media to keep the
people in power in check.
Robert McChesney speaking on NOW with Bill Moyers, Feb 21, 2003
Why
Fox?
The
New York-based media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting calls
Fox the most biased major media outlet.
Although Fox says its reporting is balanced, its coverage of the war on
Iraq was totally unquestioning of the Bush administration. Fox even named its war coverage
“Operation Iraqi Freedom” – the same name as the Pentagon
(one party to the conflict). What
would be the difference if we had state-run media?
Ninety
percent of the people of the world were against the U.S. war on Iraq. Fox should ask why. Fox should talk to peace advocates and
experts skeptical of U.S. policies, instead of airing Bill
O’Reilly’s call to arrest peace activists as
“terrorists.” The
British newspaper The Independent investigated reports of U.S. bombing civilian targets,
including open-air markets around Baghdad. Fox should cover these investigations. Respected international media, including
the BBC and Al-Jazeera, showed the cost of war — civilian deaths and
injuries, devastated civilian infrastructure and Red Cross workers critical of
U.S. actions. Fox has a
responsibility to show the whole story.
Rather
than reporting the news, Fox cheerleads for the Pentagon. They glorify the warriors and underplay
the human cost of war.
That’s not journalism.
Jeff Perlstein, executive director of the media
accountability group Media Alliance
Why
Now?
Occupation is not peace. Hatred of the U.S. is growing around the world. The cost of the war on Iraq, ongoing occupation and reconstruction efforts are unknown, but are likely in the hundreds of billions of dollars. At the same time, Wisconsin, like most states, is facing a massive budget deficit. Tuition at UW-Madison will go up 18%. At the local, county, state and federal levels, funding for needed social programs is being slashed. As citizens in a democracy we need accurate, unbiased information on the decisions and actions of our government so we can have meaningful input. While this has always been true, the domestic and international situation today makes good reporting even more critical.
Women
for Peace
Open letter to Fox TV, Wednesday, April 23
To Fox
TV’s Madison, WI and national offices:
Today we are exercising our First
Amendment rights to convey our concerns about important issues regarding media
coverage. We are staying outside
your offices (except for a brief visit to deliver this letter to you) in order
to avoid disrupting your work.
While we are having fun today,
engaging in street theater to get our message across, we are serious about the
concerns we are raising. We are
criticizing your news coverage, but would also like to suggest how to improve
it. We urge you to consider these
suggestions with an open mind.
Acknowledge and respect the many different sides of the issues
One of the most troubling aspects of your current news coverage is that it discounts, marginalizes, ignores and even ridicules the positions and actions of those opposing official U.S. government policy. When a significant number of people volunteer many hours of their time to organize peace actions which thousands of people attend, that’s important news! When thousands of people oppose the war and continuing occupation of Iraq so strongly they are willing to be arrested, that’s important news! When bus loads of people from every corner of this nation travel to New York, Chicago, Washington DC, San Francisco and other far-away places to take part in national protests, that’s important news! We insist Fox TV increase its coverage of these people, organizations and actions.
Nationally, we ask Fox TV to include
people like Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies, former UN
humanitarian coordinator for Iraq Dennis Hallliday and other experienced people
who know the historical context of current events. In Madison, The Progressive magazine, The Madison Institute, PR
Watch and numerous professors and local organizations offer expertise and
different views. Inclusion of
these voices would deepen public understanding of the issues and encourage
engagement in the political process.
We encourage Fox TV to regularly turn to such independent sources for
interviews and analysis.
International and independent media have raised important questions about Bush administration conflicts of interest, including close ties to the defense and oil industries. We insist Fox TV vigorously challenge the administration and investigate affiliations that may compromise the formation of public policies, which should geared towards the widest possible public benefit. These same independent media sources have covered critical analyses of U.S. government policies, including economists’ critiques of the Bush tax cut plan and humanitarian groups’ criticisms of U.S. wars and post-war operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. We encourage Fox TV to air thoughtful, independent analyses of major local and national government policies.