UPDATED - ColdType

Protesting media coverage
EMBEDDED: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION
AS I reported on Sunday, anti-war groups are
challenging some media outlets. CNN was picketed
in New York and Los Angeles on Saturday,
although the network that claims to be the most
trusted did not report on its own critics, at least
not that I saw. There was a report in the LA News
by Rachel Uranga:
“Protesting what they called the broadcast
media’s uncritical coverage of the Iraq war, thousands
of anti-war protesters streamed through
the streets of Hollywood on Saturday, on their
way to CNN’s Los Angeles high-rise.
“Nearly 80 people who sat in the middle of a
blocked-off intersection, defying police orders to
disperse, were arrested in the demonstration,
one of the largest in four days of Southland
protests. No injuries were reported.
“Protesters gathered at the 24-hour news
agency’s Sunset Boulevard office building
decried the Bush administration’s policy of preemptive
strikes in Iraq and railed against the
media’s ‘cheerleading coverage.’ ‘We feel that
CNN and all the major broadcasters act as the
information ministry for the government,’ said
James Lafferty, a lead organizer and executive
director of the National Lawyers Guild. Calls to
CNN offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta were not
immediately returned Saturday.” ●
MARCH 26: THE NETWORK
JIHAD ON JOURNALISM
IF you want to get on top of the news, watch the
116
BBC. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’ll take that
back. There is little I can’t believe after watching
the war on TV. Here’s CNN reporting from the
Pentagon on precision bombing – “authorities
here tell us how proud they are of their targeting
capabilities,” etc. At that very minute, BBC aired
a report of two missiles striking a market in
Baghdad with a minimum of 15 dead and countless
other casualties. BBC did not air any of their
more graphic pictures, so we heard about the
death of people out shopping but didn’t see
them, but at least it was reported. Some 15 minutes
later, CNN had “new” pictures in from the
Iraqi capital. We are not sure what we are showing
you,” said anchor Carol Costello . . .
MSNBC asks for blessing from on high
TV war coverage in America is becoming routinized,
predictable and, at least on the Comedy
Channel, a big joke. MSNBC was running new
promos to support the troops with an animated
“GOD BLESS AMERICA.” Fox News has a logo
with a plane and an eagle coming out of it. And
even as the charade continues, of anchors turning
to military generals and approved experts for
the interpretation of the war, something is happening
and Mr. Jones doesn’t seem to know
what it is. The answer, my friend, is blowing in
the sand. . .
All that sand may be nature’s way of singing
Dylan’s song:
“How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?”
To learn more about the people crying and
dying, check this Iraqi Body count website: