Media Activism: Lets Talk About It

March 16th, 2006 - by: danny

TALK TO THE MEDIA

Sally McDaniel writes:

“On 11/16/05 we responded to Danny Schechter’s appeal for his “Tell the Truth about the War” campaign We were pleased that such a prominent group would be considering starting a campaign that had many of the same concerns that our Complete Coverage Campaign (http://www.CompleteCoverageCampaign.org) had, and we explained our efforts to dialogue with National Public Radio. Since that time, our efforts have born fruit. NPR still has a ways to go before their coverage of the civilian crisis in Iraq could be considered to be comprehensive, but they definitely kept their promise to do more reporting on the civilian cost of the conflict from a non-political, humanitarian perspective. We continue to work to keep the dialogue open.

“We write now to promote the effectiveness of reaching out to the media first with sincere efforts at dialogue and saving the agitation phase of any such campaign until all efforts at dialogue and negotiation have been exhausted. In one of MediaChannel / UFPJ’s recent email communications, a strategy of protest (albeit coupled with “organizing meetings with news executives to confront them directly with irrefutable evidence of media complicity with the war and demands that it be ended”) was described. All the protest and confrontational / polarizing language used, however, is unlikely to get any media representatives to want to talk on the phone, let alone to sit down at the table.

“A friend sent me a link to Mr. Schechter’s 3/13/06 blog “Appealing for a Media Discourse.” Schechter writes: “When we first discussed the media protest day, I felt we should try to do more than protest. We should engage: meet with the media executives who meet regularly with politicians, share our concerns, give the anti-war movement a chance to speak their truths to media power. It was one of those ideas that is easier said than done. A very polite fax was sent to executives at all the networks. None responded. Follow-up calls led to exchanges with people who never saw the original requests and directed us from one office or another. As of Monday morning, we still haven’t set up one meeting with one executive.”

“The hesitancy to protest without first dialoguing is well founded. We spent over six months attempting to make contact with an appropriate representative of NPR management. A senior manager eventually called us and talked with us on the phone for over 45 minutes. We learned about them and they learned about us. An understanding was reached and a promise for increased coverage was made. NPR made significant steps towards meeting that commitment, and we thanked them for doing so. The work is not over, but protesting NPR would not have helped and would not, frankly, have been a proper first step in any real attempt for change.

“Mr. Schechter continues: “These folks have insulated themselves from hearing from viewers. Just as many don’t cover the anti-war movement, they are not comfortable with receiving its representatives. Or so it appears. IS THERE ANOTHER WAY IN?”

“Our answer to that question is clear: First you must approach the media with respect and as human beings who want to do the right thing. They might have a view different from yours, but no less worthy of hearing. Let the search for mutual respect and common ground be your “way in.” The relationships that result from such a search take time to foster.

GOOD JOB

Christopher Robin Cox writes:

” I just wanted to say right on, brother! Your piece, Tony Soprano And Iraq…. was very well stated. More needs to be written in that vein. Again, you are one step ahead of the pack in the way of criticism.

“By the way, congrats on getting the new campaign up and running. Though things did not work out with us, you have nevertheless done well, and I am glad to see it. I may be going to the UK to enter the training program at the UK Guardian. Your writing has affected my desire to more seriously enter the world of journalism. We’ll see if I get the chance to do it.”

IN MEMORIUM

From our friends at Poor Magazine in San Francisco”

DIED: “POOR Magazine’s Co-editor Mama Dee. A mixed race orphan from the streets of Philly who re-invented her tortured reality into the embodiment of live art, media and activism, the world will not be as full without her always watchful presence….

“To hear some of Dee’s incisive art and political commentary on issues of race, class, culture and consciousness as well as a poetic tribute from her POOR Magazine family you can listen to PoorNewsNetwork’s monthly radio broadcast on KPFA’s morning show which airs Monday, March 20th @ 7:30 am on 94.1fm (or you can listen on-line any time after 7:30 am on the 20th by going to www.kpfa.org and clicking on the “morning show” for March 20th)

“To read her written obituary and an ongoing on-line poetic tribute to her ghetto-fabulous soul you can click on the link below or pick up a copy of this week’s SF Bayview Newspaper.”

http://www.poormagazine.org/index.cfm?L1=news&story=1627

Thanks for all who joined us yesterday and join us via this blog and in the pieces of Mediachannel.org

I speak later today at a College Media conference and will be showing WMD Saturday at the Human Rights Film Festival in Geneva Switzerland.

Your suggestions and help welcome; Write: Dissector@mediachannel.org

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