THE BIG NEWS OF THE DAY: CHENEY “SADDENED”

Scooter Libby–Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, who on March 6, was convicted on four felony counts of making false statements, perjury, and obstruction of justice–was sentenced this morning to two and 1/2 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Also please note: Union Square Press’s first book edited and reported investigative reporter Murray Waas, The United States v. I. Lewis Libby also goes on sale nationally today. See it for all the documents and dirty details

OH SUSANNA
READING THE FINANCIAL TIMES
THE MORE YOU WATCH –Pt 3

Perhaps because this Mediachannel blog may be on its last legs as our online network drives on empty, I thought I would use a few minutes up in the air on my way back from Germany to keep writing while I can.

I want to share a moment the International Student week I was attending at the Technical University in Illmanau. Yesterday, I went to an outdoor barbecue on campus which was being regaled by a musical ensemble.

I stayed away from the exotic sausage which my eyes craved but my stomach forbids. Out on the lawn of the technical university, students from all over the world, Africans, Asians etc.etc. were being taught folk dances to the tune of “Oh Susannah.” They were dosie-doing in circles and in lines and I couldn’t remember the last time I saw an American ritual performed so well, and with so much enthusiasm, back in the land that used to get people together this way.

One student saddled over to me, to tell he me liked my lecture and to ask how he could donate to the keep Medachannel going. “Its very important he said” with a sincerity that had me tearing.

“Send a check,” I said, “ or give me something to bring back.”

He then reached into his pocket, took out his well-worn wallet, and with a shrug that said this is all I have, gave me two coins, or 5 Euros for our work. That felt good. (Since then, another 50 Euro has come in from a poor Third World Artist no less.)

What did not feel so good were hearing stories from students of the frustrations they are having in societies dominated by authoritarian regimes, widespread fear and a lack of opportunity. For some reason, I bonded with a charismatic student from Tunisia. He’s a trained mathematician with graduate degrees but no chance of working or teaching. He blames corruption. He says he tried to get visa to go overseas but keeps getting turned down because he is poor, and as a single Muslim man, he fits some terrorist profile.

He’s stuck, frustrated, and yet still filled with hope, What can I do to help him? I was heartened that he felt comfortable enough to share his story with me—but…

I was surrounded on that campus by so much enrgy and hope, so many kids who had managed for a week at least to travel beyond their own bubbles and boundaries to meet others like themselves, to talk, dance, hold hands and take part in community of hope. I could identify thinking back to the movements and moments that nurtured me so many decades ago now, even here in Germany in another time so long ago.

I am told the video of my lecture will be posted on their website. You can find out more about the ISWI here.

NEWS LESS

I have been out of the news, unable to read the German press and cut off from the American. I only had a limited time to go online. On the plane, the only paper left was the Financial Times, one of those papers known for telling the truth because real financial decisions are made on the basis of the information it carries. It was filled with news that often gets downplayed on our side of the pond.

First and center are the G-8 meetings taking place in Rostock where nearly l000 people were hurt in what one eye witness describe to me in familiar terms as a “police riot.’ She even saw a man in a wheelchair being clubbed. “I never thought I’d see something like that in Germany this Indonesisan artist Arahamaini who brought along a flag with the word “MUTT” which translates into “courage.” A picture of her waving the flag was all over the press and on TV.

The bigger news there starts tody when President Bush arrives with his l00 plus security army. This may be Bush and Blair’s last stand. There is a split among the nations to honor pledges made to fighting poverty in Africa with many advocates fearing betryal. (Interestingly, Bono, who was a presence as an anti- poverty crusader in years past is featured in the FT today as part of an investment group called Elevation which is buying a $242b-25% stake in Palm, the company that makes the TREO. Oddly on Sunday I wanted Bono on CNN’s Insider Africa show confess he was tired of being Bono in the sense that he was hoping others would displace rock stars as high profile advocates of debt relief in Africa.)

The big economic reform issue in the paper concerned the shadowy practices of huge and secretive hedge funds who operated outside many regulatory fameworks. One columnist, Stefan Stern writes to famed Wall Street barbarian Henry Kravis demanding more transparency. He says that the strategy he and his colleagues pursue boils down to “Never explain, never apologize.”

These hedge funds have inordinate amounts of money and power—why is our media giving them such a free pass. I can’t get into more detail here today but it is all part of the financialization of the economy that my film IN DEBT WE TRUST is hoping to cast some light on.

Politically, we seem to be on the verge of a new cold war, a reality that is never far away from one’s thoughts in the old East Germany. Russia’s Putin is threatening to retarget missiles at the Continent while US moves forward with its plan for new missile “defenses” in Eastern Germany.

The war of words—and maybe soon of actions—is escalating. Who says the military-industrial complex is sleeping?

And on the media front, the Bancoft Family that owns the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones now says it is willing to meet the Murdoch Family that wants to buy it. Increasingly all of this sounds like a segment of the Sopranos which ends its run this Sunday. We will see who, if anyone, is still standing.

FINAL EXCERPT FROM MY INTRODUCTION TO THE NEVER PUBLISHED TENTH ANIVERSARY EDITION OF THE MORE YOU WATCH THE LESS YOU KNOW. (Wierd–I thought I posted this but it disappeared into the ether of cyberspace. Here it comes again:

The events of 911 would lead inexorably to wars and the subordination of the media to promoting them. I became obsessed with the issues this raised and turned out two books. The first Media Wars (Rowman, Littlefield) focused on news at time of terror, and the second, Embedded: Weapons of Mass Deception (Prometheus Books) written while the invasion of Iraq was underway documented my concerns with the media coverage. Embedded was the first book out on the war but perhaps because the media is always sensitive to calling attention to its own flaws was largely ignored. (Later, major news organizations like The New York Times and the Washington Post would publish mea culpa admitting that they had been seduced by the war and misreported many key facts involving WMD’s and other issues.

The coverage led me to the view that many media outlets were co-conspirators in the war and were themselves guilty of war crimes. I made a documentary with my critique called WMD (Weapons of Mass Deception) that did get exposure, theatrical screenings and TV broadcasts worldwide.

I wrote a book following up on the issues and discussing the politics of my own documentary filmmaking. “When News Lies: Media Complicity and the Iraq War” (SelectBooks) also included the script and the book.

In many ways, these last years have meant non-stop media making and media critiquing. My daily blog is usually about 3000 words, a virtual daily newspaper filled with links and comments from readers. I do it every day because that’s the best way to build an audience, a lesson I leaned on the radio

In the interim I have been cris-crossing the world to festivals and media conferences from China to South Africa to Indonesia to Kazakhstan to Doha to Dubai to Paris to London and Copenhagen. It’s sometimes hard to assess whether and if all of this activity, some of it measured and some frenetic, has an impact.

I would like to think it makes some contribution the search for truth and a better world.have to be taken with many grains of salt.
Perhaps the most disturbing

Like many Indy media makers, we often feel under funded and marginalized. Keeping the company going has been an uphill battle for all of us. We lost the lease to our Times Square offices and had to downsize into small digs in the Garment District. My late grandfather and dad, both garment workers struggled and fought to get out of the neighborhood that I was now fighting to get into.

Over the years, PBS became in our view less relevant and many of the foundations that supported us had changed their priorities. Even as it became clear that our media was harming our democracy, funders cut back on their support for cutting-edge media projects in a climate of self-censorship and risk adverse executives.

When we started Globalvision, we thought it would be easier once we built our reputation and a track record. But instead, with more media consolidation and repressive policies by government, it had become harder to survive. Who knows what the future will bring?

I have considered myself part of this media biz in one-way or another since my high school days. I have been a reporter, editor, author, radio newscaster, TV reporter and producer, and website editor. I make films and write blogs. I have tried to do it all which is probably not such a good idea, but that’s who I am. Getting on the air and seeing my work in print on many websites reminds me that at least I am trying. I am still an activist and advocate as well.

In Mid 2005, I turned away from the war issue and back to a consideration of the prospects of changing the media. Melville House Publishers invited me to write my own manifesto, which I did, called “The Death of the Media and the Fight for Democracy.” It is a small format book with lots of big ideas and suggestions for how to build a media and democracy movement. It was my Eighth Book in the last 8 years.

In 2004, I was fortunate to find an investor who wanted to back another film, and this year I have just finished IN DEBT WE TRUST: America Before the Bubble Bursts. It’s not out yet but the initial response has been good. I chose the issue because it documents a problem that goes beyond partisan, age, racial and economic divides.

CNN seemed to appreciate that writing on August 5 of this year:

“New film takes swipe at debt problem:

‘In Debt We Trust’ takes hard look at debt casualties who declare bankruptcy and the marketing practices of credit cards issuers.

“NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — With Americans seemingly overwhelmed by mortgages, credit cards and automobile loans, it seems like everyone has something to say about the state of consumer debt in America nowadays.
“A new documentary, “In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Bursts,” offers its own take on debt in America looking not only at some of its casualties, but also the financial institutions that one expert says have created a “21st century serfdom.”

So here I go again, off and running with a new issue, still doing it as a media “insurgent” —from the 1960’s to 60. I am not the only one who is still at it. When Tina Turner, who I did a profile of for ABC’s 20/20 was asked, “When Are You Going To Slow Down?” she responded.

“I don’t know. I am just getting started.”

News Dissector Danny Schechter edits Mediachannel.org and helps run Globalvision. For info on his latest film, see indebtwetrust.com. To comment, write: Dissector@mediachannel.org

©2006 Danny Schechter