A helpful but incomplete article from the public broadcasting trade journal Current expands on Reporter David Barstow’s lengthy April 20 New York Times article which revealed that Pentagon and White House officials have given hundreds of briefings for dozens of retired military officers with defense industry ties who were paid corporate news media pundits. Current points out that "Public radio and TV networks and shows that have used analysts mentioned in the Times article include NPR, Public Radio International’s The World, The Diane Rehm Show and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Of these, only NPR was singled out in the Times report."

Good, but it must be stressed that the assertions in the Current article by spokespersons for public TV and public radio about illegal propaganda being ok as long as it is "identified" and "balanced" are a self-serving sham. To the Current article's credit, a FAIR spokeswoman is quoted, saying that public broadcasting's idea of balance needs improvement. Fundamentally, public radio, public television, and other outlets must rethink why they so often give equal footing - or worse - to both "sides" of "issues" such as whether or not torture, illegal invasions, and the elimination of habeas corpus are wrong; "Tonight on NewsHour: Adolf Hitler - genocidal megalomaniac or lover of children and dogs?"

Rick Francona's NPR connection was not mentioned in either article. He was identified simply as "a retired Air Force intelligence officer" when he was on NPR in one such recent broadcast "debate". If there was any reason to broadcast Francona at all, an honest - and more constitutional - description was owed the public, such as:

"Francona, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who is now a media analyst on Middle East political-military events, is under contract to and widely seen on NBC. Francona's biographical note states that he 'consulted with government and private firms. He spent much of 1987 & 1988 at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, as a liaison officer to the Iraqi armed forces directorate of military intelligence'... observing 'Iraqi combat operations against Iranian forces, and (flying) sorties with the Iraqi air force.'"

On waterboarding, Francona states: "I don't consider it torture", and on the Geneva Convention: "It has failed miserably." (NPR - March 19, 2008)

I have counted several more individuals on the NYT list disseminating propaganda on NPR that the public broadcaster has not yet copped to. A paid propagandist is a paid propagandist, whether they are "donating" their propaganda elsewhere or not. Whether or not the audience "is smart enough to know spin", propagandizing is wrong. Period.

Does anybody who is not brain dead believe the pentagon when it says its propaganda program has been cancelled? Who are the members of the next round of propagandists, and what will their program be called? "Operation Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy"?

We will be stuck in this cycle of lies and war until we change the fundamental structure of the U.S. media, because that is what has failed us and sabotaged democracy. In addition to a reworking of the corrupt FCC, a break up of media conglomerates, increased ownership for women and minorities, citizen media, a neutral internet, and more, we need more media run along the lines of the U.K.'s Guardian business model. The Guardian is considered one of the finest newspapers around. This is in no small part due to the fact that it is controlled by a trust, rather than investor needs.

Lastly, many billions of dollars worth of analog TV channels will be returned to us next February, and the proceeds from their auction must be used to begin to permanently and independently fund public broadcasting for the digital age. We also must demand a system for the public election (not private selection) of public broadcasting trustees, as is often the case with local waste water treatment boards.


Posted by Scott Sanders, Chicago Media Action
Read my essay on how we might best bring public broadcasting into the digital age,
from Z magazine's 9/07 issue: "A Litany of Lies and Omissions"
My bio page: About Scott Sanders - Who is this guy? Click here.
Feedback? Information? Email me - themediastructurefailed(at )yahoo.com

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