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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 11/11/11

The #OWS Video Rupert Murdoch Doesn't Want You To See

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Gustav Wynn
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If Fox viewers see this video, it will dispel the charges of anti-Semitism and lawlessness claimed again this week by the NY Post and The Sean Hannity Show.
Rupert Murdoch ensures a balanced portrayal of #OWS is never shown, because he is invested in preventing #OWS from educating the public. But this catchy home-made diddy reminds us we can share videos widely as we demand accountability for destroying the US economy.
This week, Murdoch's #1 propagandist, Sean Hannity also cemented his own ties to the illegal Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal by giving the con man a platform - and thereby, a pass for leading the culture of corrupt pay-for-play that landed 99% of us in recession, unemployment and debt.
This week, Hannity also refused to ask Jack Abramoff about his frequent guests Karl Rove, Ralph Reed and Eric Cantor who were prominent in "Jack Abramoff's webs" of political payola. Does Hannity have to disclose his ties to Abramoff's political network, including cash donations by his boss Rupert Murdoch to Abramoff's pals? 
Media charlatans Murdoch and Hannity savaged #OWS this week, again charging racism, using language that reaffirms repeated lying and ignores published debunking by the ADL, CBS, the NY Times and others.
Calling a handful of clips a "ton" of evidence, Hannity argues that the OWS movement has been hijacked by anti-Semites, drug users, ne'er-do-wells and rapists. Fox, the NY Post and the WSJ have every right to report on the seedier element at OccupyWallStreet but not to unfairly lie about it's proportions. 
Is it legal for Hannity to deliberately lie, for example using the term "rampant" to describe less than 10 cases out of thousands?
Yes he can!
Deliberate Lying On Air Ruled 'Legal' in Test Case Against...Who Else, FOX and Murdoch
It was Rupert Murdoch's legal team that blazed the trail into making lying legal over public airwaves in 2003, winning an appeal of a 1996 case in a FL federal court where FOX asserted that there are no written "rules" against distorting news in the media.
The case involved FOX News burying health warnings in a report on Monsanto's use of growth hormones in dairy cows. When Monsanto got wind of the findings, they complained to the head of FOX News, Roger Ailes that the report could hurt their profits. 
To win, Murdoch's legal team assembled lawyers from five of the media industry's most powerful corporations to pressure the court to view lying as protected free speech. 
FOX suppressed their own researchers' findings that the milk might be unsafe and fired producers Jane Akre and husband Steve Wilson for complaining. The producers filed suit, but their initial win was overturned on appeal, which set a precedent for "legal lying" over public airwaves. 
News Corp, Cox, Gannett and others filed briefs that argued any FCC policy to tell the truth did not rise to the level of a law or a rule so broadcasters could ignore it at will - even regarding public health issues. This may be the day our media died.
After the victory, FOX countersued for $1.7 million in legal fees, with Monsanto also threatening the couple who blew the whistle when FOX broadcasting distorted the truth about our milk.
Make A Public Record of Provable Falsifications 
Many don't know they can lodge complaints about undue on-air bias. Enforcement is sadly lax, but it is the duty of the public to stand up against lies, to correct the record or demand stations serve the public interest. The government cannot do this.
So the FCC will not "shut down" broadcasters who decieve - intentional lying on TV was ruled protected speech - so legal propaganda is now the norm in TV and radio. But today's FCC is compelled to make complaints against broadcasters public as part of a stations license renewal application. 
Since News Corp isn't listening (unless you are a 9-11 victim, they might be hacking your phone), concerned Americans should consider making a public complaint as part of the FCC relicensing process. Anyone can log an official report of broadcast journalism bias now at 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) or on this page.
Read about this and how Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman made his own #OWS smear, suggesting the movement is now unraveling which is demonstrably false. Check out Hannity's Corrupt, Propagandist Week of Lies for more.
Below is another video Hannity doesn't want you to see - not only is it an articulate #OWS protester, but it neatly debunks the myth that raising taxes hurts job creation. This young protester Anthony Adams is a direct descendent of Presidents John and John Quincy Adams.
UPDATE: A more transparent approach to documenting broadcast bias is being offered by crowdsourced watchdogging. If you submit your evidence of propaganda to TellFCC, they will simultaneously send copies to the FCC, the offending station and a regional organizer. The documentary evidence of public outrage at serial "legal lying" will determine if relicensing is or is not affected under today's FCC:
"We also will monitor complaints, looking for egregious offenses over which to file petitions to deny licenses."
We the people are now monitoring the airwaves for quality assurance. What's your view on legal lying on TV and radio? Tweet from this page...
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(OpEdNews Contributing Editor since October 2006) Inner city schoolteacher from New York, mostly covering media manipulation. I put election/finance reform ahead of all issues but also advocate for fiscal conservatism, ethics in journalism and (more...)
 

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