BTL:Big Media's Coverage of U.S. Politics Influenced by their Corporate Agenda

Interview with journalist and filmmaker Danny Schechter, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris <!--break--> Big Media's Coverage of U.S. Politics Influenced by their Corporate Agenda Interview with journalist and filmmaker Danny Schechter, conducted by Scott Harris Much as the Democratic Party did in Boston during their convention, Republicans are doing their best to transform and moderate their image for TV cameras focused on the party's first ever convention in New York City. While President Bush ran for office in 2000 as a "compassionate conservative" and a "Uniter not a divider," his administration has staked out radical right positions on national security, tax policy, civil liberties and cultural issues like abortion and gay marriage. But during the convention, many of the most influential and powerful controversial figures in the White House and Republican congressional leadership remained out of sight. In their place were Republican moderates such as New York Gov. George Pataki, Arizona Sen. John McCain and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who attempted to convince swing voters in battleground states to support President Bush. In a signal of how politicians will play on the emotions of fearful voters this year, former New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani opened the convention by exploiting the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks and the thousands who died to promote Bush's re-election. It will be largely left to the media to interpret and expose the GOP's extreme makeover seen by millions of Americans viewing the convention through the lens of abbreviated network and cable TV coverage. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with author and filmmaker Danny Schechter of MediaChannel.org, who examines the media's coverage of the Republican convention and the hundreds of thousands of protesters who confronted them in New York City. Danny Schechter's latest film, "Weapons of Mass Deception," examines the media's coverage of the Iraq War. See a trailer of the documentary at www.wmdTheFilm.com Related links: www.mediachannel.org Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting www.fair.org www.robertmcchesney.com LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below: http://www.btlonline.org * "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://www.btlonline.org * "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October). * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * betweenthelines@snet.net * http://www.squeakywheel.net/ * Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. (c)2004 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

<p>Interview with journalist and filmmaker Danny Schechter, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris</p> <!--break--><p>Big Media's Coverage of U.S. Politics Influenced by their Corporate Agenda</p> <p>Interview with journalist and filmmaker Danny Schechter, conducted by Scott Harris</p> <p>Much as the Democratic Party did in Boston during their convention, Republicans are doing their best to transform and moderate their image for TV cameras focused on the party's first ever convention in New York City. While President Bush ran for office in 2000 as a "compassionate conservative" and a "Uniter not a divider," his administration has staked out radical right positions on national security, tax policy, civil liberties and cultural issues like abortion and gay marriage.</p> <p>But during the convention, many of the most influential and powerful controversial figures in the White House and Republican congressional leadership remained out of sight. In their place were Republican moderates such as New York Gov. George Pataki, Arizona Sen. John McCain and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who attempted to convince swing voters in battleground states to support President Bush. In a signal of how politicians will play on the emotions of fearful voters this year, former New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani opened the convention by exploiting the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks and the thousands who died to promote Bush's re-election.</p> <p>It will be largely left to the media to interpret and expose the GOP's extreme makeover seen by millions of Americans viewing the convention through the lens of abbreviated network and cable TV coverage. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with author and filmmaker Danny Schechter of MediaChannel.org, who examines the media's coverage of the Republican convention and the hundreds of thousands of protesters who confronted them in New York City.</p> <p>Danny Schechter's latest film, "Weapons of Mass Deception," examines the media's coverage of the Iraq War. See a trailer of the documentary at <a href="http://www.wmdTheFilm.com">www.wmdTheFilm.com</a></p> <p>Related links:</p> <p><a href="http://www.mediachannel.org">www.mediachannel.org</a></p> <p>Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting <a href="http://www.fair.org">www.fair.org</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.robertmcchesney.com">www.robertmcchesney.com</a></p> <p>LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:</p> <p><a href="http://www.btlonline.org">http://www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://<a href="http://www.btlonline.org">www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).<br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&amp;A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="mailto:betweenthelines@snet.net">betweenthelines@snet.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="http://www.squeakywheel.net/">http://www.squeakywheel.net/</a><br /> *<br /> Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.<br /> (c)2004 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.</p>