Soros-funded group wants feds to probe talk radio

MEDIA MATTERS

Says cable-news networks engaged in 'hate speech'

By Aaron Klein
© 2010 WorldNetDaily

A George Soros-funded, Marxist-founded organization with close ties to the White House has urged the Federal Communications Commission to investigate talk radio and cable news for "hate speech."

The organization, calling itself Free Press, claims media companies are engaging in "hate speech" because a disproportionate number of radio and cable-news networks are owned by non-minorities.

WND previously reported Free Press published a study advocating the development of a "world class" government-run media system in the U.S.

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Free Press was one of 33 organizations that drafted a 25-page petition asking the FCC to "initiate an inquiry into the extent and effects of hate speech in media and to explore non-regulatory means by which to mitigate its negative impacts."

"Hate speech thrives, as hate has developed as a profit-model for syndicated radio and cable-television programs masquerading as 'News,'" claims the petition.

The petition contends "traditional media" have "largely failed" to "provide the accurate information needed for an informed democracy."

"These failures often damage communities of color at disproportionate rates," the petition states.

The paper singles out talk radio as "particularly problematic."

"Hate has seemingly emerged as a profit-model for many radio programs syndicated throughout the country, because only a few companies own the majority of the radio stations nationally."

The paper claims a disproportionate number of media companies are owned by non-minorities, causing "hate speech" to fester.

"The media has a history of unequal representation of and discrimination against people of color, and rapid media consolidation has exacerbated the situation. In this climate of inaccurate and apathetic reporting and underrepresentation of people of color in traditional media, hate has festered and grown."

Avowed Marxist, close ties to White House

The petition states it is not asking the FCC to impose any sort of content regulations pertaining to so-called hate speech in the media.

"Rather [we] respectfully request that the Commission initiate an inquiry into the extent and effects of hate speech in media and to explore non-regulatory means by which to mitigate its negative impacts."

However, WND previously reported Free Press published a study advocating the development of a "world class" government-run media system in the U.S.

Free Press is a well-known advocate of government intervention in the Internet.

The founder of Free Press, Robert W. McChesney, is an avowed Marxist who has recommended capitalism be dismantled.

McChesney is a professor at the University of Illinois and former editor of the Marxist journal Monthly Review.

In February 2009, McChesney recommended capitalism be dismantled.

"In the end, there is no real answer but to remove brick-by-brick the capitalist system itself, rebuilding the entire society on socialist principles,'" wrote McChesney in a column.

In May, WND reported Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott was named a policy adviser for innovation at the State Department.

The board of Free Press, meanwhile, has included a slew of radicals, such as Obama's former "green jobs" czar" Van Jones, who resigned after his founding of a communist organization was exposed.

Obama's "Internet czar," Susan P. Crawford, spoke at a Free Press May 14, 2009, "Changing Media" summit in Washington, D.C., revealed the book "The Manchurian President".

Crawford's pet project, OneWebNow, lists as "participating organizations" Free Press and the controversial Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

Crawford and Kevin Werbach, who co-directed the Obama transition team's Federal Communications Commission Review team, are advisory board members at Public Knowledge, a George-Soros-funded public-interest group.

A Public Knowledge advisory board member is Timothy Wu, who is also chairman of the board for Free Press.

Like Public Knowledge, Free Press also has received funds from Soros' Open Society Institute.

With additional research by Brenda J. Elliott.

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