Dear Friend,
Last night, Rupert Murdoch launched a laughable attack against you, the media reform movement, and journalism itself.
His on-air bully Bill O’Reilly called us “crazy” and “fascist” — you, me, and the millions of others who want media reform. These people are “doing a lot of damage to America,” O’Reilly yelled. Our crime? Calling for journalism that’s more honest, just and accountable to the public.
When Bill O’Reilly goes after you, you must be doing something right. So we’ve decided to return the favor, and tell him two things: (1) Thanks so much for the compliment and (2) please stop pretending to be a journalist.
Tell Bill O’Reilly: Stop Pretending to Be a Journalist
At this weekend’s National Conference for Media Reform in Minneapolis, O’Reilly sent his stalker reporter Porter Berry to ambush legendary journalist Bill Moyers. But Berry got far more than he bargained for (watch the video). Moyers stood his ground with the Fox News crew and challenged O’Reilly to stop smearing people under the guise of journalism.
Thank O’Reilly for Making the Case for Media Reform
The O’Reilly ambush is typical Fox News fare. Murdoch uses his media empire to attack his political foes and — not to inform citizens or tell the truth. The fight for media reform is about regular people like you and me fighting undue corporate control of the media. This kind of abuse of media power aggravates progressives and conservatives alike.
Murdoch seeks to take down a people-powered movement that is a gathering force in America. Over the past few years, media reformers have chalked up tremendous victories against nation’s largest media companies. When the FCC attempted to unleash a new wave of media consolidation late last year, more than a quarter-million people contacted Congress, culminating in a Senate vote that rejected a massive giveaway to Murdoch and his cronies.
We’re fighting government propaganda and protecting free speech and choice on the Internet. Our work is a threat to titans like Murdoch who want to hoard control over news and information in America.
By signing the letter you’re telling O’Reilly: “We are not intimidated. We want better journalism. Attacks from you only show how much we need media reform.”
Thanks for all that you do,
Josh Silver
Executive Director
Free Press
http://www.freepress.net/1. Forward this e-mail to 10 of your friends. We need you and everyone you know to stop Murdoch’s assault on journalism.
2. For more detail, read my article at the Huffington Post.
And yes, I signed the letter.
I loved that video. Moyer refused to be intimidated, stuck to his guns and I got the distinct impression that O’Reilly’s attack dog ended up outside the building wondering, “What just happened?”
you know, doesn’t that video get people riled up?? Great for people who don’t care how they get their ratings up and viewers increased. They’re in the business of the lowest common denominator.. how much do you think he actually meant what he said? And getting ‘the left’ riled up is one of his favourite things (and Ann Coulters’.. I never blogged about her as she’s not worth even mentioning now but I’m making a point)..
I’m not going to sign this no offense. It only gives them the attention they want. We have pockets of independent news and journalism.. what we need to do is keep supporting those by either watching them, or donating money to keep them afloat. Pure and simple. From the bottom up is how things get changes and the winds of the market will run its proper course if the money makers see that more people will want to see different journalism. Fox raison d’etre is the conservatives who love to dismiss and look down on us stupid left people.. stupid is as stupid does.
Support independent journalism, don’t sign anything but a check that is going to a good cause..
Ingrid