Author Archives: Robert W. McChesney

Venezuela and the Media: Fact and Fiction

To read and view the U.S. news media, there is an episode of grand tyranny unfolding, one repugnant to all who cherish democratic freedoms. The Venezuelan government under “strongman” Hugo Chavez refused to renew the 20-year broadcast license for RCTV, … Continue reading

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Stamp Out the Rate Hikes: Stop New Postal Rules from Stifling America’s Independent Media

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” —Thomas Jefferson, Jan. 16, 1787 WHAT’S AT STAKE Our nation’s … Continue reading

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“High Noon” Independent Media Summit

It may not have compared in terms of sheer drama and suspense, and certainly not in terms of violence, to the classic Gary Cooper film of the same name. But a recent “High Noon” summit on Main Street in Urbana, … Continue reading

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The Stealth Attack on the Freedom of the Press

This fall, with little fanfare, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proceeded with plans to overhaul and possibly eliminate its remaining ownership regulations for media companies. These include regulations which currently prohibit one company from owning newspapers and TV stations, … Continue reading

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The News Media’s Moment of Truth

In just the past nine months, the US news media have been presented with what most journalists believe will be the two most dramatic and important stories of their lifetimes. Vast, perhaps unprecedented, resources have been devoted to the post-2000 … Continue reading

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