"In Venezuela socialist president, Hugo Chavez and his allies are facing a tough challenge from opposition candidates in today's elections for governors and mayors. It's the first time in years that the populist leader's ironclad hold on power has been challenged."Ironclad hold on power? That's a rather curious way to describe a country's leader and his allies who have been elected and re-elected by overwhelming majorities in very free, and very fair elections.
It's interesting to note this description from Global Research of the right's strategy in today's elections in Venezuela:
"The right-wing, pro-Washington opposition has dramatically changed their electoral strategy in these elections. Instead of focusing on personal insults of the President or spouting ideological bromides, they have concentrated on local issues....The opposition and its mass media have launched frontal attacks on deficiencies in garbage collection and the accumulation of rotting waste in the popular neighborhoods, increasing personal insecurity due to crime...."This description aptly describes Juan Forero's "reporting" from Venezuela, which can't help but make you wonder just who's signing off on Forero's little paychecks.
7 comments:
Station chief Juan Forero? South America is a big place, and yet almost all the reporting covering it which emerges in the American media comes from either Forero or Simon Romero (who shares a similar outlook). I'm glad I missed this piece this morning, I get so angry with Forero's bias.
First thing the news reader talked about was Chavez' "tumultuous" presidency, even before Juan came on. "Tumultuous" to whom?, was my thought. Not to the poor, who were once under the bootheel of Juan's confederates.
Never hear of a "tumultuous" Bush presidency on NPR, what with two lost wars and an economy in ruins. Not even a failed presidency, though it's really much worse than that with Hank Paulsen scooting off the remaining treasure before the party's over. NPR is despicable, and I hope it's soon gutted.
NPR is despicable, and I hope it's soon gutted.
not likely.
Too many friends in high places.
The most effective method is to pressure local stations to quit buying NPR news programming.
Eg, Tie donations to particular local programs and mandate that they not be used to buy NPR news.
If enough people did this at enough NPR member stations, NPR news would change. They would be forced to. They can not survive without the dollars coming from member stations to buy programming.
Eg, Tie donations to particular local programs and mandate that they not be used to buy NPR news.
I've tried that. My local public radio station (KUNM, 89.9 Albuquerque) has a terrific line-up of local shows, including FAIR's weekly show, and Amy Goodman every day.
I have asked that my donations be spent locally, and not sent into the national CPB. The reply has always been that donations are all 'fungible.' They all go into the same account, out of which expenses are paid.
When I said that that just about precluded my contributions, they more or less shrugged and said 'sorry 'bout dat.' It pains me, particularly, cuz I had a radio show on KUNM 40 years ago...
They pull in bags o' money here from the rubes who believe NPR's not only the 'best there is' but also the 'best it could be.'
A big part of the NPR scam is to constantly harangue listeners with: 'we can't survive without your contributions'. That's always been their biggest selling point. What they aren't saying is that, actually, they could never survive without corporate sponsorship. It wasn't the chickenfeed from Scott the Simonizer and Auntie Liane fans that pays for Eleanor de Beardsley's croissants in Paris, or that built the gleaming new DC headquarters, and made 'NPR West' a reality. It's the big deductable bucks from interested corporate parties, I should think.
Indeed Forero is yet another agent in the service of the New Colder War (an enterprise in which NPR is a willing partner). And his little injections of 'genuine-sounding' pronunciations of Hispanic names and terms are supposed to give him added credibility. You know, like, he must really KNOW and UNDERSTAND Venezuela cuz he can pronounce 'Caracas' correctly, and stuff. Plus, it makes NPR sound more 'diverse' - and darn smart, too!
Reminds me of the 1980s when Reagan was talking about Nicaragua's need (in his mind) for "democratization". A longish bumpersticker at the time pointed out, "50% of the Nicaraguan people voted for Daniel Ortega; 30% of the American people voted for Ronald Reagan - which country needs 'democratization"?
His ironclad hold on power? He lost his bid last year to end term limits for presidents. And then there was that problem of the coup in 2002.
Idiots.
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