FAIR blog
NYT: If Only Gay Rights Were Unpopular, Then Roberts Might Embrace Them
In an article that should go down in the annals of improbable news analyses, Peter Baker argues in the New York Times (3/28/13) that the Chief Justice might be in favor of gay rights if they weren't so popular: Momentum in the political world for gay rights could actually limit momentum in the legal world. While the court may throw out a federal law defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman, the justices signaled over two days of arguments that they might not feel compelled to intervene further, since the democratic process seems to be playing [...]
USA Today Covers 'Lonely Battle' of Equality Opponents
"Outspent and lately out-hustled by highly organized gay rights organizations," USA Today reports, "opponents have struggled to get their story out." That's a curious premise, given that "their story" is the law of the land, and that's why we're talking about it in the first place.
For NPR, Fracking Fight Is Between Farmers & Movie Stars
Who stands between the hard-working people of Upstate New York and money and jobs coming out of the ground? Why, it’s actor Mark Ruffalo.
How 'Unlikely' Is Mark Sanford's Comeback Really?
The journalists amazed by Mark Sanford's comeback make the mistake of assuming that since the GOP spends so much time preaching "family values" and "social conservatism," Republican pols who violate these preachments must pay a greater price than less moralistic Democrats.
102 Years After Triangle Fire, Media Still Wonder How Workers Keep Dying
On the 102nd anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, Janine Jackson's article in the last issue of Extra! (3/13) is a sobering reminder that not that much has changed in the last century as far as worker safety is concerned: What should be done to prevent incidents like the January 26 fire at the Smart Fashion Export factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in which at least seven garment workers (three of them teenage girls) were killed, their escape impeded by a blocked exit and the absence of the most rudimentary fire safety equipment? The answer for many would be: whatever is [...]
The Media Didn't Fail on Iraq; Iraq Just Showed We Have a Failed Media
The headline on a story by Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi is "On Iraq, Journalists Didn't Fail. They Just Didn’t Succeed." To make that case, though, he has to redefine "failure" so far down that it's hardly possible to avoid failing.
O'Reilly Demands Respect for the Pagan Goddess Eostre
Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, claiming victory in the "War on Christmas," declares that the new battle is the "War on Easter." In Bill O'Reilly's conspiracy theory, Barack Obama's election has emboldened "Secular Progressives" to ban the Easter Bunny because he stands in the way of jailing people who "criticize minorities."
FAIR TV: Scarborough's War, Steubenville, Drone 'Debate'
This week on FAIR TV: Joe Scarborough remembers some things about the Iraq War--but forgets the things he said back then. We'll take a look at the CNN Steubenville coverage that had so many critics outraged. And the Washington Post presented two takes on drone deaths in Pakistan.
Time's Rethink on Drones
The new issue of Time has a pretty interesting piece on the debate over Obama's drone program. One way to measure the shift in official opinion is to consider that a little more than a year ago, the magazine hardly seemed to think there was any debate at all.
Washington Post Prints Iraq Lies, 2013 Edition
Thanks to the Washington Post, we're still reading lies about the Iraq War ten years later.
How to Read Stories About Israel in the NY Times (Hint: Very Carefully)
Some days the Newspaper of Record says a lot–not always in ways you might expect. Today (3/21/13) a story by Mark Landler and Rick Gladstone about allegations of chemical weapons in Syria includes something you see often–anonymous government sources. That can often be a bad thing; but today it's pretty useful: Two senior Israeli officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak, said that Israel was sure that chemicals were used, but did not have details about what type of weapons were used, where they came from, when they were deployed, or by whom. [...]
Two Peoples, Two Pictures
There was a pair of pictures on the front page of USA Today today, meant to illustrate a story about President Barack Obama's visit to Israel and the Occupied Territories. It actually illustrated the very different ways Israelis and Palestinians are depicted in U.S. media.
Looking Back at Iraq With…Michael Gordon?
Ten years ago, a front-page New York Times story helped mislead us into war with the idea that Iraq was trying to procure special aluminum tubes for its nuclear weapons program. Last night, one of the PBS NewsHour's two expert journalists to look back on Iraq was the guy who co-authored that piece.
Bill Maher Urges Vilification of Bill Maher
On his last HBO show, Bill Maher complained about how much he and his wealthy cohort pay in taxes. But he's unlikely to get much sympathy from the 2010 version of Bill Maher.
Scarborough Remembers Some Iraq Words–But Not His Own
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough's commentary looking back at the Iraq War took aim at some politicians and media outlets who were supportive of removing Saddam Hussein from power. But somehow he forgot to include his own words.
Two Sides to Every Drone Death
The UN's special human rights envoy found that the CIA's drone strikes in Pakistan have "resulted in far more civilian casualties than the U.S. government has recognized." But that message was muddled by the Washington Post's he said-she said approach to the question of civilian deaths.
Howard Fineman Looks Back on Iraq
Howard Fineman--formerly at Newsweek, now at Huffington Post--tries to come to terms with his Iraq War failures, seemingly with good intentions. But he falls short of addressing a record that shows a remarkable level of enthusiasm for the job of advocating for Bush's "eyes-on-the-prize decisiveness."
George Will & Theoretical Liberal Media Bias
George Will offers imaginary headline to prove his point about liberal media bias. Real headlines, unfortunately, don't back up his case.
NYT: Odd Memories of Iran-Contra, Obama First Term
The New York Times' Michael Shear suggests that Rep. Rand Paul's criticism of Obama's drone attacks are nothing out of the ordinary--but he takes a strange trip down memory lane to make the case.
FAIR TV: Papal Politics, Gaza Baby, NYT and U.S. Africa Policy
This week: What the media want you to know about Pope Francis– and what they don't seem to want to talk about. Also: Why is a UN report about dozens of Gazans killed in the Israeli attacks last year generating coverage about a baby who perhaps wasn't killed by Israel? And the New York Times wonders if U.S. policy in Africa will stress human rights over elite interests. Is that really a question? It's all here on this week's episode:
Click the flash players below to hear or the mics to download these Black Agenda Radio Commentaries.
It Was Good That Blacks Expressed Frustration with Obama – But Don’t Call It “Direct Action”
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Be Vigilant for Lynne Stewart – As She Was For All of Us
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Rep. Clyburn: Putting Obama First – Civil Liberties, Peace, Justice, and Reality Last
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Detroit and America’s Racial “Exceptionalism”
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What to Think Whenever You Hear "The Worst of the Worst"
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Ben Jealous’ Obscene “Truth and Reconciliation” Proposal
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The African Union: Still Subservient After All These Years
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Saving Detroit’s Art Treasures – While the Rest of the City is Picked Clean
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