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Censored 2005: Peter Phillips and Project Censored (Seven Stories Press) £12.99
143/Granville Williams
The latest Project Censored publication is dedicated to the American Library Association (ALA). The Patriot Act, passed six weeks after the events of September 11 2001, gave unprecedented powers to federal law enforcement agencies to gather intelligence and investigate anyone suspected of terrorism. One provision (Section 215) granted authority to law enforcement agencies to obtain search warrants for business records, including those retained by libraries and bookshops. Through a 'gag order' the Act also prohibits any person or institution served with a search warrant from disclosing what has taken place.
The ALA was very concerned about the chilling effects of the Patriot Act and began to mount a campaign to amend the Act so that libraries and bookshops would be exempt from the provision. This campaign has won broad support, with over 300 communities passing resolutions opposing the Patriot Act, and urging local officials contacted by federal investigators to refuse requests that they believe violate civil liberties.
For readers wanting a broad analysis of the threats to media freedom, and the insidious way corporate media marginalize important stories, this is the book. The core of Censored 2005 is the selection of 25 important stories the mainstream media ignored. Some of them will be familiar to Free Press readers, such as the decision by the Florida Court of Appeals unanimously agreeing with the assertion by Fox News that there is no rule against distorting or falsifying the news in the United States. This involved the case of the investigative journalists Jane Akre and Steve Wilson and their report on the health risks related to the controversial bovine growth hormone, manufactured by Monsanto Corporation. Under pressure from Monsanto and Fox the reporters refused to make revisions to the story which were in direct conflict with the facts. They were fired.
In addition to the top censored stories of 2003 and 2004, there are also some good, chunky chapters on the giant media groups which dominate the US media, a very good forensic analysis of what happened in Haiti, and an overview of 'Junk Food' (empty calorie news) and 'News Abuse' news stories (coverage of tragic or horrific events).
The focus of the book is mainly on US media, but the book deserves a wide readership in the UK. Buy a copy, and in solidarity with the AMA's stand, make sure your local library orders a copy too.
Last modified: Friday, December 24, 2004
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Miscellany
Iraqi journalists celebrate release of French colleagues
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IFJ Welcomes Pledge on Gongadze Case
CPBF attacks Thompson's 'Threats to the BBC'
BBC joint unions condemn Thompson plan
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Galloway wins libel case decisively
IFJ welcomes Ukrainian call for independent journalism
BP's con-tract of the century
Human rights group says Ukraine coverage is biased
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Campaign, WACC join the wave of protest in support of IndyMedia
Wanted: Views on the future of local television
Another world is possible
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