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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 2005)
Lauren Wimer | Senior photographer Former media pundit Jeff Cohen speaks about the myth of liberal media Thursday night in the Lillis Business Complex. Media expert expounds myths of news coverage Jeff Cohen also called for more citizen involvement in trying to reform the mainstream media outlets BY MEGHANN M. CUNIFF SENIOR NEWS REPORTER The myth of the liberal media is so great that it threatens to com pletely squash fair and balanced re porting and the state of democracy in general, a media expert said Thursday night. Jeff Cohen, co-founder of the me dia watchdog group Fairness & Ac curacy in Reporting and a former media pundit for FOX and MSNBC, spoke to a crowd of about 75 peo ple, detailing the myths surrounding media outlets and their news cover age and calling for more involve ment from citizens in trying to re form mainstream media. “They take the public’s airwaves and restrict the flow of informa tion,” Cohen said about the main stream media. Cohen, who was the communica tion director for Dennis Kucinich’s campaign for presidency in 2004, used his experiences working for FOX and for MSNBC as fodder for his argument in favor of a greater inde pendent media movement. “I have a history of hanging out with right-wingers — it was my job,” Cohen said during a question-and answer session. Cohen said the “gigantic myth of the liberal media” is exemplified by the blatant right-wing agenda of those who control the main stream media. “The number-one fear is the fear of doing anything that would get you and your outlet accused of be ing liberal,” Cohen said. Cohen gave a brief history of his career with the media and said it was very obvious that people with left wing views were intended to be over shadowed by right-wingers, describ ing tactics within the networks involving a mandated ratio of liberal opinions to conservative opinions. Media conglomeration does not get the attention it deserves because the only outlets equipped to report on the issue are at the center of the is sue, Cohen said. “Most censorship in our country is corporate,” Cohen said. Other countries see their informa tion and news outlets censored by the government, but in the United States, corporate control is such that corpo rations and the government are basi cally one and the same, Cohen said. “The owners of the media would rather have us be inactive citizens” than informed citizens, Cohen said. The rise of independent media is possible and is needed now more than ever before, Cohen said. Cohen outlined three action points citizens can take to try to fight independent journalism’s downfall and the rise of corporate control of information. The first calls for involvement in activist organizations such as FAIR, the second proposes greater activism efforts to produce more independent media outlets and the third asks citi zens to actively pursue policy reform at the national level concerning the need for media diversity and less conglomerated mainstream media. “It’s so much easier to build inde pendent media, promote it and dis tribute it than ever before,” Cohen said, citing the decrease in equip ment costs the past few years have brought. “Those of us who are infor mation-rich have a duty to those of us that are information-poor.” Eugene citizen Richard Glauber, who said he has two brothers who write for mainstream media outlets, attended Cohen’s speech and said he was particularly struck by his speak ing skills and his overall message. “He’s like a messenger of how to get more knowledge,” Glauber said. meghanncu.niff@dailyememld.com Premier Travel • Airfare Specials! • Baltimore - $178.00* Tampa - $198.00* Puerto V a Marta - $278.00* Honolulu - $347.00* ''lax and Ices not included, restrictions apply. 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Box 40610 Eugene, OR 97404 Oregon Hillel: Die Foundation for Jewish Campus l ife SHALOM! 1 ree Shabbat services and dinner I ridays at 6:00 p m Stop by anytime. 1059 Hilyard, 343-8920 Check our website for a full listing of events: www.oregonhillel.org WW n .... 1, c . ___ _ “So powerful is the light of unity that > DAHA I rAlTH it can illuminate the whole earth." - Baha'u’llah Sunday Devotionals, 10 am Also childrens classes and adult sessions at Baha’i Faith Center • 1458 Alder Street To learn about the Baha’i Faith and our activities in the 2 Eugene/Springfield area call 344-3173 or l-800-22-(JNITE § or visit our website at www.bahai.org. Orthodox Christianity DiSCOVCr the historic church ot the New Testament. The faith of 2000 years, unaltered and unchanged by innovations or reform. For more information contact St. George Church 683-3519 Campus Ministry Grace Lutheran Church 18th & Hilyard (just west of campus) Sundays at Grace Worship services: 8:30 am <& 11:00 am Thursday* • Student Dinners: 6 pm Bible Study: 7 pm Grief support group: 7 pm Contact Dave at 342-4844 or david@glchurch.org www.glchurch.org C»mP<^ ? - - T St Thomas More NEWMAN CENTER Feathers titled? Duck into Newman. St. Thomas More Newman center... Catholic Campus Ministry social Connections Coffeehouses Student Dinners Sports Events Faith Community Engaging Masses Meaningful Retreats Guest Speakers Societal commitment Mexico Mission Trip Charity Fundraisers Social Service Projects , 1850 Emerald Street (south of Hayward Field) • 346-4468 visit our Web site at newmanctr-uoregon.org | or send us an e-mail to newman@newmanctr-uoregon.org Sunday Student Mass. 7:30 pm Wednesdays. 9:00 pm Midweek Social & Student Mass Newman Formal Event Saturday, May 21,7 pm -12 am Call 343-7021 for info A product of the , Oregon Daily Emerald Classifieds. For more information call 541-346-4343.
