posted on October 20, 2005 01:28:16 PM new
Subtitle: Our Taxes Can't Even BUY Free Speech! Or: Republicans Hate Free Speech because they're Communists.
Armed Forces Radio Tunes Out Liberal Show Host
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 18, 2005; Page C01
Liberal radio talker Ed Schultz was eagerly anticipating his debut yesterday on Armed Forces Radio, which agreed last month to carry his program to nearly a million soldiers around the world.
But at 7 a.m., Schultz's producer got a call from Allison Barber, the Pentagon's deputy assistant secretary for internal communications, who said without explanation that the deal was off.
Ed Schultz thought he had a deal to broadcast to U.S. soldiers, but the Pentagon now says otherwise. (Democracy Radio)
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Perhaps, Schultz said in an interview, it was just a coincidence that he spent the end of last week chastising Barber for coaching a group of U.S. soldiers in Iraq before a teleconference with President Bush.
"It kind of floored us," Schultz said from his studio in North Dakota. "The fact is, they don't want dissenting voices or any other kind of speech unless it's going to be promotional for them. Obviously, these people are making sure they're not going to have any opinion other than the Rush Limbaughs of the world."
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) won approval last year for a nonbinding resolution urging Armed Forces Radio to offer more political balance in programming. Limbaugh strongly objected, noting that the network carries National Public Radio and declaring, "I am the political balance."
Late last month, Manny Levy, chief of the radio division for Armed Forces Network, told Schultz's distributor, Jones Radio, by e-mail: "AFN Radio has squared away everything on our end to begin carrying the first hour of 'The Ed Schultz Show' each day, beginning Monday, October 17, 2005."
Levy added: "I'm sorry that there were so many panicked, 'I need an answer soon' calls, false starts and unexpected delays on our end. An awful lot of people in the government had (or tried to have) a hand in [the] program selection process that ended with the decision to add 'The Ed Schultz Show.' "
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said last night that Levy "got ahead of the process" and that no decision had been made in a review of which programming to add to the network. When asked about Schultz's insistence that his criticism of Barber played a role, Whitman called that "an unfortunate misperception on his part. That has nothing to do with this."
Barber was seen repeatedly on television last week asking mock questions to soldiers in Iraq, who generally gave responses similar to those they would momentarily provide to the president. Schultz played some of these clips on his show. The Pentagon said the soldiers were not rehearsed but apologized for "any perception that they were told what to say."
Barber was traveling and could not be reached yesterday. Schultz says Barber told his producer she could not say when, or whether, Armed Forces Radio would carry the show.
posted on October 20, 2005 03:44:55 PM newPentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said last night that Levy "got ahead of the process" and that no decision had been made in a review of which programming to add to the network.
Yeah the truth does make for less spectacular headlines.
posted on October 20, 2005 05:35:21 PM new
Sorry, Schultz has been told for months that he would be on and ONLY got a negative response from Allison Barbarian AFTER he criticized the "spontaneous" STAGED teleconference between bush and some soldiers.
The "over zealous staffer routine is getting old...and ain't true.
I do wonder why the conservatives are soooo afraid of free speech..??
posted on October 20, 2005 05:35:22 PM new
Sorry, Schultz has been told for months that he would be on and ONLY got a negative response from Allison Barbarian AFTER he criticized the "spontaneous" STAGED teleconference between bush and some soldiers.
The "over zealous staffer routine is getting old...and ain't true.
I do wonder why the conservatives are soooo afraid of free speech..??
posted on October 23, 2005 04:47:28 PM new
"I wanted to add, you both know that the majority of military members are conservative and in particular those who are career military. "
LOL. Funny that a conservative would even point that out. Since when should this government censor a radio show based on which side of the fence someone leans on? Comments like yours Ron only prove the shallow mindedness of your party and political ideology. Ed does lean to the left, but I have never heard him make bigoted, hateful comments like Druggie Limbaugh. We have continually seen the neocon talking heads attempt to discredit the rise of Air America, Al Franken, Ed Schultz, Randi Rhodes, etc. and yet... they are still there. Conservative radio has held the airwaves for so long, that there really is no way to compare the success of Air America and other progressive stations across America, but leave it to the neocons, and they will surely try. David and Goliath comes to mind. I recently heard that O'Reilly's radio show in Denver was axed. The neocons lost Dennis Miller this year as well. I only see the upward movement of Progressive Talk Radio, while Conservative shows are slowly dying.
posted on October 23, 2005 05:11:42 PM new
My party?
Is the Libertarian Party.
However Rusty, if you have served there is a thing like good order and disciplne.
When I was in the service and they started cracking down on pot smoking, a band called "Leaves of Grass" were told they were no longer welcome on base or change their name. We never seen them in the club again.
This is nothing new.
Of course none of you can say for a fact he will not be on and this is what it has been said, someone jumping the gun.
posted on October 27, 2005 01:01:10 PM new
The Honorable Donald Rumsfeld
Department of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301
Dear Secretary Rumsfeld:
We are writing to express our concern about the lack of political balance in talk radio programming on the Department of Defense's (DoD) American Forces Network and to request a definitive timeline by which we can expect DoD to correct this imbalance.
More than a year ago, the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution offered by Senator Harkin expressing the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Defense should ensure full implementation of the American Forces Radio and Television Service goal of maintaining equal opportunity balance with respect to political programming.
AFN Radio carries the shows of a wide range of conservatives, including Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlesinger, and James Dobson, to the near total exclusion of progressive talk radio hosts. This is in violation of DoD's own guidelines on political programming on the American Forces Network, specifically, DoD Directive 5120.20R, which calls for political programming on American Forces Network that is "characterized by its fairness and balance," as well as news programming guided by a "principle of fairness" that requires "reasonable opportunities for the presentation of conflicting views on important controversial public issues."
On September 29, 2005, Manny Levy, Chief of the Radio Division of the American Forces Network Broadcast Center, formally advised the syndicate that distributes "The Ed Schultz Show" that AFN Radio would "begin carrying the first hour of 'The Ed Schultz Show' each day, beginning Monday, October 17, 2005 at noon PT/3 ET." However, higher-level DoD officials subsequently backtracked on this commitment. A Pentagon spokesman said that Mr. Levy "got ahead of the process," and that no decision had been made in a review of which programming to add to the network.
Inclusion of "The Ed Schultz Show" would have been a first, partial step toward achieving balance in political programming on AFN Radio. Even that first step has been abruptly canceled. Why, more than a year since the Senate passed its resolution, has DoD not implemented any program changes to balance political programming? At this late date, why is DoD still in violation of its own guidelines for political programming on AFN Radio? Given the time that has passed since this issue was brought to the attention of DoD by the Senate, the problem is not that Mr. Levy was "ahead of the process." The problem is that DoD is woefully behind in addressing this imbalance and coming into full compliance with its own guidelines and procedures.
We request that you provide us with an action plan and timeline for achieving greater political balance in AFN Radio programming as quickly as possible. We respectfully request that you respond to this letter by November 1, 2005.
posted on October 27, 2005 01:01:11 PM new
The Honorable Donald Rumsfeld
Department of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301
Dear Secretary Rumsfeld:
We are writing to express our concern about the lack of political balance in talk radio programming on the Department of Defense's (DoD) American Forces Network and to request a definitive timeline by which we can expect DoD to correct this imbalance.
More than a year ago, the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution offered by Senator Harkin expressing the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Defense should ensure full implementation of the American Forces Radio and Television Service goal of maintaining equal opportunity balance with respect to political programming.
AFN Radio carries the shows of a wide range of conservatives, including Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlesinger, and James Dobson, to the near total exclusion of progressive talk radio hosts. This is in violation of DoD's own guidelines on political programming on the American Forces Network, specifically, DoD Directive 5120.20R, which calls for political programming on American Forces Network that is "characterized by its fairness and balance," as well as news programming guided by a "principle of fairness" that requires "reasonable opportunities for the presentation of conflicting views on important controversial public issues."
On September 29, 2005, Manny Levy, Chief of the Radio Division of the American Forces Network Broadcast Center, formally advised the syndicate that distributes "The Ed Schultz Show" that AFN Radio would "begin carrying the first hour of 'The Ed Schultz Show' each day, beginning Monday, October 17, 2005 at noon PT/3 ET." However, higher-level DoD officials subsequently backtracked on this commitment. A Pentagon spokesman said that Mr. Levy "got ahead of the process," and that no decision had been made in a review of which programming to add to the network.
Inclusion of "The Ed Schultz Show" would have been a first, partial step toward achieving balance in political programming on AFN Radio. Even that first step has been abruptly canceled. Why, more than a year since the Senate passed its resolution, has DoD not implemented any program changes to balance political programming? At this late date, why is DoD still in violation of its own guidelines for political programming on AFN Radio? Given the time that has passed since this issue was brought to the attention of DoD by the Senate, the problem is not that Mr. Levy was "ahead of the process." The problem is that DoD is woefully behind in addressing this imbalance and coming into full compliance with its own guidelines and procedures.
We request that you provide us with an action plan and timeline for achieving greater political balance in AFN Radio programming as quickly as possible. We respectfully request that you respond to this letter by November 1, 2005.
posted on October 27, 2005 01:31:05 PM new
John Kerry United States Senator..
wasn't he a great war hero or something? 20 purple hearts.... 3 tours in Nam?
It's a faded memory now.
or was it all Democrat..B.S. trying to win the hearts and minds of the American people?
posted on October 27, 2005 06:10:22 PM new
Oh Colin, I'm so sorry you are confused and put your Kerry garbage in a thread about something else....I know you old pot heads do have a hard time and get confused easily but slow down a little...think it through ..slowwwly.... there now ....maybe that will help...
posted on October 27, 2005 07:25:38 PM new
dungtree,
please check your post just above mine. When you cut and paste something, You should read it.
Amen,
Reverend Colin http://www.reverendcolin.com
posted on October 27, 2005 07:34:01 PM new
I don't know what the Ed Shultz radio show is about, but if its like Air America, I would say that the military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan don't need to hear how the war is bad, how the soldiers were put there for no reason, etc etc. I would think its about morale
Ok, all the libs, please punish me with what I just wrote....
posted on October 27, 2005 07:59:26 PM new
If you don't think the soldiers over there don't know it is bad, that their government cared so little it sent them without adequate armor and equipment, that WMDs weren't there to find even though they were told that's why they were sent and that they are fighting a war that can't really be won, you are deluding yourself.
As for the radio show in question: who are you to tell our soldiers what they should or should not hear? If they are old enough to serve & die in the military, they are old enough to decide on their own what they will or will not listen to.
It seems to me that more and more the right wing in this country is determined to ignore or take away the freedoms this country was founded on.
____________________
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." -- George W. Bush
[ edited by bunnicula on Oct 27, 2005 08:02 PM ]
posted on October 29, 2005 06:25:41 PM new
With the Repugs retribution and dirty dealings are the name of the game...:
(10/17/2005 ) Progressive Broadcaster Squelched
Washington – People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas said his organization will ask activists to pepper the Pentagon with calls to put Ed Schultz's talk radio program on the American Forces Radio Network (AFRN), after plans to air the program were scrapped by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Allison Barber, the "coach" of the now-infamous staged, scripted satellite feed featuring President Bush and troops in Iraq.
Schultz, who does a nationally syndicated talk radio show from his home in Fargo, North Dakota, received word last week that his show would debut today on the taxpayer-funded radio network for U.S. troops around the world. Last Friday, Schultz played excerpts of Barber coaching the troops in the satellite feed. At 6 a.m. today, Schultz's producer, James Holm, received a phone call from Allison Barber. Barber informed Holm that AFRN would not air Schultz's show today, and that she could not guarantee the show would ever be added to the network.
"It certainly looks like retribution. Why else would a top Pentagon official personally reverse a decision made far below her rank?" asked Ralph G. Neas, President of People For the American Way. "It looks again like this administration is using brute force to quash voices of dissent and limit criticism of its actions. That’s just wrong.”
Neas pointed out that Schultz, who calls himself a "red-meat eating, gun-toting progressive," would provide a much-needed voice of balance on the AFRN network, where the schedule is packed with such well-known ultraconservatives as Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, and James Dobson of Focus on the Family.
Neas said he would write to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld urging that Schultz's show be added immediately to worldwide distribution on AFRN, as was originally planned, and informing him that PFAW members and activists would be urged to call the Pentagon to ask that the decision to not air Schultz's show be reversed.
"The men and women of the Armed Forces deserve to hear different points of view. The Armed Forces Radio Network was never intended to be a propaganda machine for the government, but a voice of freedom for servicemen and women all across the world," said Neas.
posted on October 30, 2005 05:48:49 AM new
Ron, what is that statute about you cant say anything bad about the commander in chief, etc, etc., when youre in the military?
posted on October 30, 2005 07:41:31 AM new
888. ART. 88. CONTEMPT TOWARD OFFICIALS
Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
889. ART. 89 DISRESPECT TOWARD SUPERIOR COMMISSIONED OFFICER
Any person subject to this chapter who behaves with disrespect toward his superior commissioned officer shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
posted on October 30, 2005 07:43:15 AM new
899. ART. 99. MISBEHAVIOR BEFORE THE ENEMY
Any person subject to this chapter who before or in the presence of the enemy--
(1) runs away;
(2) shamefully abandons, surrenders, or delivers up any command, unit, place, or military property which it is his duty to defend;
(3) through disobedience, neglect, or intentional misconduct endangers the safety of any such command, unit, place, or military property;
(4) casts away his arms or ammunition;
(5) is guilty of cowardly conduct;
(6) quits his place of duty to plunder or pillage;
(7) causes false alarms in any command, unit, or place under control of the armed forces;
(8) willfully fails to do his utmost to encounter, engage, capture, or destroy any enemy troops, combatants, vessels, aircraft, or any other thing, which it is his duty so to encounter, engage, capture, or destroy; or
(9) does not afford all practicable relief and assistance to any troops, combatants, vessels, or aircraft of the armed forces belonging to the United States or their allies when engaged in battle;
shall be punished by death or such punishment as a court-martial may direct.
posted on October 30, 2005 07:48:34 AM new
934. ART. 134. GENERAL ARTICLE
Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.
So you see "freedom of speech" is not something the military allows. Be happy people are willing to join.
posted on October 30, 2005 10:42:24 AM new
Ron, thanks.,
all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces..
Now maybe some people will understand why they dont particularly care for putting 'big ed' on the AFRN.
Men and Woman in the military can read and listen to what they want on their own time, but I doubt the military is going to provide them with such influential thinking that goes against their own rules. It's been that way long before Bush got in office, too.
[ edited by dblfugger9 on Oct 30, 2005 10:43 AM ]
