Wright writes: "For reasons still unknown, a United States government owned
and operated media outlet, Voice of America, published a hit piece on
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders."
Left: Still from 'Washington Forum.' Right: Photo of Jamie Kirchick (photo:
Washington Forum/Wikipedia)
US State Media Runs Hit Piece on Bernie Sanders
By Dan Wright, MintPress News
20 June 16
Americans are not particularly sanguine on having state media in the first
place, let alone one running its own political program and meddling in US
elections.??
For reasons still unknown, a United States government owned and operated
media outlet, Voice of America, published a hit piece on Democratic
presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders.
The story, titled "Does Bernie Sanders Believe in Democracy?," was written
by Jamie Kirchick, who has elsewhere openly advocated for the election of
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as president.
As is characteristic of Kirchick's polemical style, the piece includes
numerous misleading and malicious claims, such as Senator Sanders has "scorn
for basic democratic procedure," and that Sanders "has spent his entire life
extolling the virtue of left-wing dictatorships."
Senator Sanders, according to this story in a US state media outlet, has
been a "shill" for undemocratic regimes, with the conclusion being drawn
that Sanders does not really believe in democracy, despite his own
proclamations of being a democratic socialist.
While Kirchick is, of course, free to attack anyone he likes, for any reason
he likes, that US taxpayers are picking up the tab and providing the
platform is considerably problematic.
Voice of America was set up during World War II and took a leading role in
producing US propaganda (or counter-propaganda, if you like) against the
Soviet Union. Currently, VOA is overseen by Broadcasting Board of Governors
(BBG)-an agency within the US government, which has an annual budget around
$700 million. The BBG also oversees other US state media organizations such
as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Alhurra TV, and Radio Free Asia.
Until 2013, it was illegal for US state media outlets like VOA and Radio
Free Europe to broadcast within the US, due to a ban on using government
propaganda on Americans. But even now, VOA is supposed to be an objective
source for news.
Kirchick's piece appears in the "Opinion and Commentary" section of the VOA
website, which shows a quote from VOA's charter at the top of the page,
stating, "VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and
effectively, and will also present responsible discussion and opinion on
these policies."
As broad as that mandate may seem, electioneering and hit pieces on US
citizens obviously fall outside those parameters. VOA does not have the
right to advocate for a particular candidate or even to attack one. That is
not within its charter, nor should any US citizen have to subsidize their
own defamation.
This lurch by US state media from news to advocacy seems to be a trend, as
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty recently merged with the Interpreter Mag, a
neoconservative outlet founded with money from Russian oligarch Mikhail
Khodorkovsky, who has openly stated he wishes to violently overthrow the
Putin government in Russia.
Americans are not particularly sanguine on having state media in the first
place, let alone one running its own political program and meddling in US
elections.
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Left: Still from 'Washington Forum.' Right: Photo of Jamie Kirchick (photo:
Washington Forum/Wikipedia)
http://www.mintpressnews.com/us-state-media-runs-hit-piece-bernie-sanders/21
7310/http://www.mintpressnews.com/us-state-media-runs-hit-piece-bernie-sande
rs/217310/
US State Media Runs Hit Piece on Bernie Sanders
By Dan Wright, MintPress News
20 June 16
Americans are not particularly sanguine on having state media in the first
place, let alone one running its own political program and meddling in US
elections.??
or reasons still unknown, a United States government owned and operated
media outlet, Voice of America, published a hit piece on Democratic
presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders.
The story, titled "Does Bernie Sanders Believe in Democracy?," was written
by Jamie Kirchick, who has elsewhere openly advocated for the election of
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as president.
As is characteristic of Kirchick's polemical style, the piece includes
numerous misleading and malicious claims, such as Senator Sanders has "scorn
for basic democratic procedure," and that Sanders "has spent his entire life
extolling the virtue of left-wing dictatorships."
Senator Sanders, according to this story in a US state media outlet, has
been a "shill" for undemocratic regimes, with the conclusion being drawn
that Sanders does not really believe in democracy, despite his own
proclamations of being a democratic socialist.
While Kirchick is, of course, free to attack anyone he likes, for any reason
he likes, that US taxpayers are picking up the tab and providing the
platform is considerably problematic.
Voice of America was set up during World War II and took a leading role in
producing US propaganda (or counter-propaganda, if you like) against the
Soviet Union. Currently, VOA is overseen by Broadcasting Board of Governors
(BBG)-an agency within the US government, which has an annual budget around
$700 million. The BBG also oversees other US state media organizations such
as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Alhurra TV, and Radio Free Asia.
Until 2013, it was illegal for US state media outlets like VOA and Radio
Free Europe to broadcast within the US, due to a ban on using government
propaganda on Americans. But even now, VOA is supposed to be an objective
source for news.
Kirchick's piece appears in the "Opinion and Commentary" section of the VOA
website, which shows a quote from VOA's charter at the top of the page,
stating, "VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and
effectively, and will also present responsible discussion and opinion on
these policies."
As broad as that mandate may seem, electioneering and hit pieces on US
citizens obviously fall outside those parameters. VOA does not have the
right to advocate for a particular candidate or even to attack one. That is
not within its charter, nor should any US citizen have to subsidize their
own defamation.
This lurch by US state media from news to advocacy seems to be a trend, as
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty recently merged with the Interpreter Mag, a
neoconservative outlet founded with money from Russian oligarch Mikhail
Khodorkovsky, who has openly stated he wishes to violently overthrow the
Putin government in Russia.
Americans are not particularly sanguine on having state media in the first
place, let alone one running its own political program and meddling in US
elections.
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
