[opendtv] Just because White Liberals want you to stay on (someone else's) plantation ...
- From: "johnwillkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:12:51 -0700
Robert Johnson <http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA473531.html> ,
founder and former head of BET
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6478750.html> , fired off a
letter to House Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee chairman Ed
Markey <http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6479617.html> (D-Mass.)
Thursday saying that the legislator's recent criticism of BET programming
was uncalled for and "rooted in liberal white paternalism."
"Your unjustified and ill-informed attack on BET's programming ... suggests
that you know what is best for black people and, in this case, what black
people want to or need to see," Johnson said, "and is also a vivid example
of why we need to keep the government out of free and creative expression."
Markey's office had no comment at press time on the letter, which was faxed
to his office, as well as that of Subcommittee chairman Bobby Rush
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6426374.html> (D-Ill.), who is
African American, and members of the Congressional
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6433761.html> Black Caucus,
according to Johnson's assistant.
Johnson was responding to Markey's
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6482602.html?q=BET> comments at
a Hill hearing Monday, when he said that he had been hoping for high-minded
fare when BET launched, but that instead it had programmed to the lowest
common denominator. Markey said he was pleased to read of new programming at
BET, but the channel had a long way to go.
Monday's hearing in the House Subcommitee on Commerce, Trade & Consumer
Protection was on degrading images in the media, with a focus on the
language and themes in some hip-hop music, including in music videos.
Co-opting the "lowest" theme, Johnson told Markey that while he did not
recall Markey making any programming suggestions at the company's launch
back in 1980, he did remember that when the channel launched, it had the
lowest cable fees, lowest penetration, lowest ad rate.
"I don't recall you calling the cable operators and advertisers up to
Capitol Hill and chastising them about putting more money into BET so that
we could produce your so-called sophisticated program," he said, adding
that he did remember being asked to donate to Markey's Senate run, which he
did, and that he contributed cable political-action-committee checks to
Markey's House re-election campaign.
Johnson's letter also attributed Markey's BET criticisms to the fact that
the networl was "the last cable programmer to authorize the V-chip," which
Markey was instrumental in legislating into existence. "I thought then, and
I stil do, that the V-chip was unnecesary government intrusion in the media
marketplace," he added.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6484117.html
Me, I believe in market forces, and I know that Markey is as close to a
lunatic as we've ever had in Congress.
John Willkie
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