Mediaboss Marketing

from the fluff-and-nonsense dept

We'd already noted how telecom and media giants are hard at work trying to scuttle the nomination of consumer advocate Gigi Sohn to the FCC. Sohn is not only a genuine reformer, she's broadly popular on both sides of the aisle in telecom and media circles. So companies like AT&T and News Corporation, which enjoyed no limit of ass kissing during the Trump era, are working overtime to come up with some feeble talking points loyal politicians can use to oppose her nomination. It's not going well.

About the best they could come up with was the entirely false claim that Sohn wants to "censor Conservatives." Anybody who actually knows Sohn knows the claim isn't true, and she's historically gone well out of her way to embrace policies that encourage diversity in media and speech, even when she doesn't agree with the speaker. Despite being a nonsense claim, it has been broadly peppered across the right wing echo chamber, including the usual columns at Breitbart, editorials by the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, Tucker Carlson, and elsewhere.

The claim popped up again at last week's nomination hearing before a Senate Judiciary Committee courtesy of Senators Ted Cruz and Dan Sullivan:

"Federal Communications Commission nominee Gigi Sohn faced off against Republican senators at a nomination hearing yesterday, disputing the senators' shaky claims that she would use a post at the FCC to censor conservatives. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) repeated arguments previously made by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and The Wall Street Journal editorial board, which mostly boil down to complaints about Sohn's tweets criticizing Fox News and her criticism of Sinclair Broadcast Group."

As we've long noted, the claims that Conservatives are being "censored" in general (either on the internet or on traditional television) aren't remotely true. In fact Conservatives have not only built a massive right wing infotainment universe with a violent disdain for factual reality (OAN, NewsMax, Fox News, Breitbart, Facebook, YouTube, Blaze), they've mastered the art of trolling for outrage engagement, which generally involves saying inflammatory gibberish, then enjoying the added exposure from left-wing outrage retweets and ad-engagement obsessed clickbait coverage. Pretty much the exact opposite of "censorship."

What's usually deemed "censorship" is usually just fairly flimsy and short-lived accountability for spewing false or bigoted nonsense. And while the Trump GOP pretends to be mad at "big tech" for "censorship," what they're actually mad about is the fact that social media belatedly and inconsistently started reining in GOP race-baiting propaganda, a cornerstone of party power in the face of an unfavorable shift in demographics and a sagging electorate. The GOP has zero interest in genuine antitrust reform (see: forty straight years of U.S. history), but the pretense that they do provides handy cover for an agenda that's exclusively self-serving.

The new Trump GOP is currently a party of performative gibberish, entirely untethered from reality, propped up largely thanks to propaganda shoveled into the brains of low-information voters, tricked into rooting against their best self interests via a massive, well-funded coalition of traditional cable and online companies (again, quite the opposite of "censorship"). And outside of perhaps reining in media consolidation and encouraging more competition, there's not a whole lot the FCC can do about it from a policy perspective, given inevitable 1A challenges and a rightward-lurching Supreme Court. Even if Sohn wanted to "censor Conservatives" (which again, she doesn't) she'd find it an impossible task within the confines of the FCC and legal reality.

The great irony in the GOP/News Corp/AT&T alliance's effort to smear Sohn as somebody looking to "censor Conservatives?" Right wing news outlets like Newsmax and AT&T-funded OAN actually support her nomination because she's historically worked to encourage diversity in media viewpoints and healthy competition in media markets. Sohn highlighted as much at the hearing:

"I would say, look at my record. Look at the conservative cable channels that I worked with for years to get them carriage on cable systems when those systems would not carry them. I have long worked with organizations and companies with whom I vigorously disagree on their point of viewfervent Republicans, fervent supporters of the previous presidentand I worked with them to get their views online. I believe that I have been characterized very unfairly as being anti-conservative speech. I think my record says otherwise."

It's kind of hard to smear somebody as a fan of "conservative censorship" when outlets like OAN and Newsmax, which routinely traffic in truly repugnant garbage, say she's always been even-handed when dealing with them. Check out this statement supporting Sohn by OAN President Charles Herring:

"She believes in the First Amendment and the advantages of a strong and open media for the benefit of our democracy. She is one of the most knowledgeable persons I know on FCC issues and has the common sense and desire to work with people on both sides of the aisle."

As usual with the broader Trump GOP, this isn't about policy, it's about money and power. AT&T and News Corporation don't want Sohn appointed because she'd not only break a 2-2 partisan gridlock in voting at the FCC, she actively supports holding telecom and media giants accountable for bad behavior. That's in pretty stark contrast to the last four years of the Trump FCC, which basically involved coddling entrenched telecom and media giants at every conceivable opportunity, even if that required a whole lot of lying and legally dubious behavior.

If you're a Trump-allied GOP lawmaker you can't just come out and say you're opposing Sohn's nomination because you're lodged up AT&T and Rupert Murdoch's ass and the only thing you care about is protecting their revenues so campaign contributions keep flowing. So instead you glom on to the Trump GOP's perpetual victimization complex to not only change the subject (away from the fact you're an enabler of anti-competitive monopolists and have been for decades), but distract and agitate the base with false outrage and victimization porn. Sohn can be approved to the post without GOP support, so in the end most of this is little more than a delay tactic and empty calorie performative gibberish, much like the lion's share of the modern Trump GOP policy platform.

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Filed Under: 1st amendment, anti-conservative bias, fcc, gigi sohn, grandstanding, politics, ted cruzCompanies: newsmax, oan

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GOP Claim That Biden FCC Nom Gigi Sohn Wants To 'Censor Conservatives' Is AT&T & Rupert Murdoch Backed Gibberish - Techdirt

In Turkey, as in several countries in the Middle East, audiovisual productions such as movies, soap operas or series must be developed respecting the laws and traditions of their respective territory and all this is supervised by the government of the day. That is why in Turkish dramas you hardly ever see risque scenes and an example of this is the soap opera Unfaithful.

In recent years, one of the countries that has been considered the cradle of successful international soap operas is Turkey. In his different productions, intimate or related scenes are not seen. This is because it is established by the Supreme Council of Radio and Television (RTUK).

This entity of the Turkish government has the function of ordering that all audiovisual productions follow to the letter the ethical rules suitable for all audiences. These rules are strictly based on traditional values. That is why scenes where alcohol consumption is observed, risque scenes or of that nature are censored.

The protagonist of the telenovela Unfaithful, Cansu Dere He ruled on this type of situation that has become normal in his country due to the fact that there are laws which have been established to be respected.

During her time in Spain, the famous actress gave an interview to some media and was consulted on this issue.

Censorship always limits, in any field, be it your work or your normal life. There is a limitation in our work, obviously. There are rules that we have to comply with by the country in which we are living. It is not very good to have so many limitations, but we have to complyCansu Dere expressed.

But this only, as revealed by the actress, happens with the productions of the state channels, something that does not happen with the pay channels.

Beyond the theme in which the telenovela revolves UnfaithfulWhich is Volkans infidelity towards Asya, the actress pointed out that the messages that can be seen in Turkish productions can help more people to get out of the situation they are in if they are going through a similar case.

There are many women who are experiencing infidelities in their real life. Through my last job (Infidel) a woman who has suffered from infidelity can imagine how she can fight in society and how she can get what she deserves. Asyas fight inspires many women in Turkish society, assured.

In an interview with the journalists to the actress, Cansu YouShe was also asked how she would feel if she made a bawdy scene in a series in Spain, because she is not used to doing this type of production.

Working in Spain, participating in a series would be fantastic for me, it would be another triumph, but I always see the works (productions), I get the script, the story, I value it and I give my answer. I would love to be in Spain working, He sentenced.

Cansu Dere He was born in Ankara on October 14, 1980, so, in 2021. At first, his career was planned to be different, because he studied Archeology at Istanbul University. He studied for two years and, in 2004, his life changed drastically.

Article Source

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Infiel: what Cansu Dere thinks about censorship in Turkish soap operas - Market Research Telecast

Devin Nunes, the California congressman and close ally of Donald Trump, will be retiring from the US House of Representatives next year to join Trumps new social media venture.

The Republican congressman, who represents a rural California district, announced his retirement from the House on Monday, writing in a letter to constituents that he was leaving his position to pursue a new opportunity to fight for the most important issues I believe in.

Shortly after, Trump Media & Technology Group announced Nunes would become the companys chief executive in January.

In a statement, Nunes said: The time has come to reopen the internet and allow for the free flow of ideas and expression without censorship.

Nunes, 48, has served as a congressman since 2003. He was a member of the intelligence committee during Donald Trumps first impeachment and emerged as one of Trumps staunchest defenders in the House.

Nunes has long been a critic of major social media companies. The congressman has repeatedly claimed without evidence that platforms have been trying to censor Republicans.

In 2019, he filed a lawsuit against Twitter over mocking tweets from two parody accounts, Devin Nunes Mom and Devin Nunes Cow. In the lawsuit, Nunes claimed he had endured an orchestrated defamation campaign, one that no human being should ever have to bear and suffer in their whole life. The suit also accused Twitter of censoring viewpoints with which it disagrees.

The parody accounts pretending to be the congressmans cow and his mother mocked him over revelations that his family had moved its farm to Iowa from California even as he used his agricultural roots as part of his campaign in central California.

Later, the Trump justice department subpoenaed Twitter for information related to a parody account that criticized Nunes, federal court records revealed even though a judge ruled that the representative could not sue the social media company for defamation.

Earlier on Monday, the blank-check company that aims to take Trump Media & Technology Group public acknowledged that two regulatory agencies are scrutinizing the $1.25bn deal.

Digital World Acquisition, which is often referred to by its trading symbol, DWAC, said it was cooperating with the preliminary, fact-finding inquiries by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Go here to read the rest:
Republican Devin Nunes to quit Congress and head Trumps social media platform - The Guardian

A federal court order against the Pennsbury School District for curtailing public comments that officials deemed abusive or irrelevant has districts across the region reconsidering how theyll handle heated or hateful speech during school board meetings a regular phenomenon in some communities over the last year.

The order, issued by U.S. District Judge Gene Pratter, came in response to a lawsuit filed Oct. 1 by four residents in the Bucks County district who said their comments were censored, limited, or disrupted by the board, largely as they questioned its equity initiatives.

The First Amendment protections for free speech apply to speaking at public school board meetings, Pratter said in an opinion accompanying her Nov. 17 order, which granted a preliminary injunction against the district but hasnt settled the case.

She agreed that Pennsburys policies prohibiting certain comments including those considered personally directed, offensive, abusive, and irrelevant appeared to be vague and overbroad, and directed the district to stop enforcing them.

Many area school boards have a similar policy in place, modeled after a template recommended by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, and those boards are going to have to suspend it, said Jeffrey Sultanik, a solicitor for multiple Philadelphia-area districts.

While the Pennsbury order applies only to that district, it could be cited in lawsuits against other school boards. And Pennsbury says it plans to appeal which could lead to a decision that would be binding on all school systems within the nine counties of the federal courts Eastern District. In the meantime, Annette Stevenson, a spokesperson for the school boards association, said its model policy was currently under review but declined to comment further.

The Pennsbury school board is proud of its work during its meetings to ensure all children in the district have equal opportunity to an excellent education, and that work will continue, said spokesperson Jen Neill. The district welcomes the input of its stakeholders in a productive, respectful manner as a way to achieve this goal.

Among the residents who brought the lawsuit was Simon Campbell, a former Pennsbury school board member who said that the country was founded by disruptive, disrespectful people. He and fellow plaintiffs were represented by the Institute for Free Speech, which called the order a wakeup for school boards across America. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit is also representing members of the Moms for Liberty group in a similar case against Floridas Brevard County School Board.

Pennsburys board garnered broad attention this summer after a fiery speech by Campbell accusing the board of censorship including calling its president Benito Mussolini went viral. The president, Christine Toy-Dragoni, said she received death and rape threats that escalated with the national attention.

Some thought last months court decision could stoke more antagonism.

It has the potential to make public comment more disrespectful, said Kenneth Roos, another local school district solicitor, though he added that being recorded during meetings hopefully ... is a disincentive to people to behave in an egregious or inappropriate way.

In Central Bucks, school board member Karen Smith saw Pratters order as like putting gasoline on a fire at this point.

At that boards last meeting, some public comments drew outrage including one suggesting ties between Jews and organized crime and calling for a stand against Zionism and communism, and another worrying that transgender students had the right to rape girls in the womens bathroom.

Smith interjected during that latter comment, calling out, Thats enough. But the board president, Dana Hunter, allowed the commenter to continue noting that this is his three minutes.

Smith said her reaction grew out of an accumulation of comments during past meetings targeting transgender people. We dont have that many of these students, but its very difficult for them, she said. The boards policy would have justified ending the comments, she said, but now we cant do anything.

Smith and three other members of the nine-member board released a statement after the meeting condemning the comments. The board meets again with newly elected members on Monday.

Tina Stoll, the school board president in North Penn, said her board has been advised that it can respond to comments that may be hateful maybe not get into it tit-for-tat but make clear the board doesnt endorse such speech.

We cant grab the mic, or cut them off, or anything. Frankly, I think thats sometimes what they want to get the attention, said Stoll, whose board has hosted tense meetings, particularly around masking.

When people have leveled accusations against board members, theyve been permitted to speak: Stoll said: Weve always said, Thank you for your comment. Next.

Some have sought to limit the role of board members in policing public comment. In West Chester where school board president Chris McCune took the microphone this summer from a woman whose time limit expired as she was demanding to know whether the district taught critical race theory the district had its solicitor start attending meetings and enforce the limits.

In Philadelphia, the ACLU sued the district in March on behalf of two community groups alleging a new policy limiting the number of people who could comment at meetings prevented meaningful participation.

The Pennsbury parents lawsuit focused in part on actions by the districts solicitor, Peter Amuso. During a May board meeting, Amuso cut off three men who had begun to criticize the districts equity policy. One had said that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts were based on a predetermined narrative, ignoring, for example, that first-generation Nigerian immigrants excel.

Youre done! Amuso shouted at each of the men, calling their comments irrelevant.

That meeting followed controversy around the districts handling of public comments at its March meeting. The man who spoke about Nigerian immigrants, Doug Marshall, also one of the plaintiffs in the censorship lawsuit, at the March meeting had questioned equity efforts while explaining the history of racial problems in the country.

Marshall wasnt interrupted that night. But at the urging of the districts equity and diversity director, the board later struck his remarks from a video recording of the meeting, issuing a statement that the comments escalated from expressing a viewpoint to expressing beliefs and ideas that were abusive and coded in racist terms, also known as dog whistles.

In her opinion, Pratter, while not calling Marshalls comments offensive, wrote that the First Amendment protects offensive speakers, and said censorship of comments deemed racist by the district was impermissible viewpoint discrimination.

She didnt agree with the districts argument that not enforcing its policies would lead to violence calling the claim deliberately provocative. She noted the board could call police if a speaker threatens violence, a policy the plaintiffs didnt challenge.

They also didnt challenge a ban on obscene comments. And while Pennsbury can no longer prohibit personally directed comments, lawyers say that doesnt mean school boards have to allow speakers to target a board members family or other personal characteristics only their role in the district.

Sultanik said the decision could be viewed optimistically, as an invitation for tolerance of another viewpoint that you might find personally offensive.

But in a time of heightened animosity and polarization and the potential for another round of contentious board meetings while the future of Pennsylvanias school-masking order is up in the air that might not be realistic, Sultanik said.

I really believe that much of this public discourse is doing very little to change anybodys mind, he said.

Originally posted here:
Pennsbury school board now cant stop public comments it deems offensive. What does it mean for other districts? - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission last week took a stand in favor of academic freedom, passing a resolution opposing two pieces of state legislation that would ban Critical Race Theory in K-12 public schools.

The commission on Monday, Nov. 22 discussed Senate Bill 460 and House Bill 5097, asserting a stance against any and all legislation that promotes censorship and book banning.

The resolution states that the proposed legislation provides for censorship for educators and gives students an inaccurate and incomplete account of the history of the United States.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a framework in education aimed at fostering understanding of race and racism on an institutional and structural level.

Its most often taught in colleges and universities. As it is not currently being taught in K-12 schools anywhere in Michigan, both bills would preemptively prevent Critical Race Theory in classrooms.

CRT arose as a political talking point around the country in connection with the New York Times 1619 Project, a collection of essays and literary works that drew focus to the onset of slavery in the United States and its impact on American history.

Conservatives in Michigan argue that Critical Race Theory inaccurately characterizes U.S. history and could sow division among students.

Senate Bill 460, sponsored by Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, and House Bill 5097, sponsored by Rep. Andrew Beeler, R-Port Huron, were both introduced in the Michigan Legislature earlier this year.

Related: Michigan lawmakers debate bill to ban critical race theory in schools

Under Theis legislation, public school districts in Michigan would be banned from teaching Critical Race Theory, material from the 1619 Project or other anti-American and racist theories, including that the United States is a fundamentally racist country, that the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution are fundamentally racist documents and that an individual, by virtue of his or her race, is inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Under Beeler legislation, public school districts in Michigan must not, in any way, include the promotion of any form of race or gender stereotyping or anything that could be understood as implicit race or gender stereotyping. Examples of race or gender stereotyping, according to the bill, are statements, beliefs or ideas that individuals hold a collective quality or belief or bear collective guilt for historical wrongs on the basis of their race or gender.

The bills were referred to the Senate Committee of the Whole and the House Committee on Education and Career Readiness, respectively.

Related: Candidate for governor threatens to wipe out Education Department over Critical Race Theory. Actually, he cant.

The Civil Rights Commission resolution goes on to mention that the U.S. Constitution protects teachers and students who have a First Amendment right to freedom of speech in the classroom, stating:

... Academic freedom is fundamental to fact based, historically accurate knowledge, delivered by trained educational professionals. No facts, ethnicities, languages, races and cultures should be removed from history.

The resolution also referred to comments made by state Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice at an Aug. 10 Michigan Board of Education meeting, in which he said students need to learn about race and racism.

The only Republican member of the commission, Ira Combs, Jr., said he doesnt believe Critical Race Theory is a legitimate terminology.

I would prefer that it be called critical race history, Combs said. Teach the history, teach the facts and let the chips fall where they may.

Combs abstained from voting on the resolution. It passed with support from five commissioners: Commission Chair Stacie Clayton, Commission Vice Chair Zenna Faraj Elhasan and Commissioners Richard Corriveau, Gloria Lara and Portia Roberson. Commissioners Regina Gasco-Bentley and Anupama Kosaraju were absent from the Nov. 22 meeting.

Clayton clarified that the resolution was meant to neither support nor oppose Critical Race Theory.

What our resolution is doing is supporting academic freedom for teachers so that they are able to teach historically and factually, and not remove any parts of history that might make some uncomfortable such as ethnicities or race or gender, Clayton said.

Related:

Critical Race theory isnt taught in Michigan schools, so why is it such a hot topic? - mlive.com

Amid debate over critical race theory, Michigan college creates K-12 curriculum based on conservative perspectives - mlive.com

Michigan lawmakers debate bill to ban critical race theory in schools - mlive.com

Berated and interrogated: School board meetings have become untenable amid mask mandates, critical race theory - mlive.com

Read the original post:
Michigan Civil Rights Commission says Critical Race Theory ban would censor teachers - mlive.com