Help Fix Media Now!
MAD has just submitted over 25,000 signatures to the FCC from regular Americans who support of our FOX petition. Thank you to everyone that signed in support of our petition, calling for a hearing at the FCC to determine if a Murdoch owned local broadcast television station qualifies for license renewal. It’s been a long and expensive year of advocating for pro-democracy media. We appreciate all of the support from our community.
“Never in the history of the Commission has the agency been confronted with a license renewal applicant whose parent company was found by a court of law to have repeatedly presented false news,” said former FOX Broadcasting executive Preston Padden. “We are proud to be joined by so many in calling for a hearing and urge the Media Bureau to compel FOX to produce key discovery that has been withheld from the public.”
SAVE THE DATE Special Event: Join a lively discussion and Q&A with the Media and Democracy Project and Media Matters for America’s (MMFA) Senior Fellow Matt Gertz. https://www.mediamatters.org/author/matt-gertz
The discussion will center on the Murdoch media empire (with a focus on Fox News), its media coverage leading up to the 2024 election, its current tactics, and the roles that both the Murdochs and Fox News are playing to bolster and support right-wing narratives around the upcoming election. Join us for our special event with Matt Gertz on Thursday August 15, at 8 pm ET!
Our next MAD Monday group meeting is Monday August 19, at 7 pm ET. Please join us!
Last year, MAD started collecting signatures to submit to the leadership of the largest media outlets, requesting that they use our Pro-Democracy Election Coverage Guidelines when covering elections.
We asked the media to:
– Cover the elections as if they mattered more than a sports score
– Make threats to democracy clear
– Protect Americans from disinformation
We are sending the signatures to media outlets in mid-August. It’s time to sign if you haven’t already.
Read and sign up for our Good News/Bad News Substack. The July 25 Substack has been posted (we use our Pro-Democracy Election Coverage Guidelines as a guide).
Please Take Action to Protect Journalists and Their Sources:
Please call Senator Durbin and ask that he schedule a mark up of the Press Act. Then call your Senators and ask them to support or co-sponsor the PRESS Act.
The PRESS Act (S 2074) is a bi-partisan, nationwide law to shield journalists from surveillance. Freedom of the Press is enshrined in our Constitution, but journalists are, at times, nonetheless subject to government surveillance and harassment. For two decades there has been a bi-partisan effort to pass a strong national press shield law. Almost all states have them but we need a stronger, uniform national law.
Call Senate Judiciary Chair Senator Durbin’s office, as often as you can, and request that he schedule a markup soon. The number is 202-224-2152.
Sample Script: “I am asking Senator Durbin, as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and sponsor of the PRESS Act (S.2074/HR.4250) to be scheduled for Committee mark-up as soon as possible. This bill to protect journalists has passed the House with strong bi-partisan support.”Next, call or write your senators to ask them to support the bill or text PAIQYM to 50409.
- A U.S. Capitol Switchboard operator can connect you directly with the Senate office. (202) 224-3121
- Or, contact them directly using the directory: https://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm
Upcoming Events (all meetings are via Zoom)
8/15 Thursday 8:00p ET Matt Gertz from MMFA (Save the date, details to follow)
8/19 Monday 7:00p ET Our Media and Democracy Project once per month “MAD Monday” General Meeting – newcomers are always welcome. We will discuss different ways you can help #FixMediaNow Sign up here
Thank you for all you do! Please share this Newsletter.
In community,
Noelle, Brian, Jonathan, Holley, Carolyn, Milo and the entire Media and Democracy Project
If you would like to speak at one of our meetings or have any feedback.
Email: Noelle@MediaAndDemocracyProject.Org
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