"CNN's Dobbs Problem" Ad Set to Hit CNN Airwaves: Media Matters Announces Ad Campaign Calling for Accountability From "The Most Trusted Name in News"
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 3, 2009 |
CONTACT Jessica Levin (202) 772-8162 |
Washington, D.C. -- Media Matters for America today announced the launch of a television ad campaign calling for CNN to credibly address its Lou Dobbs problem. The ad, set to air this week on Dobbs' CNN program as well as on Fox News and MSNBC, demonstrates how CNN has repeatedly allowed Dobbs to promote racially-charged conspiracy theories about President Obama's birth certificate on his prime-time television show. CNN President Jonathan Klein has defended Dobbs' coverage, calling it "legitimate."
Watch "CNN's Dobbs Problem": www.DobbsConspiracy.com.
BACKGROUND
Media Matters bought a week of ad time on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News in Washington, D.C., New York, and Atlanta. The progressive media watchdog has not ruled out increasing the ad buy to other networks or markets in the coming days. As Washington Post Co. blogger Greg Sargent reported, "Media Matters has specifically purchased time to air the ad during Dobbs' show -- putting CNN in the position of either running the spot or nixing it and making this a bigger story."
The ad, which will air beginning Tuesday, August 4, calls out CNN for continuing to allow Dobbs' to promote racially charged conspiracy theories about the validity of President Obama's birth certificate. The script is as follows:
TITLE: CNN's Dobbs Problem -- 30 Sec.
On-screen text: CNN Has a Lou Dobbs Problem
Voice Over: CNN's Lou Dobbs has been promoting the false, right-wing conspiracy that President Obama hasn't produced a valid U.S. birth certificate.
Video: Images of Lou Dobbs repeating the phrase "birth certificate" from his extensive promotion of the issue on his CNN show.
Voice Over: CNN President Jon Klein said Dobbs' obsession was "legitimate."
Video: Dobbs saying "birth certificate" even more, building in intensity.
Video: Dobbs, without sound, gesturing as he further discusses Obama's birth certificate.
Voice Over: It's time for "The Most Trusted Name in News" to live up to its slogan. Let CNN know there's nothing "legitimate" about racially charged paranoia.
On-screen text: Take action at MediaMatters.org
On-screen text: Paid for by Media Matters for America. www.MediaMatters.org
Upon learning of the ad campaign, Dobbs took to the airwaves, calling Media Matters "a rabid, left-wing operation."
For more information on the controversy surrounding Dobbs and CNN, please visit:
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I would never invite Mr. Dobbs to swim in my Pool.
He pushes this Birther Scam for his own Gain.
He hopes to pull himself out of His Show's Last place Ratings Pain.
Speak truth to power.
Mr. News
"He's become a publicity nightmare for CNN, embarrassed his boss and hosted a show that seemed to contradict the network's "no bias" brand. And on top of all that, his ratings are slipping.
"How does Lou Dobbs keep his job?"
And this is the way the story gets teased!:
"Dobbs a headache for CNN
Lou Dobbs becomes a publicity nightmare, so unpopular that even Ann Coulter criticizes him"
The piece is getting a lot of play and is now headlining for those who have Yahoo! as their home page. Here is the link:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090803/ap_on_en_tv/us_tv_lou_dobbs
The longer this "controversy" goes on, the more we're looking at it instead of health care reform, and I think that's their goal. This isn't news, it's a distraction.
Sorry for the duplication.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06tKiBiOwIQ
Thanks again, Media Matters, for doing what's important for the infotainment industry: keep the ratings up, and keep the advertising $$ coming!
Thanks to MMFA, we now know CNN can not be trusted as a source for the truth.
Let him pursue the story to wherever it may lead (him, or Obama), make his money and be proven how desperate and bankrupt of ideas he and Republicans are.
CNN, always the only source to go to for TRUE fair and balanced news, has now sided with the far-right conservative extremists that are threatening our country.
By denying to air legally purchased ads, they are confirming that they are nothing more than a propaganda station exactly the same as Fox News.
This marks the end of television news- the only valid source to go to for true news has now moved to the internet, where real journalistic practices are being followed and the truth is not allowed to be surpressed.
And....this sorry excuse for shutting down anyone challenging the present administration....Obama is 50% Caucasian from his mother's side, is 43.75% Arabic, and 6.25% African Negro from his father's side. Is he truly black? How do I know I am being a racist when he isn't of one race? I am only against his black half?? This is a ridiculous retort.
Yes, we can probably assume that it is a deep held racist attitude by Dobbs and many (not all) birthers. However, unless he has said anything specific about race while addressing the birth certificate 'controversy', there is nothing concrete to tie race to it. I think Dobbs aligning himself with the birther movement is bad enough in its own right, without adding race into the mix. The add only plays Dobbs saying "birth certificate" and nothing about race. There is no tie in to race for the casual viewer.
If the ad is aimed at getting people to take a step back and examine how ridiculous the birther movement is, adding the racial aspect will turn some people away. I'm not saying its right, but thats how it is. There are some reasonable people out there who do get tired of hearing about race in regards to every issue. I'm in the midwest (Wow, I might even be a real "according-to-Palin" American) and when race is tossed into the mix, for some people it does distract from the main issue.
Sure, deep down, race is probably the root issue, but on the surface level for this controversy, it is Dobbs giving legitimacy to the birthers. Instead of people asking why Dobbs is talking about Obama's birth certificate, some will be thinking that it is an attack on Dobbs.
Yes, we can probably assume that it is a deep held racist attitude by Dobbs and many (not all) birthers. However, unless he has said anything specific about race while addressing the birth certificate 'controversy', there is nothing concrete to tie race to it. I think Dobbs aligning himself with the birther movement is bad enough in its own right, without adding race into the mix. The add only has Dobbs saying "birth certificate" and nothing about race. There is no tie in to race for the casual viewer.
If the ad is aimed at getting people to take a step back and examine how ridiculous the birther movement is, adding the racial aspect will turn some people away. I'm not saying its right, but thats how it is. There are some reasonable people out there who do get tired of hearing about race in regards to every issue. I'm in the midwest (I might even be a real "according-to-Palin" American) and when race is tossed into the mix, it distracts from the main issue. Sure, deep down, race is probably the root issue, but on the surface level for this controversy, it is Dobbs giving legitimacy to the birthers. Instead of people asking why Dobbs is talking about Obama's birth certificate, some will be thinking that it is an attack on Dobbs.
This didn't post the first time. Sorry if there is a duplicate post.