[NLA] Media Alert

[KathleenBombach@aol.com]

Art:
I agree with you, and I know of enough examples in the media where letter-writing (right now many news outlets prefer email because of the anthrax) campaigns have changed what is said. The letter-writing softened them up, and behind the scenes types, like owners and producers, began meetings with movement leaders in private. 

For example, about 10-15 years ago, politicized conservatives began a campaign to complain that the conservative viewpoint was not represented on the news and the talk shows. This campaign has born fruit--Fox caters to the conservative audience, and now every news show has conservative commentators, outnumbering the ones who are moderates or liberals. The head of CNN even met with conservative political leaders recently and subsequently, CNN has used more conservative commentators and established commentators have become more conservative. MSNBC has had several well-known liberal commentators start shifting right: Dan Abrams and Chris Matthews. 

As a long-time news junkie, I prefer to listen to many voices, not just a few, and I spend more time reading newspapers and magazines across the globe now, less time with the cable news networks. But I have to admit, the conservative campaign worked, as have similar campaigns on behalf of other groups.

Most Americans rely on television news, rather than newspapers or magazines, for their knowledge and opinions. Those who pay the closest attention are middle to upper income, middle-aged to older, white males--the very group (as Art pointed out) that have the most control over institutions, funding, and public priorities. Too often we preach to the choir about literacy. Let's target our audience. We will not turn them into raving literacy radicals, but maybe we can get a foot in the door.

Kathleen Bombach