White House bars AP, Reuters and other media from covering Trump cabinet meeting

[Jean Luc]

With all due respect, the previous posts suggests those making them did not work for AFRTS or even listen while serving remote in the military. The fact that occasional civilian listeners did not realize the tight - and often ridiculous - "leashes" under which AFRTS service members had to work is a testament to their ability and professionalism.

AFRTS is not a propaganda medium in the same sense as VOA. The lifers in charge see it as more akin to a company newsletter or magazine, with the purpose of increasing motivation, building morale and delivering the "company line." Lifers tend to be right-wing and have authoritarian personalities, that's what made them lifers in the first place. AFRTS only presented content lifers considered "proper," - not unlike movies under the Hayes code. The casual civilian listener would hear music but might not notice the songs kept off the playlist. The AFRTS teletype carried material from AP and UPI which was screened and selected first. This wasn't limited to AFRTS. BX's kept off the shelves publications of which lifers did not approve.

 

[TheBigA]

AFRTS is not a propaganda medium in the same sense as VOA. The lifers in charge see it as more akin to a company newsletter or magazine, with the purpose of increasing motivation, building morale and delivering the "company line."

It shouldn't matter. The question Musk and others are asking is should the government be in the broadcasting business. They say no, and that's why they want to defund VOA. Taxpayers money that is budgeted for the military and "the common defense" shouldn't be spent on broadcasting. That's if you want to be consistent.

 

[Jean Luc]

Canada has an election coming up, probably late April or early May. The Conservative Party is pushing to defund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Societe Radio-Canada. The idea of defunding seems to be catching on.

 

[TheBigA]

Canada has an election coming up, probably late April or early May. The Conservative Party is pushing to defund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Societe Radio-Canada. The idea of defunding seems to be catching on.

Maybe you saw where Canada just elected a new PM. He's from the labor party, not conservative:

Canada Will Have a New Prime Minister. Here’s What to Know.

Mark Carney, a former central banker, now heads the Liberal Party and will soon lead Canada, tasked with responding to President Trump’s threats.

www.nytimes.com

But yes, conservatives around the world want to defund the media. Government used to be about public service. Now it's every man for himself.

 

[Jean Luc]

Maybe you saw where Canada just elected a new PM. He's from the labor party, not conservative:

Canada Will Have a New Prime Minister. Here’s What to Know.

Mark Carney, a former central banker, now heads the Liberal Party and will soon lead Canada, tasked with responding to President Trump’s threats.

www.nytimes.com

But yes, conservatives around the world want to defund the media. Government used to be about public service. Now it's every man for himself.

Not exactly. The Liberal Party elected a new leader. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had announced his intention to resign as party leader and prime minister. The Liberal Party elected Mark Carney as their new leader. Trudeau submitted his resignation as PM to the governor-general of Canada who then asked Carney to form a new government as prime minister. Canada requires a parliamentary election every five years but an election can be called by the prime minister any time within that period. An election is also called if the prime minister fails to win a vote of confidence in the House of Commons. To remain in power, the Liberal Party must win a majority of the votes in the House of Commons in the coming election or form a coalition with the New Democratic Party (which Trudeau did). Failing that, the Conservative Party takes power and opposition leader Pierre Poilievre becomes prime minister (and can set about defunding the CBC).

 

[TheBigA]

Failing that, the Conservative Party takes power and opposition leader Pierre Poilievre becomes prime minister (and can set about defunding the CBC).

Regardless, the CBC has been under fire for a long time. They've had their budget cut so many times they've lost count. Same with the BBC.

People say they hate and distrust the media. Yet they watch and talk about it endlessly.

 

[Jean Luc]

Regardless, the CBC has been under fire for a long time. They've had their budget cut so many times they've lost count. Same with the BBC.

People say they hate and distrust the media. Yet they watch and talk about it endlessly.

Of course they do. Look at how people talk about their ex endlessly. Hate is not the opposite of love; indifference is.

 

[secondchoice]

It shouldn't matter. The question Musk and others are asking is should the government be in the broadcasting business. They say no, and that's why they want to defund VOA. Taxpayers money that is budgeted for the military and "the common defense" shouldn't be spent on broadcasting. That's if you want to be consistent.

Back in the day VOA might have sowed the "seeds of descent". CNN was unscrambled for a while over Europe and Asia and most likely had viewers that risk their lives to watch it. Several countries that don't like our form of government are using the internet to sow seeds of discontent in the US. Some would say the VOA funds would be better use on the internet but the Internet is easy to censor any view point not in line with the Government.

We have freedom of speech which basically limits the government from stopping the foreign trolls and misinformation posters.

IMHO we are losing the propaganda war. But defending VOA will not make it any better.

VOA is all we got right now.

 

[b-turner]

China simply blocks any website the government does not approve of. You simply cannot get the site to come up. That's an example.

 

[gr8oldies]

Maybe you saw where Canada just elected a new PM. He's from the labor party, not conservative:

Canada Will Have a New Prime Minister. Here’s What to Know.

Mark Carney, a former central banker, now heads the Liberal Party and will soon lead Canada, tasked with responding to President Trump’s threats.

www.nytimes.com

But yes, conservatives around the world want to defund the media. Government used to be about public service. Now it's every man for himself.

That Libertarian dream of a government that provides no services whatsoever with zero safety net, but at the same time with strict religious rules.

 

[RadioFan2J3]

IMHO we are losing the propaganda war. But defending VOA will not make it any better.

VOA is all we got right now.

Did you really mean defending or did you mean defunding?

 

[davideduardo]

Maybe you saw where Canada just elected a new PM. He's from the labor party, not conservative:

He is "temporary" serving out the "no confidence" term of little Trudeau. There are general elections coming up, and that will determine the more permanent PM based on the parliamentary system that Canada has.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

AP renews court request for reinstatement to White House press pool

A lawyer for The Associated Press asked a federal judge Thursday to reinstate the agency’s access to the White House press pool and other official events, saying the Trump administration’s ban is a fundamental attack on freedom of speech and should be overturned.

www.pbs.org

Here is an update on the Associated Press fighting for White House Access in the Press pool.

A lawyer for The Associated Press asked a federal judge Thursday to reinstate the agency’s access to the White House press pool and other official events, saying the Trump administration’s ban is a fundamental attack on freedom of speech and should be overturned. The government insisted there was no evidence that AP had been harmed irreparably.


“AP has now spent 44 days in the penalty box,” said Charles Tobin, speaking on behalf of the news agency.


After a full day’s hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden adjourned the case without a decision.


The AP and the new administration are at odds over the White House’s removal of AP reporters and photographers from the small group of journalists who follow the president in the pool and other events. Last month, AP sued White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and two other administration officials, demanding reinstatement.

 

[Jean Luc]

The AP can use any news of "spontaneous origin" reported by any of its members. They don't need to be in the pool.

 

[TheBigA]

The AP can use any news of "spontaneous origin" reported by any of its members. They don't need to be in the pool.

The issue isn't just about reporting, it's about being able to ask questions. Reporters in the travel pool get to ask questions.

The president only wants people around him who ask approved questions.

 

[Jean Luc]

The issue isn't just about reporting, it's about being able to ask questions. Reporters in the travel pool get to ask questions.

The president only wants people around him who ask approved questions.

I have yet to see anybody at these press briefings ask a good question. They are terrible interviewers and apparently their only purpose is to get on TV. The press briefings are a total waste of time. The whole damn White House Correspondents Association has sold out - now and always. Did you see they just dropped Late Night writer Amber Ruffin from their annual dinner because an assistant chief of staff complained about her? Do you remember how Biden's briefings were staged: Staff members would go around and find out who was interested in what and then give Old Joe a list of who to call on with answers already prepared? Donnie doesn't need dumb questions to make an ass of himself.

 

[TheBigA]

I have yet to see anybody at these press briefings ask a good question.

It doesn't matter. Freedom of the press doesn't mandate "good questions." Just that the press is allowed to ask them.

 

[Jean Luc]

It doesn't matter. Freedom of the press doesn't mandate "good questions." Just that the press is allowed to ask them.

Nobody is stopping them from asking anything. But nobody can be required to subject himself to their questions or to all "questioners" in the building or on a plane. What, these people think they are Perry Mason? That all of a sudden Trump will say, "Yes, yes, I did it?" Maybe they were useful when FDR started them when they were small, private and on background. They should be thankful they aren't dealing with Lincoln. He threw journalists in prison if they said something he didn't like and suspended habeas corpus so nobody could get them out.

 

[TheBigA]

Nobody is stopping them from asking anything.

Actually this thread is about the white house banning the AP from the pool. So they can no longer ask questions. This was done over an ideological dispute and has nothing to do with the quality of questions or the size of the press corps. The white house has been very clear about it.

They should be thankful they aren't dealing with Lincoln. He threw journalists in prison if they said something he didn't like and suspended habeas corpus so nobody could get them out.

That was during the civil war. We are not at war. He is simply mad because the AP won't use the term Gulf Of America. Not the same thing as printing war secrets. This administration willingly shared war secrets with the press and didn't fire anyone over it. So obviously security isn't the issue.

 

[Jean Luc]

Actually this thread is about the white house banning the AP from the pool. So they can no longer ask questions. This was done over an ideological dispute and has nothing to do with the quality of questions or the size of the press corps. The white house has been very clear about it.

Which is it? Stopping questions or ideological dispute? Presidents and politicians in general have always showed preference for reporters and publications they considered "friendly." Which, of course, is much of the problem. Reporters play nice and suck up to retain "access." One more reason the Westminster system is superior to the mess in this country and why Canadians would be nuts to give it up.

That was during the civil war. We are not at war. He is simply mad because the AP won't use the term Gulf Of America. Not the same thing as printing war secrets. This administration willingly shared war secrets with the press and didn't fire anyone over it. So obviously security isn't the issue.

Whatever you want to call it, the Civil War was not a war. Congress never declared war. Lincoln used federal troops to stop states from seceding, which up to then was considered legal and appropriate. Without the right of secession, this isn't a union, it's an empire.