Should the government control the media?

[2952-0-0]

The media must be treated as an enemy, and manipulated warily if possible.

Hopefully the government will realize that if they want to "torture" these people or whatever they want to do, they gotta kick the media out of these areas and punish whoever leaks this stuff. If we learned anything from Vietnam, hopefully it's that we can't allow the media to cover the war.

And Jake thinks that Kamirov is a great guy!! Fascism is more prevalent than one would like to hear.

[Alcon]

Hmm...let's see...

NO.[/i][/u]

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Hell no

[Gabu]

Absolutely!  It's the first step towards the realizing of 1984; 2005 is 21 years too late, after all.

[dazzleman]

I voted no.

I didn't suggest that government control the media.  I do think we should recognize the reality that much of our media is anti-American, and act accordingly.  In any case, manipulation implies lack of control.  If you control something, there's no need to manipulate it.

The media acts as a self-appointed watchdog, and think they are above everybody else.  But they are just as corrupt, if not more so, than the people and institutions that they claim to be keeping an eye on.

It is not fascism to deny the media access to certain information.  Every government and administration has done this to a degree.  We can't open ourselves up to these people because the agenda of magazines like Newsweek is anti-American.  They printed the Koran story because they wanted it to be true, and it served their political agenda.  We have to stop allowing these malevolent people to undermine our national security.

None of this means the government controls the media.  They can publish what they want, but they'll have to do it without our cooperation.

[Richard]

Everyone that voted no is, of course, in favor of privatizing the BBC.

[Democratic Hawk]

Everyone that voted no is, of course, in favor of privatizing the BBC.

Yes - I lost all confidence in the BBC in the wake of the Hutton Report

However, while I favour privatisation, I'd be concerned as to the extent that, like ITV, they dumbed down programming. I've had it up to here with tacky reality TV sh*t, especially of the Z-list 'celebrity variety' - though I don't mind Pop Idol, Fame Academy, etc.

A privatised BBC must be dedicated to the provision of top-notch drama. That said, ITV produces some pretty sound drama too

Dave

[??????????]

No, but I would prefer their availabilty to certain information to be restricted to WW2 levels.

[J. J.]

No, though obviously some things relating to national security should not be revealed:

Reporter:  Mr. President, what are the launch codes for the nuclear weapons?  :-)

[??????????]

No, though obviously some things relating to national security should not be revealed:

Reporter:  Mr. President, what are the launch codes for the nuclear weapons?  :-)

Seems like you want to suppress free speech! To the gallows!

[ATFFL]

Well, with 24 votes cast it appears we can all agree on something!

You HAD to say this?  Then I HAD to vote yes.

In reality they should not.  I should. 

MUHAHAHAHA!!!!

[J. J.]

Perhaps all of us can see the value of a free, and accurate press.  :-)