[p2p-research] Fwd: Urgent: Media-Mogul Attacks Avaaz!

Sun Sep 19 22:39:02 CEST 2010

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 2:17 AM
Subject: Fwd: Urgent: Media-Mogul Attacks Avaaz!
To: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>

 *
Avaaz has come under attack from a major media-mogul.

*https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?vl<https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?cl=748159457&v=7155>

Democracy is on the march across the world, but *anti-democratic interests
have figured out a counter-attack: crony-media*. When a political leader
teams up with a massive media empire, they become hard to beat at the polls,
no matter how bad they are.

also mentions crowd sourced "tea party" groups in the US - excerpt :

" After President Barack Obama spurned Murdoch and boycotted his
propagandistic network, *Fox News* spawned the radical right Tea Party
group, and *provided a platform for hate and racism*, suggesting that Obama
is a terrorist and hates white people. "

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ricken Patel - Avaaz.org <avaaz at avaaz.org>
Date: Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 9:28 PM
Subject: Urgent: Media-Mogul Attacks Avaaz!
To: "dante.monson at gmail.com" <dante.monson at gmail.com>

Dear friends,

  *A media giant has launched a massive attack on Avaaz* after we mobilized
against government favours for a new radical-right propaganda network in
Canada. They're *threatening to sue us* if we don't take down our campaign *in
24 hours.* Let's show them their tactics will only backfire, and *donate to
give them their answer* and keep the fight alive against crony-media across
the world:

[image: Donate now!]<https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?cl=748159457&v=7155>
*Avaaz has come under attack from a major media-mogul.*

Huge numbers of Canadian Avaazers recently mobilized against government
favours for a new radical-right propaganda network run by the Prime
Minister's former spin doctor. The media empire behind the network and its
billionaire owner, Pierre Karl Peladeau, *has attacked our community with
several smear pieces* in their own newspapers, and one of their executives
admitted insider knowledge of a criminal sabotage of our campaign. Now the
mogul has *threatened to sue Avaaz* if we don't take down our campaign
within 24 hours!

This is how big corporate power works to silence people's voices. *But Avaaz
is a community of almost 6 million people* -- together we're far stronger
than any corporate bully.

"Crony-media" and its incestuous combination of unscrupulous politicians and
biased reporting is *a rising threat to democracy in many countries, from
Italy to the US to Australia*. Let's take a stand, and show them their
intimidation tactics will only backfire. *They've given us a 24 hour
ultimatum: Let's donate to give them our answer and keep the fight alive
against crony-media across the world:*

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?vl<https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?cl=748159457&v=7155>

Democracy is on the march across the world, but *anti-democratic interests
have figured out a counter-attack: crony-media*. When a political leader
teams up with a massive media empire, they become hard to beat at the polls,
no matter how bad they are.

In Italy, Prime Minister *Berlusconi controls over 80% of the news channels*,
and has a major stake in leading newspapers, magazines and publishing.
Berlusconi is mired in scandal and corruption allegations, but the spin on
his networks is always positive. In the US, UK, and Australia, *mega-mogul
Rupert Murdoch exploits his empire to get sweet deals from politicians*,
whom he in turn backs for office. His infamous Fox News is the largest cable
news network in the US. After President Barack Obama spurned Murdoch and
boycotted his propagandistic network, *Fox News* spawned the radical right
Tea Party group, and *provided a platform for hate and racism*, suggesting
that Obama is a terrorist and hates white people.

The idea for a new Canadian crony-media network was reportedly *hatched in a
secret lunch between Rupert Murdoch and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
Harper*. Harper was George W. Bush's closest ally on climate change and many
other issues, and is widely understood to be importing a radical form of
right-wing politics to Canada from the US. The new network, dubbed "Fox News
North" would transform Canada's media landscape, bringing an unscrupulously
biased mouthpiece for a political leader. Avaaz's campaign opposes a special
government favour that would force taxpayers to foot the bill for this new
network through their cable TV fees. *This is an example of how crony-media
works -- a billionaire gets government-mandated funding for their media
network while pushing propaganda that backs that government's leader.*

Many of these media barons are also ruthless in how they achieve their
political objectives: pushing opinions that *poison people's hearts and
polarize our world*, threatening democracy and peace. Canada is the latest
battle -- *let’s make it the battle where people-power begins to turns the
tide on crony-media*. We have 24 hours to win this one -- *click below to
donate:*

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?vl<https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?cl=748159457&v=7155>

Part of the promise of the Avaaz movement is our ability to work on the
issues that cut across all others. *The subversion of democracy by the
collusion of political leaders and media-corporations is a threat to all the
things we care about*, from climate change to poverty to human rights. With
our global reach, Avaaz might be *one of the only organizations that can
fight this rising threat to democracy*. We've been given a 24 hour challenge
-- let's rise to it.

With hope,

Ricken, Luis, Iain, Emma, Alice, Ben, Giulia, Alex and the rest of the Avaaz
team.

*More information* on this below:

Avaaz's Executive Director, Ricken Patel, debates Crony-media front-man,
Kory Teneycke on Canadian national TV:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Featured_Videos/ID=1582123926

Ricken Patel speaks to big corporate bully tactics on Canadian TV yesterday:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Politics/ID=1592304620

Don Newman, CBC News, "The absolute last thing this country needs":
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/10/f-vp-newman.html#socialcomments#ixzz0r6MC4p46<http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/10/f-vp-newman.html#socialcomments%23ixzz0r6MC4p46>

Globe and Mail, "Is Stephen Harper set to move against the Canadian
Television Radio and Telecommunications Commission?":
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/lawrence-martin/is-stephen-harper-set-to-move-against-the-crtc/article1677632/

BBC profile of Silvio Berlusconi:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3034600.stm

Newser, “Can the Brits get Rupert?”:
http://www.newser.com/off-the-grid/post/540/can-the-brits-get-rupert.html

Media Matters, "Fair and balanced Fox News aggressively promotes "tea party"
protests":
http://mediamatters.org/reports/200904080025

*Support the Avaaz community!* We're entirely funded by donations and
receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team
ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way -- donate
here<https://secure.avaaz.org/en/donate_to_avaaz/?cl=748159457&v=7155>
.

------------------------------
*
Avaaz.org is a 5.5-million-person global campaign network* that works to
ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global
decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz
members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13
countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of
Avaaz's biggest campaigns here <http://www.avaaz.org/en/highlights?footer>,
or follow us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/Avaaz> or
Twitter<http://twitter.com/Avaaz>
.

To contact Avaaz, please *do not reply to this email.* Instead, write to us
at www.avaaz.org/en/contact <http://www.avaaz.org/en/contact?footer> or call
us at +1-888-922-8229 (US).

-- 
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