Whatever happened to free speech?

[Willem]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Yes, it means nothing. and who ever said I was trusting. I don't trust the media worth a damn, doesn't mean they don't have the right to say what they want.

And does that right include depriving others of the chance of having their views heard as well? If they control the media, they also control the avenues for expressing a dissenting view.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yep... if its their property, they can pick and choose who they want on the air. That's their free speech right.

I think you now understand what we Americans mean by total free speech.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yep... if its their property, they can pick and choose who they want on the air. That's their free speech right.

I think you now understand what we Americans mean by total free speech.

But how can it be free speech if only one side gets heard? What about the voices that don't happen to have access to a mutli-million dollar media conglomerate? Isn't that denying them their right to free speech?

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Willem


But how can it be free speech if only one side gets heard? What about the voices that don't happen to have access to a mutli-million dollar media conglomerate? Isn't that denying them their right to free speech?

Nope-- people can exercise their free speech with the resources available to them. if you go further and say there is a right to be " heard effectively", you create a mess. Every wingnut, racist, false propet etc would be claiming their right to access to the airwaves using the resources of others.

Now, these folks have a right to speak but they will be heard only so far as their resources permit

[Flubber]

and if you try to differentiate which opinions get the right to be heard you create a new mess. The right to speak cannot depend on the quality of the opinion.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
MOST of this is being done by individual radio DJs on their shows.

Where do you live that there are still individual readio djs? All my stations are preprogrammed.

[korn469]

i think the main problem is that some how large media companies have the same rights as an individual, but they have resources that far outstrips all but the very wealthiest people

If a media company decides on a message they can reach millions, while an average person would never have the resources to even come close. Many of these large companies can if they choose engage in a media blitz that can rival the amount of propaganda a nation conducts in times of war. It would be one thing if there weren't significant barriers to entry in the media sphere. Even if a person had the money to buy radio equipment, without a license from the FCC they simply couldn't start broadcasting.

I guess this is more of a freedom of the press, than a freedom of speech issue. I think all individuals should have freedom of speech. I even think if a DJ doesn't want to play a song on their show that's one thing, but when all of the might of a corporation such as clear channel, or viacom is brought to bear on an individual, that seems like it crosses a line. It seems like if there are only a very small number of corporations that own the vast majority of media outlets, then they should have to play by a slightly different set of rules than an ordinary individual. I believe that media companies if they control enough marketshare could engage in cenorship, I'm not saying they do, or they are even at they point where they can right now, but it looks like it is a very real possibility if trends don't change.

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


Where do you live that there are still individual readio djs? All my stations are preprogrammed.

Atlanta?
Dallas isn't pre-programmed.

[chequita guevara]

That was a rhetorical question.

[SlowwHand]

Well, hell. I don't know how it is in all places.