Friday, March 16, 2007

Media Blackout for Working Class

Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

Labor report by Thomas M. Foreback

On Tuesday March 6, 500 workers, community groups, clergy, labor unions, and concerned citizens gathered on Fountain Square to deliver a message to corporate Cincinnati:  Create a new economic standard including career jobs, health care, and retirement benefits for employees. Speakers contrasted the high concentration of corporate wealth in the city with the economic reality of poverty, unemployment, and crime. The rally ended with a march to the Procter and Gamble building to support the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) janitors contract campaign.

Not only was turnout high, but there were great visuals as well.  Videos played on the screen above Macy’s.  Dynamic speakers from diverse organizations—including the Reverend Markel Hutchins (a prominent civil rights leader from Atlanta, GA)—and hundreds of participants marched through downtown to convene on P&G headquarters. This was a well-planned, well-organized, and well-attended event.  However, the lack of media attention was appalling.

I fully expected coverage from the Enquirer.  Talk about disappointing—not a single word devoted to this event.  The media usually love huge crowds, controversy, and images that make for good photo opportunities. This event had all these elements highlighted by the march that filled three blocks between Fountain Square and P&G.  Why this lack of coverage?  Wednesday wasn’t a particularly strong day for news.  Here are some of the headlines from the Local News section:  “At least two winning tickets sold” and “Lucky day for rescued pooch.” We know where the working class stands with the Enquirer.  Clearly, Cincinnati media has sided with corporations in the fight for economic justice between these Fortune 500 companies and their workers.

The Enquirer missed the chance to throw a spotlight on the misdeeds of our corporate citizens.  After all, the increasing poverty levels, health care crisis, and soaring crime-rates, are in part creations by companies trying to save a few dollars by squeezing their workers.  This was the point of the rally.  Corporations, by treating employees fairly, can help rebuild communities, revitalize the local economy, and pull millions of workers up from poverty into the middle-class. 

Socializer!

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anon says:
16 Mar 2007  at  09:51 am | #

It’s just common sense.  The Enquirer is not going to offend major advertisers by printing negative stories about them.  For the media, the ads are top priority; news falls somewhere near the bottom.

labor says:
16 Mar 2007  at  11:04 am | #

Did ANY Cincinnati Area paper carry the matter? CityBeat, Cin(EnqIII), Community Press(EnqJr), Herald, Downtowner, others?

funnelcake says:
16 Mar 2007  at  11:51 am | #

P&G advertises in the Enquirer.  I don’t think they were inclined to bite the hand that feeds them.

anonymous says:
16 Mar 2007  at  02:19 pm | #

This is what happens when clueless business types try to run a paper.  It is common all over the country.  No wonder we are producing a nation of idiots.

Green Machine says:
16 Mar 2007  at  06:25 pm | #

So much for the liberal media bias myth! What a load of crap.

If the SpEnquirer would’ve bothered to cover this news worthy event it would’ve been in the business section from a business perspective. Of course there is no labor section.

Maybe if some prominent Democrats were there it would’ve put more pressure on the media to cover it. Unfortunately the Democrats only give lipservice to the unions so they will continue throw their votes (away) to them.

Can anybody say NAFTA, CAFTA and GATT? Thanks Demorats!

I saw several green party members there. Maybe the labor movement will wake up and start supporting the only party that really supports them. The Green party supports universal health care, ending the quagmire, ending corporate welfare, and tax relief for working people.

Labor needs to create it own media outlets instead of throwing their money away on advertisements for corporate Democrats in corporate media outlets.

When you realize that somebody else has been writing (or not writing)your story and you pick up the pin from his hand. That’s when freedom begins. Labor needs to free itself from the corporate lens.

orange county says:
16 Mar 2007  at  07:43 pm | #

How right you are Green Machine.  Labor has allied with environmental groups in the past and I think this will become more common. The dems were missing in action at the rally. Maybe they all work for these companies and are afraid to get their hands dirty. p.s. You can also throw in permanent normal trade relations with China to the list.

funnelcake says:
16 Mar 2007  at  08:26 pm | #

From the opposite point of view, I fail to see what was newsworthy about this rally.

3CDC attempting to make sure that at $800 insurance fee was collected prior to having the rally WAS newsworthy.  But the rally itself, eh.

says:
17 Mar 2007  at  07:33 am | #

If hundreds of people come to the City’s central most location with an elaborate presentation of some sort, that is news.  You don’t need to read it, but it’s news.

tom foreback says:
17 Mar 2007  at  01:53 pm | #

Labor-As far as I know, there wasn’t any coverage from local print media. 

funnelcake-I think some of that greasy fried dough has made its way to your brain. You don’t think that hundreds of people from diverse backgrounds meeting for social and economic change is a big deal?  What is your idea of news?

Goomba says:
18 Mar 2007  at  07:04 am | #

Contrary to what you people think the media doesn’t always publicize your left-wing propaganda rallies.  The event was nothing more than a publicity stunt and the lack of media coverage (who are liberal themselves) verifies this fact.

Tom Foreback says:
18 Mar 2007  at  11:53 am | #

If you think the media in Cincinnati is liberal, you are truly insane.  The Enquirer routinely endorses conservative candidates over their democratic counterparts a majority of the time.  As far as radio, there is nothing but right-wing commentary.  Turn on 700 and 550, two of the largest stations, and tell me about the liberal media.  Just because some nut case conservative says the media leans towards the left does not make it so.

Conservatives love to make everything a political issue. It’s easy to denounce an event as leftist and end the discussion.  They can avoid arguments, research, and facts about real issues affecting our city.  Our to put it another way, they’re intellectually inept or lazy.

the Dock says:
18 Mar 2007  at  06:33 pm | #

That’s right Tom, liberals are SOOOOO above politics. How’d you come to that brilliant conclusion?

GE says:
18 Mar 2007  at  10:12 pm | #

Goomba Dock, if you think the media is liberal go read Banana Republicans comment about the Post article about Chiquita Coca.

There’s no way that you can really win an argument that the media is liberal. Who owns the media?

Think about it and get back to me!

Mop & Bucket says:
19 Mar 2007  at  08:28 pm | #

The rally ended with a march to the Procter and Gamble building to support the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) janitors contract campaign.

SEIU. Nice to know. These are the people in marginal jobs, below marginal pay, who contributed a truckload of money to their PAC to fund the Mallory for Mayor campaign.

And how is Mallory supporting & helping the SEIU Janitors contract?

Don’t buy Procter & God, don’t buy Chiquita. I don’t & my life & my environment are better off. Use Grandmother’s methods & recipes to clean your house. You’ll be healthier & there will be less trash in the landfill. There’s other responsible companies with fruits & vegetables.

Speaking of Chiquita, this is when Uncle Carl had the company & he was strong-arming Europe to prominently feature his bananas. The bananas looked horrible (burnt, puny & somewhat shiveled)on the display table & were pitifully expensive. I followed the other shoppers to a different table for bananas. Better price, very robust, healthier looking, & great tasting!  They tasted very banana-ey! I believe the fruit was from Africa (not plantains, real bananas). I’ll never forget the great eating experience!

butch says:
19 Mar 2007  at  08:53 pm | #

Didn’t Jeff Berding throw those union brethren under the bus as well?