The Mass Media’s Disgraceful Coverage of Occupy Wall Street

Mike & Friends Blog

Marc Adler

I'm a recent graduate of NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, and a freelance journalist who runs a blog, The Bloody Crossroads

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September 29th, 2011 10:25 PM

The Mass Media’s Disgraceful Coverage of Occupy Wall Street

FOX News and The New York Times prove yet again that both conservatives and mainstream liberals serve power

By Marc Adler

The mainstream media’s propaganda surrounding Occupy Wall Street has been truly breathtaking. For those who believe we have a right/left divide in the mass media, coverage by FOX News and The New York Times must shatter all such delusions. Let’s be clear on this. Both conservative and “liberal” media outlets are playing for the same team. They are all either big corporations themselves or they are owned and controlled by the six mega corporations which dominate the mass media. As such, a populist revolution is against their interest.

Earlier this week, an agitator appeared at Zuccotti Park. I presume he was planted there by FOX News, although I have no proof. He was a self-styled conservative African American who wanted to defend capitalism and Wall Street. Not surprisingly, the FOX News cameras followed his every word. He made outrageous claims, such as that redistribution of wealth is impossible, not just wrong, and that teachers unions bear responsibility for America’s decline, not the big banks which stole trillions through bailouts. And unfortunately, while some of us tried to engage him in honest discussion—I and a group of activists ended up respectfully (and perhaps fruitfully) debating the issues with him for hours after FOX News left— one guy did exactly what FOX News wanted; he refused to let the agitator talk and kept shouting slogans at him, enabling FOX to achieve its goal of making us look like an angry mob. I have been unable to locate the clip, but other pieces of coverage from FOX available on the Web sufficiently illustrate the nefarious nature of their coverage... Continue Reading