HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Kathleen Sebelius' visit to St. Paul was covered by the local TV and newspapers. This protest, which of course was considered "right wing," was ignored. More than 2,000 citizens showed up. The event was coordinated nationally to oppose the Federal HHS mandates forcing religious institutions to pay or and provide abortion drugs, contraceptives and other hideous violations of conscience. 2000+ people showed up at the Federal Building in downtown St. Paul on Friday for the nationally coordinated protest over the HHS mandates, and their onerous freedom of religion consequences. But as I suspected might happen, I literally couldn't find a TV camera.
Group organizers said that the St. Paul group was among the largest in the country. Speakers represented the Catholic church, a Baptist, a good Lutheran - this is Minnesota after all - lawyers and professors. I looked this morning for coverage of the event in Minneapolis or St. Paul newspapers and the local TV websites. No pictures or story in Minneapolis Tribune. No pictures but a one paragraph story in St. Paul Pioneer Press.
No coverage on two of the TV stations. I got depressed after that and quit looking. But all outlets had considerable fawning coverage of the visit of Katheen Sebelius who was in town to celebrate the anniversary of the passage of Obama care. Pictures to fill a scrap book. As cynical as I am about the MSM and ruling class, I was just amazed that an event of the size and import as the HHS freedom of religion rally was consciously ignored. There is fear operating there, and it wasn't among those in the crowd.
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Mar '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Unfortunately an all too common phenomena. It is easy to come across fawning coverage of Occupy Wall Street protests that comprise only a few dozen individuals yet I have been to Tea Party rallies where thousands were present and not a reporter to be found or a word in written media the next day to indicate that it occurred at all.
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
I am a media critic focusing on religion news and I have to admit that even after doing this for six years or so, stories of media blackouts such as this *still* surprise me.
I can't imagine the journalistic argument for hyping a visit from Sebelius while ignoring thousands of your own readers rallying on a Friday at noon.
May '10
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
It's time we start bringing High Def video cameras w/ a tripod or monopod to get some reasonable quality footage, and start videotaping these events, editing them to resemble regular TV "News" reportage, and then post them on line where they can be linked to by websites like this one.
I have attended a few Tea Party events here in the Bay Area in the last few months, but sadly, I failed to bring my video camera. Next time i won't forget...
Edited on March 24, 2012 at 8:21pmOct '10
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Mark Zdeblick: It's time we start bringing High Def video cameras w/ a tripod or monopod to get some reasonable quality footage, and start videotaping these events, editing them to resemble regular TV "News" reportage, and then post them on line where they can be linked to by websites like this one.
I have attended a few Tea Party events here in the Bay Area in the last few months, but sadly, I failed to bring my video camera. Next time i won't forget... · 1 minute ago
Edited 0 minutes ago
Yes, we have to start filling the gaps ourselves. It's the Breitbart way.
Jan '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
"If it bleeds, it leads."
I'm not counseling or condoning violence, but there is a wide expanse of protest real estate between a polite gathering of dissidents and running a government apparachik out of town on a rail.
Don't bring your cameras: You Tube is no substitute for The Nightly News. Conservatives have to start doing things that force the NFM to cover them. The Left learned that long ago.
Infiltrate the Sebelius affair and cause a ruckus, perhaps by blowing on whistles non-stop. Throw your shoes at the official motorcade. Get in the faces of our beneficent rulers and give them what-for.
Remember the scene at Boston Harbor in the first episode of "John Adams" on PBS? Remember "My Kinsman, Major Molineux" by Hawthorne?
If you want the press to cover you, stop being passive. They don't call it "Action News" for nothing.
Start being citizens and stop being subjects.
Jan '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.: I am a media critic focusing on religion news and I have to admit that even after doing this for six years or so, stories of media blackouts such as this *still* surprise me.
I can't imagine the journalistic argument for hyping a visit from Sebelius while ignoring thousands of your own readers rallying on a Friday at noon. · 3 hours ago
I'll give it to you:
"Shut up!" he explained.
Feb '12
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
I heard there were large crowds in Florida and in other locations around the country. How can the MSM justify their existence?
Mar '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
I would be amazed if there was any argument at all. Conservatives religious or otherwise are white, patriarchal oppressors rallying to support their power, that is not news. It seems beyond belief but this is truly how those of a progressive mindset think, one is tempted to call it insanity.
From the surveys I have read those in the news industry are overwhelmingly progressives. It has been difficult to accept but from many discussions with such self professed liberals this is truly what they believe. Madness.
Sep '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
James, Mollie:
Um, uh. Er. Ahem.
There's a reason why Iowahawk's legendary column after the 9/11 attacks was written about radical, disaffected Lutheran clerics: even in the midst of mass national paranoia, it was obviously satire.
You're Lutherans, dig? You're not Presbyterians, with centuries of ethnic heritage getting naked, painting yourselves blue, and then charging headlong with wooden spears into vastly superior English military technology.
And while March in Minneapolis may not be the time or place to get naked or paint yourselves blue--you might have done a better job a) getting in Kathleen Sibelius's face; and b) getting on the front page of the papers; if you'd staged your 2,000-strong protest outside the front door of wherever she was speaking.
Then--RTFM. Read the [ahem] Manual. Not "Rules for Radicals"--Abbie Hoffman's Steal This Book. Read the detailed instructions on organizing protests: put the pretty girls up front; make sure you have well-schooled "man on the street" types stationed close to the media; and make sure you give them the story you want to appear.
If two thousand people shout in the forest, nobody hears.
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
There was a time when the press pretended to be neutral and nonpartisan. That day has passed.
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Will add that we had a rally in front of the downtown church here in St. Cloud, with a march to the Al Franken office. Two eyewitnesses I spoke to later said 200 were in attendance. Our city is about an eighth the size of the combined Twin Cities. Someone called the paper: "we heard about that," but no one came.
Jun '10
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Rally For Religious Freedom! (Pittsburgh)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WijRGxDTtlY
May '10
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
After doing a good bit of poking around the interwebs, it looks like there was a good bit of local coverage.
That said, there has been what seems like a complete blackout by national media (CNN, CBS, ABS, NBS, MSNBS, etc.) No surprise.
But also nothing on Fox, Drudge, and so far Breitbart. No mention as far as I can tall by the major conservative media including the talkers. What's up with that?
I make no claim to omniscience nor omnipresence, so anybody who's seen a conservative outlet with national reach feature this, besides Kathryn Lopez in NRO, please post the link.
May '10
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
BTW there really are manuals for how to garner media attention and organize protests (I know, I've written a few). Zany attracts attention. That's why the Guy Fawkes masks, papier mache heads, funny costumes, stunts like balloon launches and whatnot.
Jun '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
There was a piece by Lauren Green on the Fox nightly news with Brett Bair last night. Lauren did a nice job, but there was no discussion by the panel.
Aug '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
I think the MSM believe that the lack of coverage will simply make the opposition wither and go away. Unfortunately, it could happen that way but judging from the rally in Portland, I think the opposition is just beginning to get going.
Sep '11
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
I'd have gone to a protest--I have skin in this game (her name is Annie, she is a certified princess, and she has Down syndrome).
But I never heard anything about a local protest--I'd have gone to something local, or even traveled to New York or Philadelphia. But I knew nothing of it.
Feb '12
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
We had about 300 people standing in the pouring rain in Cincinnati.
Jul '10
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Is this your first exposure to the group-think that informs the media? If you think this was bad, wait for the fiddling that will go on in the fall.
Jan '12
Re: HHS Rally in Twin Cites blacked out by MSM
Absolutely appreciate and understand the comments about getting media attention. Many of us were there as members of churches or other organizations who'd agreed to support the nationwide event at the appointed time and place. My observations on lack of MSM coverage occurred to me once I arrived. I'm a rookie at such gatherings, save for three local "Taxpayer Rallys" held every ear on steps of the MN capitol around April 15.
Where by the way, I first met and ever heard of a state representative by the name of Michelle Bachmann. I told pals about this very savvy and attractive woman I had met who was fired up about sorry state of MN schools and other subjects she and I covered during our protest meeting. Who knew???