[Peace-discuss] Re: Frontline, Venezuela

Tue Nov 25 20:06:48 CST 2008

Whoa, I want to be able to say more about the PUBLIC Broadcasting System than that "it can't be all bad." As for Nightline, I've watched it only a couple of times because I forget about it, plus I personally cannot STAND Terry Moran. As for objectivity, I keep hearing talking heads (including those on PBS) mention Chavez' having "lost an election last year," which is NOT true -- a referendum that would remove term limits from holding the office of president failed. Period. And (of course) Chavez and his supporters accepted it (as would a US president or NYC governor, right??)

Okay, "The Hugo Chavez Show" (a rather insulting title, don't you think??) is starting now, and we'll see just how fair and balanced it is. Btw, it's repeated at 3a Thursday, so set yr VCRs before you go to bed on Wednesday if you wanna weigh in on this.
 --Jenifer 

--- On Tue, 11/25/08, John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com> wrote:

From: John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Re: Frontline, Venezuela
To: jencart13 at yahoo.com
Cc: "David Green" <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>, "Peace Discuss" <peace-discuss at anti-war.net>
Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 4:46 PM

On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 4:22 PM, Jenifer Cartwright <jencart13 at yahoo.com> wrote:

John,
I think the point of the Counterpunch article is that -- while some of us hope for more objective reporting on PBS than what is typically found in the MSM (which generally disses Venezuela/left-leaning Latin American countries in general and Hugo Chavez in particular) -- the Frontline program ("The Hugo Chavez Show"), to be aired on PBS tonite at 8p, the reporting is anything but objective/pretty much a smear... and author Patrick Irelan muses about the connection between the negative reporting and the fact that PBS is heavily funded by Big Oil (which includes the US- but NOT the Venezuelan oil industry). And, though I haven't seen the program as yet myself, I am wondering right along with him if PBS should not indeed be considered The Petroleum Broadcasting System.

And Dave's point (if I may) is that instead of bothering to watch the show, viewers can just find a pinata of Chavez and have at it. 
 --Jenifer 

Thanks, Jen.  Since pinatas are somewhat scarce around these here parts, I reckon I'll watch the Hugo Chavez show and form my own conclusions.  I'm generally quite satisfied with Frontline.  I'm virtually positive that Hugo Chavez will be portrayed as neither all saint nor all sinner, but probably more of the former than of the latter.  Which, if portrayed that way, will comport with my own opinion of him, which isn't like to change too much in any event.

I don't know much about the funding of PBS, but I do know that any station which airs Bill Moyers and Independent Lens on a regular basis can't be all bad.

John

--- On Tue, 11/25/08, John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com> wrote:

From: John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Re: Frontline, Venezuela
To: "David Green" <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>
Cc: "Peace Discuss" <peace-discuss at anti-war.net>
Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 2:33 PM

Gosh, I must be stupid.  I didn't understand the cynicism in the Counterpunch article, and I don't understand it on this list.   It just seems to be generalized cynicism, a propos of nothing.  Whom do we hate here?  Chavez?  Filmmakers who attempt to make films about Chavez?  Filmmakers who are not perfectly biased in the precise ways that the Counterpunch author is biased?  What?

John Wason

On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 10:22 AM, David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com> wrote:

http://www.counterpunch.org/irelan11252008.html

One might use the time better to build a pinata and pound it with a baseball bat.

DG

Check-out PBS Frontline tomorrow ( Tuesday ) at 8pm, about Hugo Chavez.

It will probably be the usual PBS hatchet job propoganda, sugar coated in a fascade of  supposed" intellectual objectivity ", that has the corporate agenda as it's purpose.

But it may still be worth a look for curiosity sake.

David Johnson

Check-out PBS Frontline tomorrow ( Tuesday ) at 8pm, about Hugo Chavez.

It will probably be the usual PBS hatchet job propoganda, sugar coated in a fascade of  supposed" intellectual objectivity ", that has the corporate agenda as it's purpose.

But it may still be worth a look for curiosity sake.

David Johnson

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