Influential Seniors Group Launches "Equal Time" – an Online Media Education Project

Advocates Seek Balance Currently Missing in Deficit Debate Coverage

Contrary to the headlines and soundbites coming from America's newsrooms, Social Security and Medicare aren't to blame for our nation's fiscal woes or our deficit.  In fact, without these vital programs our economy would be in even worse shape and millions more American families would be threatened with economic insecurity. Why do so many journalists and news/talk-show hosts ignore the facts in favor of one-sided propaganda?  Why won't they allow all sides to weigh on these important issues?  Whatever the reasons, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare believes the public deserves more balanced research and discussion.  The truth about our nation's most successful and revered programs deserves EQUAL TIME.

Our new project, EQUAL TIME, will bust through the myths and misleading statements in the news about Social Security and Medicare. We will find and correct the factual errors and politically charged perspectives. We'll use social media like Facebook and Twitter to inform the reporters, pundits and anchors when they've been the subject of an EQUAL TIME correction. In this way, we hope to influence the mainstream media to use facts, not fiction, in their coverage of these important programs.  An online form will also provide an easy way for advocates and citizens nationwide to submit news stories in which the media got it wrong and NCPSSM will track it down to provide the truth about Social Security and Medicare.
EQUAL TIME is at http://www.ncpssm.org/equaltime

Here is an example of an Equal Time post:

Quote: “Entitlements are squeezing out public investments”

“This shift in public resources is dramatic and growing. While 14 cents of every federal dollar not going to interest was spent on entitlement programs in 1962, the amount is 47 cents today, and it will reach 61 cents by 2030, according to an analysis of government data by Third Way, a centrist-Democratic think tank.”

Source: The Associated Press, Entitlement Programs Thrive Amid Gridlock, Shifting Money from Younger Generations to Older

Reporter: Charles Babington

Date: May 10, 2013

Correction:

This Associated Press story reads like a news release written by the multi-million dollar austerity lobby offering readers zero balance, zero analysis, zero context and plenty of factual errors.

Social Security is an earned benefit paid for with the FICA contributions of generations of American workers.  Suggesting that repaying the Social Security Trust Fund for the trillions of dollars in contributions already made by those workers is a “shift in public resources” or that it squeezes “out public investments” shows a complete lack of understanding of how the Trust Fund works.   It’s also the core message in a Wall-street funded intergenerational warfare propaganda campaign which attempts to pit young versus old while ignoring the real challenges facing young people – income inequity, joblessness and a stagnant economy. The fact that more benefits will be paid to the large baby boom generation (who also built up the $2.7 trillion—and growing -- trust fund to pay for it) than to a smaller retiree cohort in 1962 is the classic case of how to manipulate the truth with statistics.

Had this reporter talked to just one Social Security or Medicare expert, he would have seen the fallacy of the propaganda offered by Wall Street backed groups, like the Third Way, which advocate for cuts to Social Security and Medicare to pay down the deficit.

Deepwater BP Oil Spill: Presidential Press Conference

The BP Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill occurred April 20, 2010. President Obama met with the press on May 27.

Media coverage negative on Romney

The Washington-based Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism found that “positive stories about Obama (29%) outnumbered negative ones (19%) by 10 points in the week leading up to the voting” on Nov. 6.

The survey of 59 news outlets found that Romney got considerably more negative coverage, both at the end of the campaign and in the period dating back to the nominating conventions, beginning in late August.

Journalism ethics an obvious problem in presidential campaign

The Blaze reported two examples today of a failure of journalists to act ethically.

One was in the questioning of VP candidate Paul Ryan by a local reporter. Ryan had explained the need for economic development and education to cut crime.

Out of nowhere the reporter asked: “And you can do all that by cutting taxes? With a big tax cut?”

“Those are your words not mine,” Ryan responded.

One of the basic principles of good reporting is neutrality.  Another is that you don't ask loaded questions.  This reporter like many on the campaign trail needs a lesson in Journalist 101.

The other incident was more serious because it was perpetrated by Associated Press editors. The AP released to papers a picture without context that seemed to show a young girl's surprise while looking down at presidential candidate Mitt Romney's backend. The next pictures of the girl and Romeny showed it was not surprise, but rather excitement.

Steve Manuel, senior lecturer at Penn State’s College of Communications and an award-winning photojournalist, said the AP would have known how the image would be perceived.
“In this photo, while it may appear funny, AP knows exactly what viewers are thinking,” he wrote in an email. “It’s not legitimate news. AP knows that viewers are going to chuckle and imagine what the little girl is seeing, and it makes Gov. Romney appear a bit foolish. That isn’t the purpose or mission of photojournalism. … Candidate or not, it is not the mission of a news organization to place anyone in a position to be ridiculed or made fun of. Reporting the news is, and this is not newsworthy.”

The National Press Photographers Association code of ethics offers some guidance in the selection and presentation of photos: “Treat all subjects with respect and dignity,” it says. And also, “Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects.”

Chick-fil-A president shows no disrespect

Because someone stands behind traditional marriage doesn’t mean the person doesn’t respect other people’s choices and viewpoints. Labeling the person as homophobic is name calling and polarizing.  It shows disrespect for our national tradition and Constitution and for the person’s right to express personal viewpoints.

In a statement Chick-fil-A indicated: The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.

Chick-fil-A’s record suggests this statement is true. 

The comments that drew media attention and backlash addresses family values. Chick-fil-A’s president, Dan Cathy, never says anything to criticize homosexuality or gay marriage.

Here is Cathy’s statement to Biblical Reporter, published July 2. When asked about the company’s support for traditional marriage, he says: “Well, guilty as charged. We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that. We operate as a family business … our restaurants are typically led by families — some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that. … We intend to stay the course. We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”

In an earlier statement taken out of context “Cathy made some wide-ranging remarks about the family in general and about his own father in particular—remarks which had no reference to homosexuality.”

See a more detailed report at: http://www.dennyburk.com/two-lies-about-chick-fil-a-perpetuated-in-the-media/

The U.S. Constitution and American tradition respect the right to express varying viewpoints.  In an effort to be politically correct some people forget that this applies to all viewpoints and in some cases both viewpoints. In the media and on Facebook I have read a lot of vitriol against Chick-fil-A. It’s obvious the authors don’t even know what Dan Cathy said or what the company stands for.

Even in tragedy victims find humor

(Christchurch, NZ) - An American traveller had just come out of the Southern Ink tattoo studio in the central city, where she had "There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be", from the Beatles song All You Need Is Love tattooed on her back, when the earthquake hit.

She was on the footpath when the concrete awning of the building and the brick layers of the second floor came crashing down [killing] her.
The New Zealand Herald
March 9, 2011 Wednesday
Eight more quake victims named

Protecting Girls from Negative Media Influences

Susanna Barrett, whose daughter appeared on Toddlers &Tiaras, recently filed a $30 million lawsuit against TMZ and other news outlets for featuring a video montage that she felt "sexualized" her five-year old.  In the video, her daughter Isabella is seen performing to LMFAO's song "Sexy And I Know It."  While many parents surely understand Susanna's reason for this specific suit, many also find fault with an entire entertainment industry that exploits girls, and with networks like TLC that glamorize the childhood pageant world.

Others simply wonder why mothers would expose their children to the pageant world in the first place.

Such outrage is also increasingly directed at clothing labels, which sell shirts for young girls that include slogans like "scratch and sniff" or "so many boys, so little time".

So how can parents protect their children from a culture that exploits them at such early ages?  And how can they teach them to stand up for themselves and resist such influences?

Dr. Tim Kimmel -- author and Executive Director of Family Matters (familymatters.net) -- has answers.  Considered one of America's top advocates for the family, Tim has written multiple best-selling books
on parenting, including "Raising Kids for True Greatness".  He has strong views on why it's critical that parents work to protect their children:  "We need to draw up new battle plans." says Kimmel.  "We
fought for their intellect. We fought for their paychecks.  Maybe it's time we fight for their souls."

Tim talks about why the pageant and music industries often get away with exploiting young women; why it's important to take a stand as a parent against degrading slogans on girls' clothing; how parents can approach these topics with their daughters; and why fighting for girls' dignity is just as important as is fighting for education and work opportunities.