Avaaz.org Stands Up to “Crony-Media Mogul”

It seems South Africa isn’t the only place where media freedom is on the attack. Avaaz.org, the petitioning site that helped crush the push for reestablished commercial whale fishing, is under attack from Canadian a media mogul about campaigns trying to stop government favours for a new “radical right” propaganda network. Here’s the latest from a mail we received this morning…

“Dear friends,

Avaaz has come under attack from a major media-mogul.

Huge numbers of Canadian Avaazers recently mobilized against government favours for a new radical-right propaganda network run by the Prime Minister’s former spin doctor. The media empire behind the network and its billionaire owner, Pierre Karl Peladeau, has attacked our community with several smear pieces in their own newspapers, and one of their executives admitted insider knowledge of a criminal sabotage of our campaign. Now the mogul has threatened to sue Avaaz if we don’t take down our campaign within 24 hours!

This is how big corporate power works to silence people’s voices. But Avaaz is a community of almost 6 million people — together we’re far stronger than any corporate bully.

“Crony-media” and its incestuous combination of unscrupulous politicians and biased reporting is a rising threat to democracy in many countries, from Italy to the US to Australia. Let’s take a stand, and show them their intimidation tactics will only backfire. They’ve given us a 24 hour ultimatum:

Democracy is on the march across the world, but anti-democratic interests have figured out a counter-attack: crony-media. When a political leader teams up with a massive media empire, they become hard to beat at the polls, no matter how bad they are.

In Italy, Prime Minister Berlusconi controls over 80% of the news channels, and has a major stake in leading newspapers, magazines and publishing. Berlusconi is mired in scandal and corruption allegations, but the spin on his networks is always positive. In the US, UK, and Australia, mega-mogul Rupert Murdoch exploits his empire to get sweet deals from politicians, whom he in turn backs for office. His infamous Fox News is the largest cable news network in the US. After President Barack Obama spurned Murdoch and boycotted his propagandistic network, Fox News spawned the radical right Tea Party group, and provided a platform for hate and racism, suggesting that Obama is a terrorist and hates white people.

The idea for a new Canadian crony-media network was reportedly hatched in a secret lunch between Rupert Murdoch and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Harper was George W. Bush’s closest ally on climate change and many other issues, and is widely understood to be importing a radical form of right-wing politics to Canada from the US. The new network, dubbed “Fox News North” would transform Canada’s media landscape, bringing an unscrupulously biased mouthpiece for a political leader. Avaaz’s campaign opposes a special government favour that would force taxpayers to foot the bill for this new network through their cable TV fees. This is an example of how crony-media works — a billionaire gets government-mandated funding for their media network while pushing propaganda that backs that government’s leader.”

Many of these media barons are also ruthless in how they achieve their political objectives: pushing opinions that poison people’s hearts and polarize our world, threatening democracy and peace. Canada is the latest battle — let’s make it the battle where people-power begins to turns the tide on crony-media. We have 24 hours to win this one — click below to donate:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_up_to_crony_media/?vl

Part of the promise of the Avaaz movement is our ability to work on the issues that cut across all others. The subversion of democracy by the collusion of political leaders and media-corporations is a threat to all the things we care about, from climate change to poverty to human rights. With our global reach, Avaaz might be one of the only organizations that can fight this rising threat to democracy. We’ve been given a 24 hour challenge — let’s rise to it.

With hope,

Ricken, Luis, Iain, Emma, Alice, Ben, Giulia, Alex and the rest of the Avaaz team.”

We’re rooting for Avaaz, so donate if you can or share the story…

Canada’s Creative Speed Bumps

In Canada an organisation called preventable.ca has partnered with BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation in a joint safety campaign which features a pretty bizarre approach to reducing vehicular speeds. The conventional speed bump has been replaced with a 3D Optical Illusion of a girl picking up a ball in the middle of the road.

Even though this does sound like something in the “not such a great idea” category, but according to the organisation it shouldn’t cause any accidents. “It’s a static image. If a driver can’t respond to this appropriately, that person shouldn’t be driving….”

Read more about it at the Preventable site…

Story via Discover Magazine

Support YesMen Labs

Remember not so long ago when Canada acknowledged that the developed world is to blame for climate change, or when the New York Times ran an article declaring the Iraq War finished? What about when then New York Post headlines told their readers they were screwed, and global warming will be triggering floods and natural disasters in their city? Amazing to see that big-business has finally decided to take responsibility for all the trouble they’ve caused and the lives they have destroyed… wait… no, they didn’t. All of the above-mentioned things actually happened, but it was from a different kind of “representative” they didn’t see coming.

Over the past 12 years or so, The Yes Men have been calling the biggest polluters, human traffickers and socially irresponsible companies and organisations out to play in a way you wouldn’t expect. Instead of going the usual route of protesting and petitioning, Yes Men prefer making public announcements on behalf of these institutions (instead of waiting around for them to eventually take the rap). They have mastered the art of pranking, and taken it a step further by using it as a tool for social change.

Now they’re taking it to the next level again by introducing The Yes Men Labs, a component of their organisation dedicated to brainstorming concepts and helping other activist groups pull off similar stunts. Currently they are fundraising to get the Labs component sustainable, and you can assist by either donating via PayPal on their site, or even just buying their DVD online. Whichever way you think you can help, do it! Share this with your mates, and direct people to their site to further their impact!

Check out “The Yes Men Save The World DVD Trailer Below:

Also, visit their site at or find them on Facebook to see some of the other crazy stuff they get up to in the name of good!

So if you’d like to donate, or read more about The Yes Men Labs, visit them at theyesmen.org/lab