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Latino, Monitor Groups Say Proposed FCC Rules Limit Media
Diversity
Extraordinary Rendition Victim Maher Arar Accepts Letelier-Moffitt
Human Rights Award
Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture Program
Latino, Monitor Groups Say Proposed FCC Rules Limit
Media Diversity
The FCC is currently reconsidering a number of broadcast
ownership rules, including whether a single company should
be able to own both a newspaper and television station in
the same market. A new study conducted by the Media and Democracy
Coalition has concluded that the proposed FCC rule changes
would reduce local news coverage and eliminate diverse voices
and viewpoints. We speak with National Hispanic Media Coalition
President Alex Nogales and Consumer Federation of America
Research Director Mark Cooper. [includes rush
transcript]
This evening, a town hall meeting on diversity and ownership
of the Media will be held here in New York. Federal Communication
Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein will be
in attendance as well as community leaders, media representatives
and other citizens concerned about media ownership.
The FCC is currently reconsidering a number of broadcast
ownership rules, including whether a single company should
be able to own both a newspaper and television station in
the same market. A new study conducted by the Media and Democracy
Coalition has concluded that the proposed FCC rule changes
would reduce local news coverage and eliminate diverse voices
and viewpoints.
Mark Cooper is the Research Director of the Consumer Federation
of America. His organization participated in the study that
is being released later today. He joins me from Washington
DC. Here in New York I am joined by Alex Nogales, President
of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
- Mark Cooper. Director of Research, Consumer Federation
of America.
- Alex Nogales. President of the National Hispanic Media
Coalition.
- Video excerpts of public testimony at FCC Hearing in
Los Angeles earlier this month.
Extraordinary Rendition Victim Maher Arar Accepts
Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award
On Wednesday night, the Institute for Policy Studies presented
its 30th Annual Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards in Washington
DC. But one of the main award winners – extraordinary
rendition victim Maher Arar -- was unable to attend. He remains
on the U.S. no-fly list even though his own government in
Canada has publicly acknowledged he is an innocent man. We
play Arar’s acceptance speech. [includes rush
transcript]
On Wednesday night, the Institute for Policy Studies presented
its 30th Annual Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards in Washington
DC. But one of the main award winners -- Maher Arar -- was
unable to attend. He remains on the U.S. no-fly list even
though his own government in Canada has publicly acknowledged
he is an innocent man.
Arar is the Canadian citizen who was abducted by U.S. officials
at Kennedy airport in New York in 2002. He was then transported
to a prison in Syria where he was held for 10 months and 10
days in a cell that resembled a grave. He was beaten, tortured
and forced to make a false confession about having ties to
Al Qaeda.
He was eventually released without charge. He became the
first survivor of the U.S. government’s secret extraordinary
rendition program to speak out. In September the Canadian
government cleared his name and criticized the Bush administration
for its actions.
At last night’s awards ceremony, a video message from
Maher Arar was shown.
- Maher Arar. Videotaped acceptance speech to IPS Letelier-Moffitt
Human Rights Awards.
Online Exclusive:
Watch Maher Arar's full videotaped speech: Download
|| Stream
Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture Program
British journalist Stephen Grey helped expose the Bush administration’s
secret CIA rendition flights. He joins us to talk about his
new book, “Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture
Program.” [includes rush
transcript]
Joining me now in our New York studio is the British journalist
who has helped expose the Bush administration’s secret
CIA rendition flights. Stephen Grey has just published a new
book called “Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA
Torture Program.” The book covers the case of Maher
Arar as well as dozens of other men who have been disappeared
by the CIA and U.S. military.
- Stephen Grey. An award-winning investigative journalist
who has contributed to The New York Times, Newsweek, The
Atlantic Monthly and many other publications. He first exposed
the secret rendition program back in 2004. His new book
is “Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture
Program.”
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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