An existential crisis for constitutional rule, the rule of law, and the liberties we cherish

[Tom Klammer]

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Tom Klammer <tellsome...@yahoo.com>
To: Tom Klammer <tellsome...@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tue, February 8, 2011 7:58:58 AM
Subject: An existential crisis for constitutional rule, the rule of law, and the liberties we cherish

"As Chomsky is to linguistics, Ben & Jerry's to ice cream, and Elvis to shaking one's hips, McChesney is to media analysis.  He is the King: there is no one more definitive."    -  Danny Schechter

McChesney's work has been of extraordinary importance.  It should be read with care and concern by people who care about freedom and basic rights."    -  Noam Chomsky

"Robert McChesney follows in the great tradition of Upton Sinclair, Geroge Seldes, I.F. Stone, and Ben Bagdikian in exposing the ruthless hold of corporate power on the nation's media."    -  Howard Zinn

"I think at this point the idea that American journalism is in a deep, profound and existential crisis is almost passe'... I think what is less well understood is that such a collapse of journalism is also a crisis for democracy...self government cannot work without an informed citizenry, and that can't work without journalism."    -  Robert McChesney

Tonight at 6pm on Tell Somebody on 90.1 FM KKFI in Kansas City, streaming at www.kkfi.org, Free Press co-founder Professor Robert McChesney will be live on the phone talking about the crisis in journalism and democracy on a pledge drive edition of the show.

Yes, another pledge drive.  I know a lot of listeners are not crazy about pledge drives, but we make no apologies.  We have to have them to stay on the air. KKFI is not a commercial enterprise like the commercial radio stations in Kansas City, almost all of which are owned by two out-of-town corporations - Entercom and Cumulus.  Unlike NPR stations, we don't receive funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting or support from a university.  We don't get corporate underwriting from "banksters"  like Bank of America or union-busting law firms like public broadcasting here does.

Our funding comes from you, so we have to ask you for it.  The good news is that we don't have our music and information programming dictated by a corporate flak in Pennsylvania or Texas, and we don't have to worry about offending extremist politico's in Washington if we tell the truth about them, and we don't have to worry that our shows might offend a profit-driven corporation.   We are your community radio station, and we are answerable to you.

Please consider making a donation to your station.  And while all the money goes into the same pot - I don't get any money in this volunteer operation - none of it goes directly in support of this show - please consider making a donation during Tell Somebody tonight as kind of a vote for locally produced public affairs programming. 

I've got just 5 re-usable, recycled, recyclable Tell Somebody grocery bags left to thank the first 5 callers who donate $60 or more to KKFI on a credit card.   Call 888-931-0901 tonight, February 8, at 6pm central time.  Suppport your community radio station and listen to Robert McChesney.

Tom Klammer   www.tellsomebody.us

.