Pull the Plug on Monsanto
In a message dated 9/19/05 6:01:38 PM, L BUZZELL writes:
<< Dear Liz,
Tell KVIE and Your Local PBS Station to Pull the Plug on Monsanto!
Right now, Big Agriculture is trying to add public television to its arsenal of advertising tools, and it will succeed if the American public doesn't take back its airwaves. Take action today to stop Monsanto and other industrial agriculture interests from taking over your public airwaves. On September 24, American Public Television (APT), Sacramento's KVIE and PBS member stations across America plan to launch a television series called "America's Heartland" that is paid for by Monsanto and other corporate farming interests. Monsanto wouldn't be paying for this programming if it didn't tell the story Monsanto wants told about genetically engineered crops, and industrial, chemical-based agriculture. These just happen to be the company's core business interests. Thousands of people have written letters and e-mails to APT and KVIE expressing concern about the series, yet neither are willing to discuss the issue with CFS or other concerned organizations, like the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Stations planning to air the show just announced! <> Is your local station airing it?
Call KVIE, and your local PBS station today and tell them not to air the show until underwriters for the series can be found whose business interests are not directly linked to the subject matter of this series!
Call KVIE at (916) 929-5843. To find your local station, click HERE
http://www.pbs.org/stationfinder/index.html .
The series' promotional materials, as well as the press releases issued by Monsanto and the Farm Bureau, clearly state that America's Heartland is the result of a "strong partnership between Monsanto Company, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and other U.S. agriculture groups," and that the series is intended to raise "awareness of the agriculture industry, particularly among the nation's opinion leaders," leaving little doubt that business propaganda may take a prominent role.
KVIE, the series' producer, has already shown a strong bias in support of genetic engineering in its "California Heartland" segment called "Brave New Heartland" (episode #545), which was devoted almost entirely to a detailed presentation of the purported benefits of agricultural biotechnology.
This series even fails APT's own tests for "determining the acceptability of proposed program funding arrangements," including its straight-forward Commercialism Test: "Might the public conclude the program is on public television principally because it promotes the underwriter's products, services or other business interests?" According to APT's tests, "The most important factor to be considered is the character and directness of the perceived connection between the program funder and the subject matter of the program." This connection could hardly be clearer or more direct for the sponsors of "America's Heartland."
To protect the public airwaves from being co-opted by corporate interests, it is imperative that American Public Television and PBS's KVIE find underwriters for America's Heartland that do not have a vested interest in the practices, purchases and products of those farmers and to remove from the series any segment that discusses genetically engineered food or crops without also discussing the many scientific and public health concerns surrounding this technology.
Pbs Stations set to air America's Heartland. Is your local station on the list? Call them today!
ETV Update
Spartanburg
SC
8645039371
http://www.etv.state.ms.us
Jackson
MS >>
Informant: hopedance
<< Dear Liz,
Tell KVIE and Your Local PBS Station to Pull the Plug on Monsanto!
Right now, Big Agriculture is trying to add public television to its arsenal of advertising tools, and it will succeed if the American public doesn't take back its airwaves. Take action today to stop Monsanto and other industrial agriculture interests from taking over your public airwaves. On September 24, American Public Television (APT), Sacramento's KVIE and PBS member stations across America plan to launch a television series called "America's Heartland" that is paid for by Monsanto and other corporate farming interests. Monsanto wouldn't be paying for this programming if it didn't tell the story Monsanto wants told about genetically engineered crops, and industrial, chemical-based agriculture. These just happen to be the company's core business interests. Thousands of people have written letters and e-mails to APT and KVIE expressing concern about the series, yet neither are willing to discuss the issue with CFS or other concerned organizations, like the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Stations planning to air the show just announced! <> Is your local station airing it?
Call KVIE, and your local PBS station today and tell them not to air the show until underwriters for the series can be found whose business interests are not directly linked to the subject matter of this series!
Call KVIE at (916) 929-5843. To find your local station, click HERE
http://www.pbs.org/stationfinder/index.html .
The series' promotional materials, as well as the press releases issued by Monsanto and the Farm Bureau, clearly state that America's Heartland is the result of a "strong partnership between Monsanto Company, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and other U.S. agriculture groups," and that the series is intended to raise "awareness of the agriculture industry, particularly among the nation's opinion leaders," leaving little doubt that business propaganda may take a prominent role.
KVIE, the series' producer, has already shown a strong bias in support of genetic engineering in its "California Heartland" segment called "Brave New Heartland" (episode #545), which was devoted almost entirely to a detailed presentation of the purported benefits of agricultural biotechnology.
This series even fails APT's own tests for "determining the acceptability of proposed program funding arrangements," including its straight-forward Commercialism Test: "Might the public conclude the program is on public television principally because it promotes the underwriter's products, services or other business interests?" According to APT's tests, "The most important factor to be considered is the character and directness of the perceived connection between the program funder and the subject matter of the program." This connection could hardly be clearer or more direct for the sponsors of "America's Heartland."
To protect the public airwaves from being co-opted by corporate interests, it is imperative that American Public Television and PBS's KVIE find underwriters for America's Heartland that do not have a vested interest in the practices, purchases and products of those farmers and to remove from the series any segment that discusses genetically engineered food or crops without also discussing the many scientific and public health concerns surrounding this technology.
Pbs Stations set to air America's Heartland. Is your local station on the list? Call them today!
ETV Update
Spartanburg
SC
8645039371
http://www.etv.state.ms.us
Jackson
MS >>
Informant: hopedance
Starmail - 20. Sep, 14:43
