We see that Sesame Workshop was honored yesterday by the Defense Department at the National Press Club for its DVD aimed at helping the children of military personnel sent overseas, including to Iraq. Elmo is featured in the show. “There can be no more powerful voice of support than Elmo. He expanded well beyond our own ability to reach out,” Leslye A. Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy was reported saying. CPB’s president Patricia Harrison was present and spoke at the event, according to one source. Wal-Mart helped support the Sesame Workshop project via a $1.5 million grant.
We have not seen the DVD or script. But given the award, we think a comment is required. While such a project is noteworthy in its intent, it raises a number of serious concerns. Public broadcasting needs to maintain editorial distance from both the White House and Congress. The war in Iraq is not just your routine deployment. Certainly, the children and families of deployed troops require comfort and assistance. But public broadcasting should also be about truth telling, including placing in context why we have gone to war.
Month: April 2007
MySpace Presidential `Primary
Rupert Murdoch’s MySpace has just announced “plans to hold their own Presidential primary. The social networking giant will hold virtual elections on January 1 and 2, 2008.” [via Webpronews]. Here’s what Fox Interactive execs said: “The MySpace community will give America its first Presidential primary winner in 2008,” said Chris DeWolfe, CEO of MySpace. Tom Anderson, MySpace president was quoted saying “Iowa and New Hampshire may be selecting delegates, but the MySpace vote will be the first test of where candidates stand in the election year.”
Will this be a truly secret ballot? Or will MySpace’s extensive data collection system merely add our presidential preferences to what it calls its “digital gold“—our data files? Supporters of online campaigning must do a better job raising the ethical and policy issues. Otherwise they will end up with an interactive election system which does not truly reflect the Internet’s democratic potential.
Congressional Internet Caucus—–Break Your Special Interest Ties
Today’s column by Washington Post reporter Jeffrey Birnbaum focusing on the sale of products and services at Congressional Internet Caucus events [“Soliciting for Good Citizens” reg. required] underscores why it’s time for the bi-partisan group to restructure its relationship with the Internet Education Foundation’s Advisory Committee.
This Congress is supposed to be breaking the ties between the powerful lobbying infrastructure and its political deliberations. Permitting the most powerful corporate media and telecom special interests to, in essence, determine the Caucus agenda is inappropriate (to say the least!). No group funded by the telecom and media industry should play a role as well in shaping the Caucus agenda. We hope the Net Caucus will clean house. Will Caucus co-chairs Senator Pat Leahy, Rep. Rick Boucher, and Rep. Robert Goodlatte do the right thing?