Woefully unquestioning media coverage of the coup in Honduars. John Pilger discusses

[blacbloc]

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! in discussion with John Pilger about what he calls a 'conspiracy of silence, a censorship by omission'. Blog comment here with links to Pilger's interview and other assessments and comparisons of media coverage of various trouble spots around the world. The bottom line appears to be, if the US approves - the media will sell it. If the US does not approve, the media will howl with obedient indignation.

‘A contrived silence, a censorship by omission’ John Pilger on Honduras MediaBite Blog

[Panopticon]

I don't think he is being entirely fair - nobody in the Americas is for the coup. Pilger is inclined to let his beliefs cloud his reportage.

[cactusflower]

There were astounding videos available online yesterday of thousands of Zelaya supporters trying to break in to the airport, and being shot at and teargassed while the military blocked the runways to prevent his plane landing.

Did any of this reach the mainstream news broadcasts?

[Clanrickard]

There were astounding videos available online yesterday of thousands of Zelaya supporters trying to break in to the airport, and being shot at and teargassed while the military blocked the runways to prevent his plane landing.

Did any of this reach the mainstream news broadcasts?

How about the fact that pro-Zelaya supporters were vastly outnumbered by anti-Zelaya supporters on the streets of the capital after the coup. No mention of that either.

[Clanrickard]

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! in discussion with John Pilger

Neither of these two has much credibility when it comes to covering anything to do with US foreign policy. I read Exception to the rulers and it is basically far left rants.

[Gadfly]

Counterpunch.org is always worth checking out, especially on stories that the mainstream media downplays. Honduras is no exception.

Here is one narrative that hasn't yet featured in the mainstream - and they still wonder why people are turning to alternative sources of information.

Zelaya seems to have some concept of the public interest - blocking privatisation and defending a minimum wage;
such dangerous radicalism proved too much for vested interests to bear;
Micheletti, the coup leader, is a longstanding proponent of standard neo-liberal dogma, notably as regards privatising telecommunications;
the employers' federation (COHEP) has backed the coup; and
two US-trained generals (yes, the School of the Americas again) have played key roles.

Same old, same old ...

Nikolas Kozloff: Honduran Coup to Venezuelan Coup

Key quote:
"Today it is the U.S.-trained military and the corporate globalizing elite which are most actively seeking the demise of progressive reform in Latin America. Time and again, it is these two key constituencies, acting in tandem, which have sought to overthrow governments."

[blacbloc]

Neither of these two has much credibility when it comes to covering anything to do with US foreign policy. I read Exception to the rulers and it is basically far left rants.

That is so ridiculous as to be laughable. If you were to say that out loudin public among a room full of journalists, they'd be laughing for an hour. John Pilger is one of the most experienced journalists in the world with almost 50 years of work under his belt. He has been in countless war zones, risked his life on many occasions to cover the stories of people suffering appallingly at the heart of what he calls 'rapacious power'. Pilger has seen the underbelly of US Foreign policy at close quarters - among the people who are grossly afflicted by its callous indifference to their plight - so long as the profits and the resources are secured, the US knows it can rely on slavish, unthinking and indifferent followers of the democracy myth they pedal.

Amy Goodman is a vastly experienced journalist and host of one of the most popular prorgrammes on US radio.

[Own Arris]

That is so ridiculous as to be laughable. If you were to say that out loudin public among a room full of journalists, they'd be laughing for an hour. John Pilger is one of the most experienced journalists in the world with almost 50 years of work under his belt. He has been in countless war zones, risked his life on many occasions to cover the stories of people suffering appallingly at the heart of what he calls 'rapacious power'. Pilger has seen the underbelly of US Foreign policy at close quarters - among the people who are grossly afflicted by its callous indifference to their plight - so long as the profits and the resources are secured, the US knows it can rely on slavish, unthinking and indifferent followers of the democracy myth they pedal.

Amy Goodman is a vastly experienced journalist and host of one of the most popular prorgrammes on US radio.

I agree +1

[merle haggard]

Neither of these two has much credibility when it comes to covering anything to do with US foreign policy. I read Exception to the rulers and it is basically far left rants.

your post assumes both US foreign policy in latin america and your defence of it have credibility in excess of the 2 journalists your feebly attempting to blacken .
it should be funny but its really just pathetic .

[merle haggard]

How about the fact that pro-Zelaya supporters were vastly outnumbered by anti-Zelaya supporters on the streets of the capital after the coup. No mention of that either.

did you count them ?