Harkin Leads Senate in Unanimous Vote Demanding Political Balance on American Forces Radio and Television Service



Democracy Radio



WASHINGTON
— Democracy Radio and Media Matters for America yesterday lauded Senator
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and the entire United States Senate for calling on
the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) to provide
political balance in its public affairs programming. On June 14, 2004,
Senator Harkin introduced an amendment to the 2004 Department of
Defense authorization bill, calling on Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld to develop appropriate methods of oversight to ensure the news
service presents balanced political programming. The measure passed in
the Senate by unanimous consent.



“It's
gratifying that the United States Senate recognizes that AFRTS is
failing to provide politically balanced radio programming to its
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines,” said Tom Athans, executive
director of Democracy Radio. “Our fighting men and women hold a variety
of political beliefs and they deserve to hear diverse programming that
more fairly reflects those beliefs.”



For the
past seven weeks, Media Matters for America (see left sidebar under
Great Tools) has been monitoring The Rush Limbaugh Show, resulting in
the capture and publication of Limbaugh's offensive statements . . . .
Media Matters for America has written two letters to Secretary Rumsfeld
requesting that he consider removing the conservative talk radio host
from AFRTS.



A recent
survey by Democracy Radio discovered that The Rush Limbaugh Show is the
sole program of its kind on AFRTS that offers political commentary.
AFRTS is a broadcast service funded by public tax dollars and reaches
nearly 1 million U.S. troops every day.



“Not
only is it unacceptable that our troops are being conditioned with this
destructive propaganda, it is abhorrent that the American taxpayer is
now paying for the broadcast of a reckless radio host . . . ,” said
David Brock, president and CEO of Media Matters for America. “The
Senate action is a step in the right direction to ensure that
Limbaugh's messaging can be countered with more credible voices
reaching out troops.”



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