🚀 go-pugleaf

I sympathize fully with the aims and strategies of the Media Foundation.
They should know, however, that under current American law they have no
First Amendment case whatsoever (see CBS v. Democratic National Committee,
412 U.S. 94, 116 (1973)).  In this case (and others), the Supreme Court has
declared that individuals/groups had no First Amendment right to advertise
in the broadcast or print media.  The last outlet of truly public media in
the U.S. is public access cable television, and I think the Media
Foundation should try to utilize this tool to spread their message.  Deep
Dish TV or Free Speech TV might be the best  networks to carry the spot.

The left has been legally shut out of the mainstream, corporate media for
over 20 years.  It's time to start building upon, reinforcing and expanding
 alternative structures.  This is not to say that we shouldn't be making
arguments for alternative interpretations of the First Amendment, but I
think that such arguments can ultimately only be effective with a
grassroots groundswell behind them.  I also think the only spaces likely to
survive First Amendment challenges, given the Court's Liberal democratic
orientation, are those that are wholly reserved for public use.

___________________________________________________________________________
Laura Stein
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Radio-TV-Film
University of Texas at Austin
3416B Robinson, Austin, TX 78712
phone: (512) 477-4639
Email: Lauras@uts.cc.utexas.edu
___________________________________________________________________________