Talk show anchor Amy Goodman criticizes media

Emma Epstein Assistant Life Editor

From Anchorage, AK to Tampa, FL Amy Goodman’s voice comes over airwaves and through television screens as the anchor of “Democracy Now! The War and Peace Report,” a progressive, investigative current events talk show. Today, her voice will reach one more community as she delivers a lecture entitled “Independent Media in a Time of War” in the Villard Room at 5:30 p.m.

Co-anchored by Juan Gonzalez, “Democracy Now!” airs for two hours, five days a week on over 400 radio and television stations world-wide.

“We provide a forum for debate and discussion about the most important issues of the day: war and peace, which is life and death,” said Goodman.

Goodman has received numerous journalism awards for her groundbreaking and controversial reporting, including the Alfred I. Dupont-Columbia University Award, the George Polk Award, and the Robert F. Kennedy Prize for International Reporting.

Goodman is, however, often incredibly critical of the same media that has endowed her with its most prestigious awards. “It has reached an all-time low,” she said. “Instead of covering those in power, it covers up for those in power.”

Lack of opposition to the war in Iraq has become disgraceful, commented Goodman. “The media acted as a conveyor belt for the administration,” she said. “When no WMDs were found in Iraq, it not only exposed the administration, it exposed the media.”

While recent media coverage has been more critical of the actions of the American government, Goodman still finds its lack of initiative alarming. “Unfortunately the media has not lead the way in exposing the administration,” she said. “It is now beginning to catch up, ask serious questions.”

Goodman said that much of the corruption she finds in the media stems from the consolidation and commercialization of media outlets. “It doesn’t matter how many channels there are, it matters who owns them,” she said.

To remain a “sanctuary for dissent” rather than become yet another “cheerleader for war,” Democracy Now! is completely independent, receiving funding only from listeners, viewers, and foundations. The show’s website claims that it does not accept advertisements, donations from corporations or donations from governments.

In 2004, Goodman and her brother David published a book entitled The Exception to the Rules: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media That Love Them. “The title of the book is our motto, but it should not just be ours, it should be all of the media’s,” said Goodman.