--- F R E N D Z of martian --- I know I keep on sending you all these nutty posts, but I can't help but notice these things...M. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/01/13/drugs/index.html http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/01/13/drugs/index3.html http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/01/13/drugs/index2.html http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/01/13/drugs/index1.html Prime Time Mind-Control After a six-month investigation, the online magazine Salon has reported that the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy - more commonly known as the Drug Czar's office -- has been paying millions of dollars to all six US television networks, in return for secretly putting government-approved and government-written Drug War messages in their prime-time programs. The networks: NBC, ABC, CBS, WB, Fox, and UPN. Among the shows: ``Beverly Hills 90210,'' ``ER,'' ``Chicago Hope,'' ``The Drew Carey Show,'' ``Seventh Heaven,'' ``The Practice,'' ``Home Improvement,'' ``Sports Night,'' ``Promised Land,'' ``Cosby,'' ``Trinity,'' "The Wayan Bros," ``Providence,'' ``Sabrina the Teenage Witch,'' ``Boy Meets World,'' ``General Hospital'' and others. According to Salon, in 1997 Congress funded a five-year, $1 billion anti-drug media campaign. Some of this money was used to buy TV ads. Part of the deal the drug warriors made with the networks was that broadcasters would give the government one free public service ad for every ad paid for. In the spring of 1988, the government offered the networks a lucrative variation: if the networks would send copies of TV scripts with drug themes to the Drug Czar's office for approval - including, sometimes, rewriting - the networks would be given back some of the public service ad time, which they would be free to sell. The deal was worth millions to the networks, and they jumped on it. During the past two years, the networks have been sending primetime scripts and videotapes to the Drug Czar's office for approval and/or rewriting. (UPN started this season.) According to Salon, the networks have made around $25 million so far. NBC received over $1 million for a single drug plot on "ER." Donald Vereen, deputy director of the drug-control policy office, explained his agency's aims: "When the message is embedded in [programming], it has a much more valuable 'oomph.' The message has to get deeper than a 30-second or a 60-second spot." Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey apparently is also now U.S. Minister of Propaganda. The deal was, understandably, kept highly secret. According to Salon, most writers and producers had no idea that network bosses were inviting government drug agents to serve as co-writers and co-producers. The Salon story was the first media mention of the deal. Salon speculates the deal may violate federal payola laws, which require disclosure of any consideration paid -- either directly or indirectly -- in return for the airing of content of any kind. Alan Jay Schwartzman, president of the Media Access Project, a public interest law firm, told Salon: "This is the most craven thing I've ever heard of yet. To turn over content control to the federal government for a modest price is an outrageous abandonment of the First Amendment." To the Washington Post, he added, "The idea of the government attempting to influence public opinion covertly is reprehensible beyond words. It's one thing to appropriate money to buy ads, another thing to spend the money to influence the public subliminally." President Clinton expressed support for the program. In his classic novel 1984, George Orwell warned that "Big Brother is watching you.'' Not quite, notes the San Jose Mercury News: "As it turns out: you're watching Big Brother." (Sources: Salon; San Jose Mercury News; DRCNet, Los Angeles Times) -- Sent to you via the frendz list at marsbard.com The archive is at http://www.mail-archive.com/frendz@marsbard.com/
