Amy Goodman, the host of independent news program Democracy Now! will broadcast her show today from WOUB television studios, despite the station's refusal to carry the program.
Goodman was one of two keynote speakers for the 2009 Schuneman Symposium sponsored by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Today she will record and air her show live from WOUB studios in the Radio-Television Communications building at 8 a.m.
In the past, local advocacy groups have pushed to see Democracy Now! offered in WOUB's programming lineup, arguing that the program covers stories that are underreported in the mainstream media.
Mark Brewer, WOUB's Chief Content Officer, said that the station reviewed the show and made a decision that it was not willing to cut any other news programming, which the station believes is stronger than what can be seen on Democracy Now!.
He explained that the station offers paid services to clients, and that Democracy Now! is simply a client. This event has no bearing on WOUB's decision not to carry the show, he said.
Athens Free Press, one of the advocacy groups, is a loose affiliation of media reform advocates who have been pushing to see the show aired by WOUB after getting the idea from PBS host Bill Moyers at the 2005 National Conference for Media Reform in St. Louis, said Bob Stewart, a member of the group and associate director of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
I think Democracy Now! has a type of coverage that isn't available currently in this market
Stewart said. He said he is encouraged by the fact that WOUB management did not say no to broadcasting a taping of the show.
WOUB management has the right to broadcast whatever shows they choose, Stewart said. He did note, however, that there is an hour of the NPR show All Things Considered that is repeated every night where Democracy Now! could be aired.
Goodman's visit will not prompt WOUB to reconsider its current stance on Democracy Now!, Brewer said.
Because both the journalism school and WOUB are part of the Scripps College of Communication, WOUB waived the facility charges for Democracy Now!, but they will still have to pay salary expenses to the station.
The show will be available to view online today at Democracynow.org. 1
News
Luke Wright
