Intermarkets' Privacy Policy
Support


Donate to Ace of Spades HQ!



Recent Entries
Absent Friends
Bandersnatch 2024
GnuBreed 2024
Captain Hate 2023
moon_over_vermont 2023
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022
Dave In Texas 2022
Jesse in D.C. 2022
OregonMuse 2022
redc1c4 2021
Tami 2021
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published. Contact OrangeEnt for info:
maildrop62 at proton dot me
Cutting The Cord And Email Security
Moron Meet-Ups





















« Dorkiest Video Ever | Main | Supreme Court Won't Review Obama's Eligibility for Presidency »
December 08, 2008

TNR: We Need a Bailout -- a Federal Works Program -- for Laid-Off Journalists

Sure. Guaranteed employment for hacks who couldn't hack it. Great.

Barack Obama sounds like he wants to reach back to the New Deal's Works Progress Administration to jump start the economy with an economic stimulus proposal featuring infrastructure repair. If so, it may be time for the man who would be FDR to take a look at another successful--but largely forgotten--jobs program from the Depression era: the Federal Writers Project.

...

The Federal Writers Project operated from 1935-1939 under the leadership of Henry Alsberg, a journalist and theater director. In addition to providing employment to more than 6,000 out-of-work reporters, photographers, editors, critics, writers, and creative craftsmen and -women, the FWP produced some lasting contributions to American history, culture, and literature...

...Today, there are many dislocated "old media" journalists from newspapers, radio, and television on the street--here I declare my personal interest, as one of them--who could provide a skilled pool to staff a new FWP. But since these journalists represent only a fraction of the larger displaced workforce, it is fair to ask what the public benefit would be of money spent.

This time, the FWP could begin by documenting the ground-level impact of the Great Recession; chronicling the transition to a green economy; or capturing the experiences of the thousands of immigrants who are changing the American complexion. Like the original FWP, the new version would focus in particular on those segments of society largely ignored by commercial and even public media.

Ah. So it's to be more left-wing than NPR. Or the NYT.

Link leads to Newsbusters, with commentary. SPOILER ALERT: They don't think much of this idea.

If this seems goofy to you, consider: Writers and artists are a noisy bunch capable, sometimes, of influencing the public debate. If Barack Obama wanted a legion of jocksniffing sycophantic haigiographers and hacks, this would be a pretty cheap way to get them. Well, I mean, he's already got them, of course. But now they'd be working directly for him, instead of through a proxy like CNN.

The only downside is the public revulsion at yet another bailout for white-collar types while the blue-collars get pinkslips and unemployment checks. But someone in the Cult of Obama might decide the upside is bigger than the downside.


Thanks to CJ.


digg this
posted by Ace at 05:29 PM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
Soothsayer : " [i]Honestly I thought pretty much every MA town ..."

http://shipping.evergreenfriends.site/improving-your-business-enterprise-wellness-with-the-definitio: "I do not know if it's just me or if perhaps everyb ..."

Tonypete: "They are kind of fascinating to observe in real ti ..."

nurse ratched : "The novel was a single book about a domination kin ..."

Braenyard: "116 Pic up top has inspired me to have G&T. Except ..."

GWB: "After Yom Kippur is the traditional Airing of Grie ..."

Alberta Oil Peon: "Cleared off a little here, but the comet is below ..."

18-1: "[i]So which one should I donate to? I'm thinking m ..."

Sebastian Melmoth: "126 50 Shades of Grey Was an awesome romance n ..."

Tampon Timmy Rambo!: "Hunt ducks with a gun? Monstereous! Cowardly! You ..."

Eromero: "118 There is no music linked to the top pic. We've ..."

Alberta Oil Peon: "Seems of narrow interest for so many too chatter a ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64