The station is non-partisan, challenges all politicians--Bush and Clinton both--and asks tough questions. On air they've directly challenged Clinton himself and Lou Dobbs of CNN (proving Dobbs a liar about immigration) and are not afraid of the things mainstream media is afraid of.
The station was founded and is hosted by Amy Goodman, an amazing journalist I look up to as a student journalist myself. Wikipedia has this to say about her.
Quote:
In 1991, covering the independence movement in East Timor, Goodman and fellow journalist Allan Nairn were badly beaten by Indonesian soldiers after they witnessed a mass killing of Timorese demonstrators in what became known as the Dili Massacre.[6] She has speculated that the only thing that spared her the fate of the Australian-based journalists who were killed in East Timor in 1975 was an American passport; the United States was providing military support to the Indonesian army at the time. The U.S. did not cut off military aid to Indonesia until 1993.
In 1998, Goodman and journalist Jeremy Scahill documented Chevron Corporation's role in a confrontation between the Nigerian Army and villagers who had seized oil rigs and other equipment belonging to oil corporations. Two villagers were shot and killed during the standoff.[7] On May 28, 1998 the company provided helicopter transport to the Nigerian Navy and Mobile Police (MOPOL) to their Parabe oil platform which had been occupied by villagers who accused the company of contaminating their land. Soon after landing, the Nigerian military shot and killed two of the protesters, Jola Ogungbeje and Aroleka Irowaninu, and wounded 11 others. Chevron spokesperson Sola Omole acknowledged that the company transported the troops, and that use of troops was at the request of Chevron's management. The documentary won the George Polk Award in 1998.
[edit] Arrest at 2008 Republican Convention
During the 2008 Republican National Convention, several of Goodman's colleagues from Democracy Now! were arrested and detained by police while reporting on an anti-war protest outside the RNC.[8][9] While trying to ascertain the status of her colleagues, Goodman herself was arrested and held, accused of "obstruct[ing] a legal process" and "interfer[ing] with a peace officer",[10] while fellow Democracy Now! producers were held on charges of probable cause for riot.[11] The arrests of the producers have been criticized as unlawful and a violation of the freedom of the press.[12] Goodman and her colleagues were later released, but as of September 2008 they still face charges stemming from their arrests,[13] although City Attorney John Choi has indicated that the charges will be dropped.[14]
"She's more confrontational than most reporters," said Fred Melo, reporter with the St.Paul Pioneer Press, after Goodman's arrest.
In 1998, Goodman and journalist Jeremy Scahill documented Chevron Corporation's role in a confrontation between the Nigerian Army and villagers who had seized oil rigs and other equipment belonging to oil corporations. Two villagers were shot and killed during the standoff.[7] On May 28, 1998 the company provided helicopter transport to the Nigerian Navy and Mobile Police (MOPOL) to their Parabe oil platform which had been occupied by villagers who accused the company of contaminating their land. Soon after landing, the Nigerian military shot and killed two of the protesters, Jola Ogungbeje and Aroleka Irowaninu, and wounded 11 others. Chevron spokesperson Sola Omole acknowledged that the company transported the troops, and that use of troops was at the request of Chevron's management. The documentary won the George Polk Award in 1998.
[edit] Arrest at 2008 Republican Convention
During the 2008 Republican National Convention, several of Goodman's colleagues from Democracy Now! were arrested and detained by police while reporting on an anti-war protest outside the RNC.[8][9] While trying to ascertain the status of her colleagues, Goodman herself was arrested and held, accused of "obstruct[ing] a legal process" and "interfer[ing] with a peace officer",[10] while fellow Democracy Now! producers were held on charges of probable cause for riot.[11] The arrests of the producers have been criticized as unlawful and a violation of the freedom of the press.[12] Goodman and her colleagues were later released, but as of September 2008 they still face charges stemming from their arrests,[13] although City Attorney John Choi has indicated that the charges will be dropped.[14]
"She's more confrontational than most reporters," said Fred Melo, reporter with the St.Paul Pioneer Press, after Goodman's arrest.
I'll be frank--Democracy Now! can be boring. It talks about and goes in depth on the tough & complicated issues. But they're important issues. Volunteers, not advertisers, keep the station running.
If you want real media, please, turn to Democracy Now. :]
