NOW Campaigning to Dissuade CNN from Hiring Rush Limbaugh

Interview by Between The Lines' Scott Harris

Progressive activists, already angry about their virtual exclusion from news coverage and commentary in U.S. corporate media were horrified to learn that the AOL/Time-Warner owned Cable News Network was talking with Rush Limbaugh in hopes of hiring the right wing radio talk show host as a commentator.

CNN, losing ground in the cable ratings war to Rupert Murdoch's unabashedly conservative Fox News Channel, presumably hopes to boost viewership by giving Limbaugh a new platform from which to spew what many label as sensational and hateful rhetoric. Although conservatives criticize CNN as a "liberal mouth piece," studies have revealed that the network offers little opportunity for labor, environmental or human rights activists to speak to the nation.

In response to the CNN-Limbaugh negotiations, the National Organization for Women has launched a campaign to persuade the news network's management to look elsewhere on the political spectrum for new program hosts.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with NOW president Kim Gandy, who explains why her group is working to stop CNN from giving Limbaugh a larger audience(A RealAudio Version of this interview may be found At http://www.btlonline.org) .

Contact NOW by calling (202) 628-8669 or visit their Web site at www.now.org

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