As the citizens take the streets of downtown LA, there remains to be seen a coverage of the issues by the corporate press. Often the coverage by the networks, CNN website, ABC News will only focus on arrests, conveniently ignoring the issues presented. When confronted with this problem, the response is "the protestor's have no real focus and aren't educated on the issues".

My own personal confrontation with a photographer yesterday at the Mumia rally summed up the media's problem. The rally yesterday was a powerful gathering of the diverse communities of Los Angeles in defense of Mumia Abu Jamal. Powerful speaker's including Mumia's son and Pam Africa took the stage. But as I turned around, I noticed a man in a skeleton mask holding the American flag surrounded by photographers. I asked one photographer where he was from.

"The Washington Post"

And I asked him why he was choosing to shoot an ominous almost violent image, as opposed to the powerful image on the stage, namely Mumia's son who was speaking truth to power.

His answer.....

"I'm looking for a dramatic image, and people just talking on stage isn't very dramatic".

I asked him if he thought Al Gore was a dramatic figure and if not then why do the press swarm around non-issues rather than the issues being presented on the streets of Los Angeles .

He couldn't really answer the question.

So there you have it. Unless there is drama, action, violence..it just isn't worth covering. And the issues?

They don't really fit into a soundbite or the corporate media's agenda. It is important to understand how misinformed the American public truly is on issues that directly effect them and it is imperative citizens target with direct action the corporate media.