Your Government Wants To "Reinvent Journalism"

As Hot Air says, what could go wrong?

Seems the Federal Trade Commission has taken it upon itself to "save" American journalism. They've published a discussion draft of their work so far. It's horrifying. Truly.

Here's just a bit...

History in the United States shows that readers of the news have never paid anywhere close to the full cost of providing the news. Rather, journalism always has been subsidized to a large extent by, for example, the federal government, political parties, or advertising.

Advertising revenue is a "subsidy"?

And by government subsidies they mean reduced postal rates for magazines and the publication of legal notices in newspapers. That is precedent enough for some at the FTC to have the federal government allot public funds to non-profit "news" organizations through something they will call "Local News Fund Councils." Orwellian enough for you?

Here's the idea in their own words, in case you just don't believe me...

Establish a National Fund for Local News. One report recommends that: “A national Fund for Local News should be created with money the Federal Communications Commission now collects from or could impose on telecom users, television and radio broadcast licensees, or Internet service providers and which would be administered in open competition through state Local News Fund Councils.” The report notes that the FCC currently uses surcharges and other fees to underwrite telecom services for rural areas and the multimedia wiring of schools and libraries, among other things. These fees support the public circulation of information in places the market has failed to serve. If such a “Fund for Local News” were created, measures would need to be in place to reduce the potential for political pressures and interference as to how the money is distributed.

They also are big proponents of increasing the money given to the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, because as everyone knows, NPR is a great source of unbiased, fair news reporting. Good grief.

The whole report is about 35 pages long and is found in a PDF here. Please go read it.