a short monthly column on media and politics that Tracy and I coauthored for In These Times:

TxtPower

Wondering what tools progressives can use to increase political engagement in ’06? Check your pocket. The Pew Research Center for The People & The Press reports that 66 percent of American adults now have cell phones, and 32 percent of those between 18 and 29 say they “couldn’t live” without them.

According to MobileActive.org, a group that tracks cell-phone activism around the globe, “Mobile phones have emerged as a campaign organizing tool across traditional socio-economic and cultural boundaries.” Callers have used text-messaging to sign petitions, coordinate seemingly spontaneous gatherings (known as “smartmobs”) and engage in citizen journalism. In San Francisco, Mobilevoter.org is working with the Chinese American Voter Education Committee to launch a cell-phone assisted voter registration drive, And FrontlineSMS.com helps NGOs reach out to targeted communities in developing countries. Check out the Mobile Messaging Awards at 160characters.org in late May for a glimpse at emerging text message applications.

Our So-Called News

Just when you thought television news couldn’t get any worse, information has surfaced that there’s a good chance you haven’t been watching the news at all.

The Center for Media and Democracy has identified 77 television newsrooms over a ten-month period that have broadcast Video News Releases (VNRs) produced by such corporate types as General Motors, Intel, Pfizer and Capital One—without disclosure to the viewers.

According to the group’s report, “In each case, these 77 television stations actively disguised the sponsored content to make it appear to be their own reporting. In almost all cases, stations failed to balance the clients’ messages with independently-gathered footage or basic journalistic research.” Combined, these 77 television stations reach more than half the U.S. population.

In an effort to clamp down on fake news, the media reform organization Free Press has started an online petition to demand that the Federal Communications Commission strengthen disclosure requirements and penalize news outlets that violates such regulations. To sign the petition, go to http://action.freepress.net/campaign/fakenews. To read the full report, go to www.prwatch.org/fakenews/execsummary.