The Pattern of News Blackouts in Alabama

As Libertarian Loretta Nall campaigns for Governor of the state of Alabama, citizens will find plenty of television, radio, and press coverage in various parts of the country, and even around the world. That is, everywhere except for the state of Alabama.

Nall's campaign has received a minimal amount of coverage in the state, with the exception of this week's appearances on local ABC, NBC, and FOX television outlets, all the result of the attention the candidate has received from a major AP story that went out globally. Until this week Nall had been virtually ignored by the major media, which has opted instead to focus on Bob Riley's bid for re-election.

Is there some sort of odd pattern here?

The very same media that has ignored Russ and Dee Fine's termination by Crawford Broadcasting has also largely ignored Nall, at least until the AP forced the issue.

The one common element that the Fines share with the Nall campaign is Bob Riley. The Fines' exposure of Riley's membership in the racist Grand Lodge led to their termination. Nall is running against Riley.

Over the past few days Nall has received support from places such as Toronto, Chicago, Boston, and other major metropolitan areas. She has made headlines in places as far away as the U.K. Yet the state of Alabama is just now catching on?

When the media is a co-conspirator in an orchestrated news blackout, taking its cues from politicians who wield an enormous amount of influence, society suffers. The citizens never get the complete story. This is bad for democracy, and it is bad for the state of Alabama.

The fact that the Governor of a state can wield so much power as to virtually silence any negative commentary should send chills up the spine of any conscientious citizen. If this sort of travesty can happen to Russ and Dee Fine, we should all shutter to think what a powerful political machine can do to those who are not in the public spotlight.

Loretta Nall's own personal story about her chilling encounter with law enforcement agents who descended upon her home in 2002 is a perfect case in point.

It is gratifying to see Nall getting the news coverage she has been sorely needing all along in this campaign. But that coverage has come with less than 2 weeks to go in the campaign. How convenient. While I'm certain that for Nall it's better late than never, too bad that there is no last minute media push on behalf of Russ and Dee. The local media didn't even cover a Masonic protest against racism held outside the Grand Lodge in Birmingham--a protest that was inspired by the Fines.

I have these questions. Is there a real news organization in Alabama, or is the media simply a 'polit-bureau'--the voice of propaganda of the state? What or WHO is the ultimate source of these news blackouts?

These questions demand answers.