By Request: The Media

Southpaw asks:

There's been a lot of talk about the unbalanced media environment in this election, and how it benefits McCain. What should Democrats actually do to counteract that advantage? (aside from opting out of the public financing system and running a buttload of paid media.)

I think that what Democrats should do is the same as what ordinary citizens should do -- support good media, punish bad media. If you subscribe to The Washington Post stop, and explain to them in a detailed letter why you're stopping. Subscribe to The American Prospect, and The Nation, and Mother Jones. When you read a Media Matters item about some BS on cable read the contact information under the "Take Action" banner and send them a note. If your note is going to the General Electric corporation, make sure to tell them you like Countdown and that Rachel Maddow should host a television show.

Powerful elected officials can do all those things but can also, as Republicans do with conservative media, support progressive media with access and praise to help raise the profile of progressive institutions.

Doing the "ordinary person"-side stuff can be tedious and annoying, but it must be done. Working the refs is hard work, and the right got where it is today by putting in the hours.