How Small Media Bested Big Media

From Editor Robert Parry: Over the last few weeks during the Syrian crisis, we have seen something remarkable – how underfunded independent media outlets like Consortiumnews.com can successfully challenge Big Media when it slides into a dangerous “group think.”

Unlike 2003 when President George W. Bush stampeded the United States into a reckless war in Iraq, a decade later the U.S. government couldn’t simply brush aside legitimate questions about its case for war with Syria. Our skepticism – as expressed by journalists and ex-intelligence professionals at Consortiumnews.com – reached millions of Americans via the Internet.

Thus, we contributed to a citizens’ movement that told the politicians and the pundits that the American people wouldn’t be fooled again, that a democracy demands an informed electorate, not just one that accepts whatever the government tells us.

Which is why it’s important that we finish our summer fundraiser on a strong note. We are only $10,000 short of our modest goal of $25,000, which would be enough for us to stretch our budget through to our end-of-year fund drive.

So, please give what you can. You can donate by credit card online or by mailing a check to Consortium for Independent Journalism (CIJ); 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 102-231; Arlington VA 22201. (For readers wanting to use PayPal, you can address contributions to our account, which is named after our e-mail address: “consortnew @ aol.com”).

Your donation may be tax-deductible since we are an IRS-recognized 501-c-3 tax-exempt non-profit.

Or, you can buy one of my last four books through the Consortiumnews’ Web site – or my latest book, America’s Stolen Narrative, through Amazon.com, either in paper or the e-book version. A portion of each sale will go toward our goal.

Or, for only $34, you can get the trilogy that traces the history of the two Bush presidencies and their impact on the world. The three books – Secrecy & Privilege, Neck Deep (co-authored with Sam and Nat Parry) and America’s Stolen Narrative – would normally cost more than $70.

To get the books for less than half price – and help us meet our fundraising goal – just go to the Web site’s “Donate” button and make a $34 “donation” using Visa, Mastercard or Discover. We will read a donation of that amount as an order for the trilogy.

If your mailing address is the same as your credit card billing address, we will ship the books to that address. If your mailing address is different, just send us an e-mail at consortnew@aol.com and we will make the adjustment. For U.S. orders, we will pay for the shipping. (For non-U.S. orders, add $20 to defray the extra cost.)

You can also take advantage of this special offer by mailing a check for $34 to The Media Consortium; 2200 Wilson Blvd.; Suite 102-231; Arlington VA 22201. Or you can use our Paypal account, “consortnew @ aol.com.” Just make sure you include your mailing address in the message.

Again, thanks for your support.

Robert Parry is a longtime investigative reporter who broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for the Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. He founded Consortiumnews.com in 1995 to create an outlet for well-reported journalism that was being squeezed out of an increasingly trivialized U.S. news media.