The Socialist Behind the Idea of Government Funding for News

Alex Adrianson / June 24, 2010

Michael Copps, a Federal Communications Commissioner, warns that if you propose government funding for newspapers, then “[s]ome guy is probably going to be on cable screaming up and down saying you’re Mao Zedong.” He seems to be scoffing at the notion that such funding is akin to a totalitarian effort at thought control. But should he be so sure?

Copps himself cites the ideas of Robert McChesney, a professor at the University of Illinois and founder of the group Free Press. Randolph May writes about McChesney at the Free State Foundation blog, noting some quotes that show McChesney clearly embraces the socialist label for himself. More importantly, the quotes reveal that McChesney sees government funding of news as essential to the socialist project to overthrow capitalism. (more…)