Censored: The Top 25 Censored Stories

With its aim of ruthless criticism of the existing order, of monitoring the powerful institutions and of bringing real news that builds movements for social change, the `Project Censored' fulfills a most necessary democratic role. Its top 25 stories show `the bankruptcy of any morality and decency': stolen presidential elections, testing AIDS drugs on children, selling nuclear technologies to Iran (!), 9/11 mysteries (the collapse of the WTC 7 tower without being hit), cover-ups of tortures in Iraq and Afghanistan, suppression of bad news and statistics on climate change, hunger and homelessness ... Its top story is all important indeed: free access to Internet for everybody. Its picture of the corporate news media is plainly catastrophic. They are turned in Pravda like (C. Johnson) governmental mouthpieces, creating a soviet like virtual world of blurred propaganda, advertising and `fake' news. Besides very useful follow-ups on previous censored stories, this book contains also excellent comments by specialists; e.g. on the Global Dominance Group and its aim of establishing a world totalitarian empire and its belief that `Democracy is best defended by an ignorant public pumped on nationalism and religion', or on the Yugoslav crisis with its Western intervention in order to create new friendly States ... and new NATO bases. Censored 2007, like all previous editions of the Censored group, is a must read for all democrats.

With each and every corporate media mega-merger, the news industry becomes less competitive and, as a result, less informative. These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get real news. Luckily, for those who want to keep informed, there is Project Censored (PC), a non-profit news organization developed by Peter Phillips, Professor of Sociology at Sonoma University. This year's CENSORED 2007 is PC's 30th anniversary edition and, along with the top 25 censored stories of the year and the usual array of supplementary essays on media bias, this year's edition includes updates on the most important stories of the last 30 years - a nifty bonus. 2007 stories include: 1. The Future of the Internet: giant cable companies seek a monopoly on cable Internet 2. Halliburton charged with selling nuclear secrets to Iran - illegally - under Cheney 3. The worldwide death of oceans: warming, toxic buildup, dead zones, changing PH balance, fish, grass and kelp die offs 4. Hunger and homelessness in the US on the rise: Government solution? Discontinue Census surveys that keep statistical tables on poverty 5. US supports genocide in the Congo to gain access to resources used to make high-tech gadgetry such as cell phones 6. The end of federal whistleblower protections 7. US operatives torture detainees to death in Afghanistan and Iraq 8. Pentagon exempts itself from the Freedom of Information Act 9. World Bank funds the Palestine-Israel Wall 10. The death toll of civilians in Iraq from the expanded air war 11. Dangers of genetically modified foods confirmed 12. The dangers of common pesticides like Roundup 13. Homeland Security contracts KBR (a Halliburton subsidiary) to build detention centers in the US 14. The EPA's primary research partner is the chemical industry 15. Ecuador and Mexico defy the US on the international criminal court 16. The Iraq reconstruction promotes OPEC agenda: profit for major US oil companies 17. Physicist concludes that official 9/11 explanation is scientifically implausible 18. Destruction of rainforests is at an all-time high 19. Bottled water: a global environmental problem 20. Gold mining threatens ancient Andean glaciers 21. Billions in homeland security undisclosed 22. US Oil targets Kyoto in Europe 23. Cheney's Halliburton stock rose of 3000 percent last year 24. Pentagon plans to build new landmines 25. US military in Paraguay threatens the region But don't just stop at the headlines. The stories are packed with details, sources, links, and at the end of the book there is a wonderful appendix of alternative media venues. Perhaps the most important publication in journalism, CENSORED should not be overlooked. Mandatory annual reading. j.w.k

This book is a must read for anyone who cares about news or what is happening in the world today. The book covers a number of different stories that have been left out of the corporate media coverage, as they usually will shame either sponsers or politically powerful people. Coverage includes global warming, the Iraq war, the White house and President Bush, Congress and a host of other characters. This book is very well written with stories that give the information needed, but contained to keep them readable. Each story has a link to web site to obtain more information if the reader desires. If Bill O'Rielly wants to be "fair and balanced" and end the "spin" he should cover these stories. But, he won't, and either will any other corporate owned media outlet! Read the book...it will put corporate media into a whole new light.

Everyone in the country must read this book. I look forward to them making it into a movie so even more people become aware of the information contained within every page of this book. Kudos to the class and every one else involved at Sonoma State University that produce the top 25 censored stories every year! Thank You Professor Phillips and Professor Jensen! Your work is so very important in keeping the public informed about the events that are not covered by mainstream media but are vital to all of us who live in this country, and all of the people around the globe.