Cable Positive chief Steve Villano, a former Mario Cuomo aide, is the kind of political-correctness cop who tends to hound the media because "Diversity Isn't Diverse Enough," because a month isn't enough time for pride for the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender community, or because black and Latino churches, for example, are still "hotbeds of homophobia."
In full-page ads in broadcasting trade publications, Cable Positive touts that their Power Awards honor "exceptional people whose passion, vision, resourcefulness, and hands-on leadership are inspiring and empowering us to educate the world about HIV/AIDS."
"Educate the world" often means, in TV terms, advocacy against conservative "hate" and for "safe sex." Brent Bozell reported on how a Viacom "education" campaign in 2003 translated into sitcoms mocking teenagers who didn't use condoms with lines like this: "Congratulations, you just reached a level of stupidity only found in Republicans and lower primates."
Maddow, who is both gay and extremely far left, is not alone in the PC hosting department. On March 19, CNN's Soledad O'Brien hosted the annual "Headlines & Headliners" fundraiser for the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association: "Join NLGJA and CNN's Soledad O'Brien for a headline-making evening in a city where the news never stops. It's your chance to mix and mingle with some of the top names in journalism and entertainment at the fantastic Time Warner Center."
Top media companies kicked in with the cash. The top "Diamond Level" of donation came from NBC Universal, followed by the "Gold Level" donors at ABC, Bloomberg, and the Murdoch trio of Fox News, Fox Business, and News Corporation. CBS News only managed the "Bronze Level" of financial activism. The list of "special guests" from the "objective" news media was long:
Dari Alexander, Fox 5 New York
Christiane Amanpour, CNN
Ernie Anastos, Fox 5 New York
Sade Baderinwa, WABC New York
Ashleigh Banfield, TRU Television
Joy Behar, The View
Alisyn Camerota, Fox News Channel
Steve Capus, NBC News
Sam Champion, ABC News
Liz Cho, WABC New York
Katie Couric, CBS News
Ann Curry, NBC News
Rick Folbaum, Fox News Channel
Larry Hackett, People Magazine
Ellis Henican, Newsday
Karen Hepp, New York TV Anchor
Juliet Huddy, Fox
Mike Jerrick, Fox
Hoda Kotb, NBC News
Paula Madison, NBC Universal
Andrea Mitchell, NBC News
Russ Mitchell, CBS News
Jeanne Moos, CNN
Natalie Morales, NBC News
Carl Quintanilla, CNBC
Bill Ritter, WABC New York & ABC News
Geraldo Rivera, Fox News Channel
Amy Robach, NBC News
Robin Roberts, ABC News
Thomas Roberts, Television News Anchor
Maggie Rodriguez, CBS News
Al Roker, NBC News
Rosanna Scotto, WNYW's Good Day New York
Diane Sawyer, ABC News
Alison Stewart, MSNBC/NPR
Elizabeth Vargas, ABC News
Meredith Vieira, NBC News
Alexandra Wallace, NBC News
Jenna Wolfe, NBC News
Chris Wragge, CBS News
