The new “Fusion” network, created by ABC and Univision, tried to brand itself as pro-protester by hosting an all-day protester summit in Washington on Wednesday. David Montgomery of The Washington Post sympathetically reported the program included “members of Pussy Riot, the Russian punk-feminist band, as well as organizers of demonstrations in Ferguson, Mo., and a leader of the Million Hoodies Movement for Justice.” Unsurprisingly, there were no Tea Party or pro-life protesters mentioned.
Into this "progressive activist space," Fusion anchor Jorge Ramos strangely interviewed Obama’s U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power – strange because he had to know she would be, in turn, protested by the leftist “anti-war” harpies from Code Pink. Or was this all a nicely pre-arranged publicity stunt?
The midday speaker, Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, provoked an unscheduled practice class. Ramos had just asked her about decisions to use force in response to atrocities abroad when three young women from antiwar Code Pink walked on carrying signs.
“We’re here to ‘rise up’ against war,” declared one of the women. One of their signs read, “Millennials think you’re a war hawk.”
Ramos asked the ambassador’s looming security detail not to push the women off the stage. He wove the protesters’ complaints into the interview.
“One thing about living in a democracy is people also get to listen and talk and don’t talk over one another,” Power said.
What’s an activism conference without a little activism?
After the session, Ramos hustled to get an interview with the Code Pink demonstrators.
Montgomery explained that this gathering was "oh-so-hip" and hit a "millennial sweet spot."
Creating a space for shocks of recognition, and opportunities for exchanging ideas and inspiration, was the point of RiseUp. It was also a splashy and oh-so-hip coming- out for Fusion, the television and digital network that hosted- the conference (a.k.a. #FusionRiseUp-).
Fusion was created a year ago by Univision Communications and the Disney/ABC Television Network. Its target audience exists somewhere in that wired millennial sweet spot where news, pop culture, satire and global humanism meet.
“The underlying theme of the event is, basically, ‘how do you convert political protest into social progress?’ ” said Marcus Brauchli, chairman of RiseUp and former executive editor of The Washington Post.
Why is it not surprising that the Washington Post is covering former bosses at The Washington Post as they all support left-wing protest for “social progress”?
This is leftist-protest sympathy is part of Fusion's branding, as it explained on its "RiseUp" website:
Fusion is about independent, isolated elements interacting to create world-changing energy. Fusion media platforms offer engagement and influence with millennials who are leading and participating in global protest movements and a strong point of view in the areas of news and current events, politics, lifestyle and pop culture. Fusion creates content that is smart, authentic, and funny—and connects it with audiences across live and digital platforms.
PS: Here's Ramos interviewing the Code Pinkos about their "progressive activist space" and how "warmongers" are dominating the media narrative:
