Rachel Maddow Hosts DC PC Awards, Because 'Diversity Isn't Diverse Enough'

April 2nd, 2009 6:59 AM

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is helping strike another blow for cable "diversity" today by hosting an award ceremony for the media-company AIDS/HIV-awareness group Cable Positive in Washington.

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