Hear the Six Best Minutes of Tim Robbins' Controversial NAB Speech

It's quite easy to stand on the sidelines and shoot arrows at the people who have the actual responsibility of managing the issues and concerns that this country faces. I'd be interested to know what sacrifices or activities Mr. Robbins has participated in to help make this country a better, safer, and place to live. I'd also like to know: if there is a better place on this planet to live, a place with more opportunities and freedom, a place to safely raise a family, I'd like to know why the Robbin's family - with all their money (that was made in THIS miserable country) - isn't living there? Mr. Robbins lives up to the worst stereotype what most people think of Liberals: an unhappy person that whines about all the things he/she believes is wrong with this country and everything in it, but does not have the creativity, ability or intelligence to propose any viable solutions nor the fortitude to become involved with any of the existing government organizations that can develop and actually implement needed solutions.

Oh geez, give me a FAH-REAKIN' break. I cannot believe this guy. Him and his wife need to go live in Haiti for awhile and then come back and tell me about guardianship and what kind of country this is. I'm sitting here thinking, "Why do people even listen to this person? What has he EVER done to serve his country? What kind of credentials does he have that doesn't involve a script??" Please - stick to acting. At least in that world you can fabricate things much easier - youre comfort zone - and hey, maybe win a (self back slapping) Academy Award for it? When this guy can commit to a marriage, then maybe he might gain a microscopic sliver of credibility with me. Thank GOD that this guy never joined the military. They would eat him for lunch...he wouldn't last an hour.

I find myself actually agreeing with Mr. Robbins. These are strange days indeed.

Robbins has a good point that the media should do more to support this country in a positive light, and not focus on the entertainment-based reporting (like "news" of the American Idol program.

Personally, I wish the news would stop reporting as national news, local missing person reports, stop making personal comments and opinions after reproting a story, and stop making comments intended to influence the political process and our free elections.

I don't disagree with Tim Robbins' comments on what the media reports about. Most of it is just aweful exploitation. However, I'll tell him what I've told others... If you think its so bad here, go somewhere else and live.

Eloquent, moving, insightful.

As far from "Bush lied, people died" and other bumper sticker rantings from the far left that we are used to hearing.

Hooray for you, Tim Robbins!

I may disagree with many of your political positions, but not one word of your very, very fine address.

Bravo to you from a 30 yr broadcast veteran.

It's interesting to see the personal comments posted in reaction to Mr. Robbins' speech. I suggest staying focused on the issue at hand - not on Mr. Robbins'. The issue is the role and effect of the media in our culture.

I absolutely agree that media reform is necessary and profits are blurring the moral and ethical decisions being made by broadcasters.

Media is more influential and powerful than most people think. Without proper oversight power is abused. Important decisions are made by a small group of people mainly concerned about profits, dividends and job security. Without proper oversight controversial messages will not be heard. That's not freedom.

Furthermore, please don't compare the U.S. to a third-world dictatorship. The U.S. is one of the most powerful, wealthy, educated and technologically advanced nations in the history of the world. We should take a leadership role in standing up for ethics and morality in our media – not standing back and saying, "...at least we aren't oppressive like Saddam."

The masses need to wake up, turn off the television and gain some perspective on the world beyond the range of the remote control.

Hard to believe I agree with anything Tim Robbins or his odious partner has ever said.

However, his speech was a 10 ring bulls-eye with which I fully agree and wholeheartedly support.

I always saw him as Crash (Costner) did - "Meat."

But on this particular occaision I applaud his opinion efforts with ambiguity or qualification. Well done Mr. Robbins - try and keep it up.

Isn't that typical. Tim abhors the "media" broadcasting the car crash, or living off the misery of those more unfortunate. Unless of course it's a compelling tale of ohhh say a prisoner on death row.
But wait, they bring that special type of Robbins/Sarandon compassion to the subject that all us rubes need to be enlightened about. What an ass.
Maybe he was as drunk as he sounds.

Some of you people are unbelievable.

1) Tim Robbins has done more charity work in a week, then you will probably perform in your lifetime. He has actually put his career aside a couple of times to help this country and others.

2) Those of you that say often, "if you don't like it then leave," don't really understand what it means to live in this county. Living in this country and saying things that Tim Robbins and others say to help IMPROVE the way we all live shouldn't be poo-poo'd as hating the US, but should be lauded by trying to make the country we live in better.

For those of you that would rather sit there and take what we are given are not real Americans at all, you are the people that allow leaders like George Bush to be elected, and allow your rights to be trampled on, or allow the media to just say and do whatever they damn well please.

Those whose first reaction isn't to intelligently argue with what Mr. Robbins has to say, but just to say, "if you don't like it leave," have no business having an opinion on anything.

I tell my children don't believe half of what you hear, and none of what you read. The truth scares some of you so much, that this is all you have...

You were probably the same people criticizing President Clinton for getting a hummer in the White House, but yet excuse the lies of this administration which is getting people killed.

Sad...truly sad.

"If you think its so bad here, go somewhere else and live."

You and your like believers don't own this country, and
have no business telling other people how or where
to live.

What exactly is controversial about this speech? What's newsworthy about it?

Is the NAB audience so insular that they've never taken seriously the comments of Bill Cosby and the dozens of conservatives who've been making the same remarks for years?

You'd think the audience might have at least EXPECTED some criticism from Mr. Robbins, given his compelling portrayal of a sleazy studio executive in The Player.

The only surprise in this snippet of Mr. Robbins' remarks was that he avoided the suggestion that government attempt to regulate broadcast content. I guess he hasn't heard that his high-ranking Democrat friends are in the content regulating mood... As they are considering reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine, in order to counterbalance to the soaring popularity of conservative talk radio and blogs.

Or, perhaps Mr. Robbins is taking his first baby step towards conservativism, (following in David Mamet's recent footsteps) and publicly recognizing that bigger government isn't the solution to every societal ill.

Now that would be controversial.

Tim sounds lofty and inspired, does he not? To bad he cannot live up to his own expectations and cannot see past his nose.....ask not what your country can do for you, Tim.

I heard the entire speech (which all of the nay-sayers should do) then today saw a story about MARTHA STEWART'S DOG DYING! Our government lies to us and cheats us and the media finds time and room to report this?

Robbins is on the money!

Though I am far (far far far far) from Robbins' Euro-leftist politics, I love what he does here.
It reminds me of a luncheon speech that Michael Crichton gave a talk at the National Press Club where he told the nation's reporters how bad they really were in much the same terms as Robbins uses here.

BRAVO! It's about time someone with clout stuck up for our society. I don't expect any change from our broadcast overlords but Mr. Robbins' words are now in the books.

Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon will attract political arrows for their beliefs, but he's talking about tv's effect on our culture and our kids, not the election. Stop feeding America crap, Les Moonves, Jeff Zucker, and Bob Iger et al. Reality tv pays the bills for now, but I've turned it all off to watch scripted shows: 'Weeds' on iTunes is more enjoyable and thought/laugh-provoking than any episode of 'American Idol' or 'Biggest Loser'. Give me 'Mad Men,' too. This garbage from the 4 1/2 webs is teaching our future leaders--yeah, that's your kids, too -- to poke fun at and lack empathy for their fellow citizens. "Let's celebrate the loser losing. Let's laugh at the wife in tears on national tv whose husband snags $25 G for admitting he's cheated, and ruins his kids' lives." I turned on network when it had a raison d'etre, and have tuned it out the last year. Bring back Archie Bunker and MASH, or network honchos are doomed to watch the ratings continue to disappear along with their stock options. The guys programming our kids' aspirations (or lack thereof) have proven Newton Minow's lowest common denominator theory, despite their plaintive bleats to the contrary. As Pogo said in his famous strip, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."--Mad As Hell in New Canaan, and I'm not going to take it anymore.

Of the NAB is insular, of course we don't like to hear the truth. Look the news can very simply be summarized by three things: look at what richer and more important people than you did today (politics, expert opinions, business news, celebrity stuff, etc), let's see how we can exploit the lesser among us (reality TV, game shows, etc) and the poor got fed up and decided to take it out on each other (drug dealing, car jacking, gang murders, etc), because rich people live too far away (usually)

I applaud Tim Robbins for raising the public conscience. I completely agree with a previous statement that people with the narrow, idiotic opinion if you don't like it here so leave, or you wouldn't survive for an hour in the military. I'm glad that many of your children are cannon fodder in most wars and will continue to be so. Comparing our country to Haiti is laughable, of course every country has its share of crap TV. That's what people seem to like, but we can put better shows out there, just look at Seinfeld, it wasn't a ratings darling out of the gate, but it became a legend . More shows should be given the time necessary to develop that way.

I sense that some comments appear to be of the type known as "Shoot, kill the messenger!" If the presentation is so upsetting, why not examine the upset (exercise some introspectio)rather than just child-like lashing out at the person you disagree with - Mr. Robbins was exercising his right to an opinion, his suggestions were not commands, just simple requests for change. If you have only the "Profit and Power Motivation" you will completely ignore his remarks and continue on with your work as before. Think about it!