RADAR's Accomplishments 2005

In 2005, RADAR recruited its initial staff and developed its website. Over the course of the year, RADAR launched media campaigns directed to the Washington Post, New York Times, the Public Broadcasting System, and other media outlets. RADAR worked to educate the public and lawmakers about the Violence Against Women Act, and engaged in other advocacy efforts.

Over the course of the year, RADAR issued 52 Alerts and 8 press releases. RADAR also encouraged the writing of numerous op-eds and letters to the editor.

All these activities generated widespread awareness about RADAR. A Google search of "Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting" brought up 363 hits, including a mention in the section on domestic violence in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_violence

Media Campaigns

Prompted by the defamatory Maternal Homicide series in the Washington Post the previous December (see http://www.mediaradar.org/pmm_articles.php), RADAR launched its weekly Alerts. Alerts were directed against biased media coverage in the New York Times, Lifetime TV, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), and other media outlets.

Public Broadcasting System

RADAR's most intensive media campaign of the year was directed to PBS, which aired Breaking the Silence: Children's Stories on October 20. Carried out in coordination with other groups, RADAR's efforts included 8 Alerts, 4 press releases, letters to members of Congress and to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Inspector General, and encouraging columnists to write op-eds.

On November 29, CPB ombudsman Ken Bode issued a report that described the program as lacking in "balance and fairness" and highlighted RADAR's effective advocacy efforts (http://www.cpb.org/ombudsmen/051129bode.html). A few days later PBS ombudsman Michael Getler criticized the show as offering "no recognition of opposing views." A number of PBS affiliates decided to not air the show.

On December 21, PBS released a statement saying the producers "approached the topic with the open mindedness and commitment to fairness," but promising a follow-up program the following year. For additional information, see: http://www.mediaradar.org/BTS_articles_news.php.

Violence Against Women Act Renewal

As Congress took up the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, RADAR launched its Shock and Awe campaign in July. Working in collaboration with RADAR's partners, tens of thousands of faxes, e-mails, letters, phone calls, and personal visits to members of Congress over a four-month period. RADAR staff also lobbied on Capitol Hill.

RADAR also enlisted a group of columnists to write articles about VAWA: Stephen Baskerville, Wendy McElroy, Cathy Young, Phyllis Schlafly, Richard Davis, Gordon Finley, Mark Rosenthal, Lisa Scott, Mike Spaniola, and David Usher. These articles appeared in many newspapers and on many internet sites.

As a result of the extensive media coverage and constituent communications, both the Senate and House versions of the bill included language designed to clarify that male victims of DV qualify for VAWA services. However, the bill was not finalized in 2005.

For further information, see: http://www.mediaradar.org/vawa_reauth2005.php.

Other Advocacy Efforts

Alerts were directed to other groups, including the Men's Resource Center of Massachusetts (Feb. 13), Stanford University Law School (April 24), and Amnesty International (Sept. 19).