Parachute Journalism Over Rustbelt

Article in the Chicago Reader by Kerri Cardoza,10/30/24

Headline: “Complicating the Rust Belt”

Subhead: “New Belt anthology is a welcome antidote to the mainstream media’s parachute reporting”

“The Rust Belt, the postindustrial midwest, flyover country. Are these terms—which describe the area roughly from Wisconsin to Buffalo, New York—useful anymore? Were they ever? Every four years, the mainstream media parachutes into Small Town, USA to paint in broad, generic strokes what “real America” is like, imbuing the area with the power to sway presidential elections though not important enough to pay much attention to otherwise.

“Since 2013, Belt Publishing has done the opposite—it has invested in writers and writing that go deep into the heart of middle America. Their titles cover everything from a West Virginia teachers’ strike to a history of Arab Americans in Indianapolis to a deep dive into Chicago’s house music scene.”

https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/complicating-best-of-the-rust-belt/

Podcasts Stomping Out Newspapers?

Article in Al Jezeera by John Power, 10/31/24

Headline: “What Joe Rogan, Washington Post dramas say about the US election and media”

Subhead: “Trump and Harris have both shunned newspapers in favour of podcasts, highlighting media’s struggle for relevance.”

“Two stories about the United States presidential election this week highlight the total transformation of the news business.

“One involves Joe Rogan, the world’s most popular podcaster.”

“. . . Tellingly, while both Trump and Harris have made time for a number of high-profile podcasts, neither has sat down for an interview with The [Washington] Post.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/10/31/what-joe-rogan-washington-post-dramas-say-about-the-us-election-and-media

No Media Endorsement? – The Fallout

Article in The Hill by Dominick Mastranglo, 10/30/24

Headline: “Trump: Newspapers pulling endorsements means ‘I’m doing a great job’ “

“Former President Trump took a victory lap Wednesday after several leading newspapers chose not to endorse Vice President Harris in next week’s presidential election.

“Do you notice the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times aren’t endorsing anybody? You know what they’re really saying? Because they only endorse Democrats,” Trump said during a rally in North Carolina. “They’re saying, ‘This Democrat’s no good. They’re no good,’ and they think I’m doing a great job. They just don’t want to say it.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4962360-trump-newspapers-pulling-endorsements/

Rich Men and the Media

Thomas Nast Cartoon

Article in the New York Times by By David Streitfeld, 10/30/24

Hedline:  “Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the Billions of Ways to Influence an Election”

Subhead:  “The world’s richest men have their own rocket fleets, their own media and their own schemes to succeed with Donald J. Trump.”

“Mr. Musk, Mr. Bezos and other extremely rich people are confronted with unusual opportunities and invisible perils in the tightest, most dramatic, chaotic and highest stakes political battle in modern times. Everyone has a stake in this election, of course, but the very wealthy have so much at stake — or at least think they do — that they are perhaps inevitably trying to shape it, too.”

“. . . Many billionaires now are activists. One reason is there are more of them — the ranks of U.S. billionaires are up 38 percent by one estimate since Mr. Trump first took office in 2016 — and they have even more money. ”

“. . . On Friday, when The Post announced it would not endorse a presidential candidate, Blue Origin’s chief executive, Dave Limp, had a brief meeting with Mr. Trump in Texas. Mr. Bezos did not respond to a request for comment but said in a piece he wrote in The Post on Monday that he knew this “would provide ammunition to those who would like to frame this as anything other than a principled decision” and that the whole thing was a coincidence.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/30/technology/jeff-bezos-elon-musk-election.html

Google Blocks Russian Media Propaganda – Fined

Article in The Register by Iain Thomson, 10/29/24

Headline: “Russian court fines Google $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000”

Subhead: “Don’t hold your breath Putin”

“The bizarre amount has been calculated after a four-year court case that started after YouTube banned the ultra-nationalist Russian channel Tsargrad in 2020 in response to the US sanctions imposed against its owner. Following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022 more channels were added to the banned list and 17 stations are now suing the Chocolate Factory, including Zvezda (a TV channel owned by Putin’s Ministry of Defence), according to local media.”

“. . .The court imposed a fine of 100 thousand rubles ($1,025) per day, with the total fine doubling every week. Owing to compound interest (Einstein’s eighth wonder of the world), Google is now on the hook for an insane amount of money, or what the judge on Monday called “a case in which there are many, many zeros.”

https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/29/russian_court_fines_google/

“Preemptive Censorship” – the New Trend in Journalism?

Adbusters Media Foundation

Opinion article in the Washington Post by Jennifer Rubin 10/29/24

Headline:  “The U.S. can learn from other countries’ encounters with fascism”

Subhead:  “American voters still have time to heed the warnings from abroad.”

“. . .Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian regime in Venezuela, Freedom House reports, has become expert in promoting ‘preemptive censorship among reporters’ when it is the media executives ‘who exert pressure on their reporters’ coverage for fear of closure or reprisals.’ ”

“. . . We have seen the same phenomenon in India. The Post reported in 2023 on censorship concerns faced by streaming services including Netflix and Prime Video. (Post owner Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon, which owns Prime Video.) “One director who has worked with Netflix and Prime Video said streaming companies didn’t just fear antagonizing the Modi government. They were even more concerned about its right-wing supporters, who might launch mass campaigns calling for boycotts and arrests,” The Post wrote, quoting the director: “What the government has done very smartly is they effectively say, ‘You self-censor stuff.’ There is a gun to your head because at any point of time, it’s so easy to mobilize a bunch of people.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/29/fascist-take-over-guardrails/

Bezos Says No Trust in Media Justifies No Endorsement

Updates

Einstein was quoted as saying,  “There will come a time when the rich own the media and it will be impossible for the public to make an informed opinion.”

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Opinion article by Jeff Bezos (owner) in The Washington Post, 10/28/24

Headline: “The hard truth: Americans don’t trust the news media”

“In the annual public surveys about trust and reputation, journalists and the media have regularly fallen near the very bottom, often just above Congress. But in this year’s Gallup poll, we have managed to fall below Congress. Our profession is now the least trusted of all. Something we are doing is clearly not working.”

“…Most people believe the media is biased. Anyone who doesn’t see this is paying scant attention to reality, and those who fight reality lose.”

“. . . I would also like to be clear that no quid pro quo of any kind is at work here. Neither campaign nor candidate was consulted or informed at any level or in any way about this decision. . . ”

“. . . You can see my wealth and business interests as a bulwark against intimidation, or you can see them as a web of conflicting interests. Only my own principles can tip the balance from one to the other. I assure you that my views here are, in fact, principled, and I believe my track record as owner of The Post since 2013 backs this up.”

“. . . While I do not and will not push my personal interest, I will also not allow this paper to stay on autopilot and fade into irrelevance — overtaken by unresearched podcasts and social media barbs — not without a fight.. .”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/28/jeff-bezos-washington-post-trust/

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Article in The Guardian by Lorenzo Tondo, 10/28/24

Headline:  “Real thread of autocracy’:  Washington Post editorial staffers resign in forceful letters”

Subhead:  “Fallout continues over newspaper’s decision not to support Harris for president as over 200,000 cancel subscriptions”

“More Washington Post staffers have stepped down and more than 200,000 people had canceled their digital subscriptions by Monday after the newspaper’s decision not to support Kamala Harris f”or president.

“Editorial board members David Hoffman and Molly Roberts both resigned on Monday with forceful letters indicating their reasons.

“I believe we face a very real threat of autocracy in the candidacy of Donald Trump,” Hoffman, who took home the Pulitzer Prize just last week, wrote in his resignation letter. “I find it untenable and unconscionable that we have lost our voice at this perilous moment.”

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Article in The Hill by Dominick Mastrangelo, 10/28/24

Headline: “Washington Post loses more than 200,000 subscribers over endorsement outrage: Report “

“The Washington Post has lost more than 200,000 digital subscriptions since its decision not to endorse a candidate in this year’s presidential election, according to a report by NPR citing two people at the paper with knowledge of internal matters.

Such a number would amount to around 8 percent of the outlet’s 2.5 million digital and print subscribers.

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4957738-washington-post-subscriptions-drop/

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Article in The Guardian by Lorenzo Tondo, 10/28/24

Headline: “Second Washington Post writer quits over failure to back Kamala Harris”

Subhead: “Columnist Michele Norris says paper’s decision to withhold endorsement in US election was ‘terrible mistake’ “

“Michele Norris, an opinion contributor at the Post and the first Black female host for National Public Radio (NPR), called the non-endorsement a ‘terrible mistake’.

“ ‘As of yesterday, I have decided to resign from my role as a columnist for The Washington Post – a newspaper that I love,” wrote Norris , who has been an opinion columnist at the paper since 2019.
People walk past the Washington Post building‘Fundamentally saddened’: Washington Post readers on failure to endorse Harris

“In a moment like this, everyone needs to make their own decisions. The Washington Post’s decision to withhold an endorsement that had been written & approved in an election where core democratic principles are at stake was a terrible mistake & an insult to the paper’s own longstanding standard of regularly endorsing candidates since 1976.’ ”

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/oct/28/washington-post-columnist-michele-norris-quits-kamala-harris

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On 10/26 as of 10:00 PM media outlets are going bonkers about the Washington Post’s decision not to endorse a candidate for president following on the heels of the same decision by the Los Angeles Times.  Both newspapers were bought by billionaires who have seemingly put their thumbs on the scales of editorial policies in which a presidential candidate was always endorsed.  Here are a few links to the many articles with their headlines:

The Nation:  “The Washington Post’s Craven Capitulation to the Billionaire Class”  https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/washington-post-endorsement-david-shipley/

MEDIAite:  “Legendary Washington Post Watergate Reporters Blast Paper’s Decision Not to Endorse a Candidate”  https://www.mediaite.com/media/legendary-washington-post-watergate-reporters-blast-papers-decision-not-to-endorse-a-candidate/

Daily Beast:  “Is This The Reason Bezos-Owned WaPo Didn’t Endorse Harris?”  https://www.thedailybeast.com/is-this-the-reason-jeff-bezos-owned-washington-post-didnt-endorse-kamala-harris-blue-origin-donald-trump/

Huffington Post:  “Washington Post Declines To Make Presidential Endorsement For First Time In Decades”  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/washington-post-endorsement-trump-harris_n_671bc08ce4b0fdf4fef43d44

The Hill:  “Washington Post reels from Bezos decision to not endorse”    https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4954196-bezos-decision-post-endorsement/

Will Media be Shamed?

Article in The New Republic Greg Sargent, 10/28/24

Headline: “Michelle Obama’s Brutal Takedown of Trump’s Mental State Shames Media”

Subhead: “As Michelle Obama harshly indicts Trump, a former GOP strategist working to win swing voters explains why her message might reach undecided women—and reflects on how the media is failing us.”

“Over the weekend, Michelle Obama delivered an extraordinary speech that reminded us how catastrophic Donald Trump’s presidency was, harshly criticized his debased moral character, and asked why the press expects Kamala Harris to meet basic standards of public conduct that aren’t expected of Trump. Could this closing message win over the undecided voters who will decide the race? ”

https://newrepublic.com/article/187583/michelle-obamas-brutal-takedown-trumps-mental-state-shames-media

Right Wing Media Predict War

Article in The Guardian by Jason Wilson, 10/28/24

Headline”  ” ‘Expect war’: leaked chats reveal influence of rightwing media on militia group”

Subhead:  “Disinformation and conspiracy theories – some spread by Elon Musk – fuel group’s vitriol and paranoia

“Leaked and public chats from Arizona-based “poll watching” activists aligned with a far-right militia group show how their election paranoia has been fueled by a steady drumbeat of conspiracy theories and disinformation from rightwing media outlets and influencers, including Elon Musk.”

“. . .materials offer a window into the way in which the rightwing information environment – and the unverified, distorted or false information it proffers – erode faith in elections, and encourage those who would violently disrupt them.

“, , , The Guardian’s review of the materials found many instances in which disinformation or exaggerated claims in the media or from rightwing public figures led directly to violent rhetoric . . .”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/28/rightwing-media-influence-militia-group

Media Noticing “Secret Plan”?

Update

Article in New York Times by Annie Karni, 10/28/24

Headline: “Trump Hints at ‘Little Secret’ With House Republicans, Setting Off a Panic”

Subhead: “The former president seemed to delight in fueling speculation about what he is cooking up with House Republicans, prompting Democrats to worry about election fraud. Speaker Mike Johnson refused to explain.”

“Speaker Mike Johnson was taking in former President Donald J. Trump’s grievance-fueled closing rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon when the main actor onstage turned to him and drew him into the drama.

“I think with our little secret we’re going to do really well with the House, right?” Mr. Trump said, addressing Mr. Johnson directly. “Our little secret is having a big impact. He and I have a little secret — we will tell you what it is when the race is over.

“This aside, delivered with a small chuckle, set off a frenzy among frightened Democrats who have been living with something akin to post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the last two presidential election cycles, and who are now primed to fear the worst.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/28/us/politics/trump-secret-house-republicans-panic.html

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Article in The Daily Kos by Dan K,10/28/24

Headline: “Trump’s ‘Little Secret’ is starting to Get Media Notice [\update: Don’t Panic. Sort Of]”

“Last night and this morning much of the media reporting on the MSG rally was focused on the racism, the misogyny, and the sheer and utter stupidity of pissing off large numbers of voters in crucial swing states. Not much attention was paid to another, equally alarming, claim by Trump that he and Mike Johnson had a “secret plan” to fix the election, so he wasn’t worried about the vote.

“It took 12 hours, but that is starting to change.

“NYT just posted this a few minutes ago: Trump Hints at ‘Little Secret’ With House Republicans, Setting Off a Panic”

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/10/28/2280418/-Trump-s-Little-Secret-is-Starting-to-Get-Media-Notice?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web