Broadcasting

Talk Radio Slants One Way

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Podcast on NPR by Staff 11/29/24

Headline:  “How Conservative Talk Radio Came to Dominate the Airwaves”

“How did the right get their vice grip of the airwaves, all the while arguing that they were being censored? On this week’s On the Media, a look at the early history of American radio, and why, in the post-war era, the U.S. government encouraged more diverse viewpoints on the airwaves — until it didn’t. Plus, the technological and legal changes that led to the popularity of conservative talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh. [00:10] Reporter Katie Thornton explains how radio programming shifted from the 1930s to the 1960s, and how the FCC attempted to prevent propaganda on the airwaves.”

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/452538775/on-the-media

Gotta Catch ’em All (Media that is)

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Article in Daily Kos by Mark Sumner, 11/28/24

Headline:  “Media capture is no joke”

“For the past week, Elon Musk has repeatedly commented about buying MSNBC. At the same time, Musk accused the news outlet of peddling “puerile propaganda” and derided MSNBC’s ratings, which have—as might be expected—dropped since the election. The result has been a string of comments on Twitter and Fox News in which Trump supporters chortle over the thought of replacing Rachel Maddow with Joe Rogan and exult in the distress they believe Musk’s comments must be generating on the left.

“Many of Musk’s “jokes,” and those of toadies like Rogan, have been accompanied by the kind of homophobic, racist, or misogynist memes that have come to dominate Twitter since Musk laid down $44 billion to destroy that platform. But even as Musk and his social media pals laugh, no one should consider this a farce. It’s a threat. . . ”

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/11/28/2289221/-Media-capture-is-no-joke?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web

Radio Still Makes a Difference

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Article in Politico by Ali Bianco, 11/29/24

Headline: “Disinformation Transformed Miami Politics. This Radio Station Is One Reason Why”

“. . . If you’re from Miami, Radio Mambí’s celebratory vibe is no surprise. This is, after all, the radio station that has been a touchstone for Miami’s Cuban exiliados, or exiles, since they arrived. It’s the radio station that made Miami Cuban politics. But since the 2016 election, it’s morphed into a hotbed of misinformation — one that impacted the 2024 presidential election.”

‘. . .Mambí’s format is particularly suited to spreading disinformation, Gamarra notes. Like many radio stations with Caribbean roots, it isn’t strictly news-focused; its most popular shows are talk shows — and even its news segments are sprinkled with bits of commentary from announcers. With its programming centered around conservative commentary, it formed an echo chamber of MAGA messaging, according to FIU journalism professor Alejandro Alvarado.”

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/11/29/radio-mambi-miami-maga-00190415

 

Did Almost-Monopoly Media Select Winner

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Article in Daily Kos by Bill Addis, 11/24/24

Headline: “Sinclair Media Helped Trump Win The Election”

Subhead:  “Sinclair is a right wing media company, but different from Fox News.”

“Sinclair’s 185 stations are affiliated with Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, MyNetworkTV, and the CW. In contrast, NBC, ABC and CBS own only 80 stations between them covering the large markets.

“Sinclair has made their stations run prepackaged video segments and had newsmen read scripts favorable to Trump. Even criticizing mainstream media as fake news, when they’re part of it. Trump has tweeted his support for watching Sinclair over CNN and NBC. Make no mistake about it. Their propaganda was a factor in the election disaster.”

Sinclair Media has had a history of butting head with other media groups like Comcast, DirectTV, Dish, Time Warner, Hulu and others over carriage fees.. . ”

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/11/24/2288390/-Sinclair-Media-Helped-Trump-Win-The-Election?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web

On the Media Roller Coaster – Resist or Comply?

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Article in Mother Jones by David Corn, 11/20/24

Headline:  “The Media and Trump: Not Resistance, But Not Acceptance”

“. . . My hunch is that a line will form across the media landscape between those entities that cover the Trump crowd in a relatively normal fashion—What is the president thinking? What are his advisers telling him? What is happening between the White House and Congress? What’s the latest palace intrigue? Who’s invited to the state dinner? What do the polls say?—and those who view as the overarching story the profound threat of authoritarianism posed by Trump and his henchmen and henchwomen. Do the usual political stories matter as much if Trump moves ahead with plans to deport millions and to place in power assorted extremists? Or if he moves to undermine democracy?”

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/11/donald-trump-robert-kennedy-jr-media-press-accommodationist-sanewashing/

 

TV Networks Not Valuable Now?

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Article in MSN by Peter Kafka, 11/20/24

Headline: “Comcast doesn’t want its cable TV networks anymore”

“Cable networks used to be incredibly valuable. But in the streaming and cord-cutting era, they’re in decline.

“That’s why Comcast is ditching almost all its cable networks into a new stand-alone company.
It would like to persuade other cable-TV owners to join in.

“One of the country’s biggest cable TV companies doesn’t want its cable networks anymore. Would you like them?

“That’s the pitch Comcast is making Wednesday as it announces plans to split off almost all its cable TV networks into a new company. It’s the same pitch Comcast floated as a possibility back in October, and most of the details are the same.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/ar-AA1uqTTV

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Article in Slashdot by BeauHD, 11/20/24

Headline: “Comcast Spins Offf Cable Networks”

“Comcast plans to spin off several of its cable TV networks into a standalone company as it shifts focus to streaming and other profitable ventures like Peacock, theme parks, and broadband services. The Associated Press reports:

“Those one-time stars for Comcast’s NBCUniversal cable television networks include USA, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel, as well as CNBC and MSNBC. Movie ticketing platform Fandango and the Rotten Tomatoes movie rating site would also become part of the new company. Peacock will remain with Comcast, as will Bravo, which provides significant content for the Peacock streaming service.”

https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/2142254/comcast-spins-off-cable-networks

New FCC Head Proposed

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Article in Slashdot by Msmash, 11/18/24

Headline:  “Trunp Picks Carr to Head FCC to Fight ‘Censorship’ Cartel’ ”

“Donald Trump has named FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to chair the U.S. communications regulator when he takes office in January 2025, citing Carr’s stance against what Trump called ‘regulatory lawfare.’ Carr, a lawyer and longtime Republican who has served at the FCC under both Trump and Biden administrations, has emerged as a vocal critic of major social media companies’ content moderation practices.

” ‘Humbled and honored’ by the appointment, Carr pledged on X to ‘dismantle the censorship cartel.’ As the FCC’s senior Republican commissioner, Carr has advocated for stricter oversight of technology companies, pushing for transparency rules on platforms like Google and Facebook.”

https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/18/1445208/trump-picks-carr-to-head-fcc-with-pledge-to-fight-censorship-cartel

Looking for White House Job? Apply at Fox News

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Watch your chickens!

Article in Media Matters Written by Media Matters Staff, 11/18/24

Headline:  “Donald Trump is using Fox News as a staffing agency”: Matt Gertz discusses with On The Media the revolving door between Fox and the second Trump administration”

“GERTZ: This is how Trump gets his news. This is how his worldview is changed. It’s one segment at a time.

“GLADSTONE: He has a certain set of skills, certainly as a Fox News host, right? But secretary of defense needs a different set of skills.

“GERTZ: Right. The set of skills that you need for being a Fox News host is understanding how to push the buttons of the MAGA faithful. And the way that Fox hosts traditionally do that is by making those viewers afraid, making those viewers angry.

“GLADSTONE: You’ve also noticed that this revolving door also works the other way. Several Trump staffers signed on with Fox News after Trump left office.

“GERTZ: During or after his term, yes. Tom Homan was previously the head of ICE. After he retired from ICE in summer of 2018, he got a job at Fox News. He would denounce Democrats for standing against Trump’s border policies. He would call for evermore draconian measures. He would say the things that Donald Trump wanted to hear.”

https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/donald-trump-using-fox-news-staffing-agency-matt-gertz-discusses-media-revolving-door

 

Traditional Media vs. Social Media

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Article in Mediaite by Zachary Leeman , 11/19/24

Headline:   “Morning Joe’s Mike Barnicle Fears for Cable News After Social Media Poll: ‘I Don’t Know How We Make Ourselves Relevant Again’ “

“Barnicle admitted he doesn’t have a clue how cable news and mainstream media can compete with quick snippets on social media.

“ ‘I don’t know how we make ourselves relevant again because we can’t compete with 20 second snippets on an iPhone, walking up the street and getting your entire news digest of the day in less than a minute on your phone as you’re walking in a crowd with coffee in one hand and your phone in the other. I don’t know how we catch up to that,’ he said.”

https://www.mediaite.com/media/morning-joes-mike-barnicle-fears-for-cable-news-after-social-media-poll-i-dont-know-how-we-make-ourselves-relevant-again/

Media Properly Acknowledge the Leader

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Article in Mediaite by Colby Hall, 11/18/24

Headline:  “Bitterly Divided Mediasphere Unites To Destroy Joe and Mika Meeting With Trump: ‘Annals of Shamelessness…’ “

Subhead:  “The most vocal critiques came from Trump’s most loyal media surrogates and past advisors:”

“The political media ecosphere has been bitterly divided over Donald Trump, but an effort by Morning Joe’s co-hosts to bridge the divide and ‘restart communications’ has ushered in a harmonic convergence of the chattering class, though not in the manner Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski may have intended.”

“. . . the stated goal of the MSNBC morning show hosts as “time for a new approach” was viewed less laudably by nattering nabobs. Instead, it was derided as evidence that Scarborough and Brzezinski seemed to not believe in the conviction of their previous criticisms. The criticism came from provocateurs and thought leaders from both ends of the political spectrum.”

https://www.mediaite.com/news/bitterly-divided-mediasphere-unites-to-destroy-joe-and-mika-meeting-with-trump-annals-of-shamelessness/

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Article in The Hill by Dominick Mastrangelo, 11/18/24

Headline:  ” ‘Morning Joe’ Scarborough, Brzezinski say they traveled to Mar-a-Lago to meet Trump”

Headline:  “Nikki Haley says ‘Morning Joe’ hosts met Trump for ratings “

“Former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley suggested Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, co-hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” met with President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago as a ploy to maintaining ratings.

“Let’s be clear, Joe and Mika didn’t suddenly see the light, they saw their ratings,” Haley wrote on the social platform X on Monday. “They realized they needed Trump for their survival.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4995692-morning-joe-scarborough-brzezinski-say-they-traveled-to-mar-a-lago-to-meet-trump/

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Article in Huff Post by Graeme Demianyk, 11/18/24

Headline:  “JOE & MIKA KISS THE RING AT MAR-A-LAGO!AT MAR-A-LAGO!
… BUT CLAIM THEY WON’T ‘NORMALIZE’ TRUMP”

“In a prepared monologue on their Monday show, Brzezinski explained they decided to reach out to Trump’s team to see if they could have “the opportunity to speak with the president-elect” after being dismayed by his Cabinet picks.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/morning-joe-trump-scarborough-mika-brzezinski_n_673b4621e4b0f7e185133c89