Internet Media

Fake Media Experts?

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Article in Mediaite by Alex Griffing, 110’3’25

Headline:  “Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson’s Conspiracy Theories Totally Wreck the Credibility That Alternative Media is Trying to Gain”

“. . .As traditional media continues to shed viewers and more and more Americans, especially young people, tune into podcasts and scroll social media for their news, the likes of Owens and Carlson are shaping the discourse more than ever. Unfortunately, much of their content is utter and total nonsense, and leans into age-old stereotypes and bigotry to grab headlines and remain provocative. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediaite.com/opinion/candace-owens-and-tucker-carlsons-loony-conspiracy-theories-totally-wreck-the-credibility-that-alternative-media-is-trying-to-gain/

 

Media Resistance?

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Article in The Guardian by Rachel Leingang, 10/5/25

Headline:   “How two blond suburban moms gave Democrats an answer to the rightwing media ecosystem”

“. . .Jennifer Welch and Angie ‘Pumps’ Sullivan have risen up the podcast charts, buoyed by Democrats looking to commiserate and find their party’s answer to the bro-filled atmosphere that helped propel Trump’s victory in 2024. . .”

“In early episodes, listeners wrote in to tell them to stay out of politics and use fewer swear words .  . .In turn, they started talking about politics more and more. They dropped the ‘dead weight’ of people who only came for entertainment, Welch said.

“ ‘And it turns out, when you believe in something and you defend it vigorously, some people are going to dislike you for your beliefs, and that’s fine, but the people who like you, that turns into love, and you create a community,’ she said.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/oct/05/ive-had-it-podcast-democrats-liberals

Clock is Ticking

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones and Nicole Slaughter Graham, 9/26/25

headline: “Opinion | A TikTok deal ticks closer to done

Subhead: “The deal would keep TikTok alive in the U.S. — but raises questions about who will shape what millions of young users see.”

“After months of delays and extended deadlines, it appears a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States on a permanent basis is in its final stages.

That’s good. And, well, maybe not so good. . .”

“Aside from being able to say he ‘saved’ TikTok, he has other reasons to see that this deal goes through. Among the potential investors are tech and media giants Larry Ellison, Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, and Michael Dell. Ellison is founder of Oracle. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2025/tiktok-deal-trump-executive-order-china/

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Tory Lysik, 9/25/25

Headline: “Where the White House Is Leading Us with TikTok“

Subhead: “The Trump administration is pioneering a new form of political communication. The imminent prospect of a deal to reshape TikTok’s future in the United States could give the White House even more power.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/tiktok-white-house-press-ellison-trump-yass-murdoch.php

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Article in The Guardian by Blake Montgomery, 9/24/25

Headline:  “Murdoch’s TikTok? Trump offers allies another lever of media control”

Subhead:  “Under the known terms of the deal with China, TikTok would get a new board, including Murdochs and Ellisons”

“Donald Trump revealed last week the US and China are close to inking a deal to let TikTok continue operating in the US. Details are not final, but should the agreement go through as has been reported, the owners of the US’s most powerful cable TV channels may soon also steer the nation’s most influential social network. The arrangement would gift Trump’s billionaire allies a degree of control over US media that would be vast and unprecedented. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/24/tiktok-trump-murdoch-ellison

Media Rhetoric Causes Violence

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Article in Raw Story by Tom Hartmann, 9/14/25

Headline:  “Opinion | This abject media cowardice only makes violent GOP rhetoric worse”

“As a guy who regularly gets death threats because of my media presence, I shouldn’t have to say that killing people — or even threatening them — for their politics is wrong. But here it is, for the record: nobody in America should die for their politics.

“. . .These are indeed very, very dangerous times. And the political rhetoric coming out of 1500 rightwing hate-radio stations, Republican politicians, and billionaire-funded hard-right-biased-social-media-algorithms is at the center of the crisis. . .”

Read the full story at:

https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/2673989140/?utm_source=opinion

Scoffing at Legacy Media

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Article in Poynter by Stephanie Edgerly & Tim Franklin, 9/15/25

Headline: “A survey of Chicago news consumers shows Gen Z is tuning out local news”

Subhead: “Medill’s annual survey finds audiences drifting from TV and print, wary of AI, and turning to independent content creators.”

“The relationship between the news business and consumers of news is breaking down and reforming at a dizzying pace as digital technology gives audiences new ways to engage with information. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/local-news/2025/chicago-survey-gen-z-local-news-trends-2025/

Media Not Scoping it Out Right?

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Article in The New Republic by Perry Bacon, 9/12/25

Headline:  “The Media Is Totally Blowing Its Coverage of Charlie Kirk”

Subhead:  “Some pundits are arguing that Charlie Kirk practiced politics ‘the right way.’ This only serves to whitewash the ideas that he promulgated. “

“. . .TNR contributors Ana Marie Cox and Meredith Shiner say that the press is largely whitewashing Kirk’s actual politics, citing a column by The New York Times’ Ezra Klein as a prime example. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://newrepublic.com/article/200411/media-blowing-coverage-charlie-kirk

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Yona TR Golding, 9/12/25

Headline:  “How News Streamers Covered the Killing of Charlie Kirk”

Subhead:  “The hugely popular world of online news and commentary offers a window into how young people consume current events.”

“. . .network television was struggling to find the right words to respond to the horrific events, falling into predictable patterns. Fox News held Kirk up as a martyr. . .”

“. . .The streamers carry none of that burden. Their audiences know Kirk well—Kirk, too, was a product of this world, with a popular podcast and a social media presence wherein he posted prolifically, offering often extreme right-wing takes on political hot topics . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/charlie-kirk-twitch-streamers-reaction.php

First Newspapers, Now Local TV

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Article in Poynter by Rick Edmonds, 9/2/25

Headline:  “Inescapable technology changes and a migrating audience have local broadcast news in trouble”

Subhead: “For years, local TV looked steady while newspapers flailed. Now the business model creaks, and the challenges feel uncomfortably familiar.”

“The scenario is familiar to any journalist who has worked at a newspaper in the last 15 years. The audience is moving away from the profitable old platform to a hot, new one. The outlet must adapt or at least try to. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2025/is-business-broadcast-journalism-in-trouble/

Show is Too Anti-Trump Now?

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Update:

Article in Daily Kos by Oilver Willis, 9/2/25

Headline:  “Alex Jones loses his sh-t after infamous lackey breaks up with him”

“Pro-Trump conspiracy theorist Alex Jones lashed out against former Infowars host Owen Shroyer Monday, describing him as a ‘backstabber’ and ‘snake.’ Shroyer recently left Jones’ Infowars network, alleging that he felt pressure to soft-pedal criticism of President Donald Trump.

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/9/2/2341509/-Alex-Jones-loses-his-sh-t-after-infamous-lackey-breaks-up-with-him

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Article in Raw Story by Daniel Hampton, 9/1/25

Headline: “InfoWars host abruptly splits with Alex Jones over ‘too anti-Trump’ label”

“A right-wing InfoWars host made what he called a ‘shocking announcement’ Monday night that he was leaving Alex Jones’ signature conspiracy theory show, because he’s “too anti-Trump.”

“Owen Shroyer, best known as the host of the ‘War Room’ show on the far-right website, told viewers in a livestream Monday night that he was making a ‘shocking announcement.’

” ‘I am done at InfoWars,’ he said. ‘This may come as a shocking announcement for you tonight. It may not.’ ”

Read the full article at:

https://www.rawstory.com/owen-shroyer-2673946222/

Pro-Democracy Medium

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Article in Status by Oliver Darcy, 8/29/25

Headline:  “The Democracy Rocket”

Subhead: “Marc Elias’ Democracy Docket has quietly become a pro-democracy media force, expanding its newsroom to 20 staffers as it surpasses 50,000 paid subscribers.”

“Earlier this month, Marc Elias, the prominent Democratic lawyer turned media entrepreneur, was at his home just outside Washington when the milestone arrived. The outlet he founded in 2020, Democracy Docket—a digital news organization that covers voting rights, elections, and the courts from an unapologetically pro-democracy standpoint—had been inching toward 50,000 paid subscribers. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/democracy-docket-marc-elias-newsletter

Media Comedy and Truth

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Article in Vox by Sean Remeswaram & Gabrielle Berbey, 8/23/25

Headline:  “South Park is doing what the rest of the media won’t”

Subhead:  “The White House says South Park is irrelevant. Its record-breaking ratings tell a different story.”

“. . .By speaking truth to the ultimate power right now. You know, the creators of South Park have always hated bullies, and they seem to believe Trump is the biggest bully of them all. The very premise of the first episode of this new season is about Trump targeting the media. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.vox.com/today-explained-podcast/458775/south-park-trump-media-criticism