Internet Media

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

Ethics for Reporters?

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Julie Gerstein & Margaret Sullivan, 8/21/25

Headline:  “Thirteen Journalists on How They Are Rethinking Ethics”

Subhead: “We asked newsroom leaders and ethicists what they’re keeping or changing in an era of Trump, “fake news,” AI, and industry decline.”

“. . .This summer, the two of us—Margaret Sullivan and Julie Gerstein, of the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security at Columbia University—have been exploring, in a series of pieces with CJR, whether those ethics are sufficient for journalists in the modern moment. Whether, in the face of artificial intelligence, “fake news,” eroding protections for sources, and the weakening of their business model, journalists should adjust their core tenets. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/feature/thirteen-journalists-on-how-they-are-rethinking-ethics-newsroom-leaders-ethicists-trump-fake-news-ai.php

Fake AI Authors Taken Down

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Article in The Guardian by Maya Yang, 8/21/25

Headline: “Wired and Business Insider remove articles by AI-generated ‘freelancer’ “

Subhead:  “At least six publications have taken down articles under the name Margaux Blanchard that were AI-generated”

“Multiple news organisations have taken down articles written by an alleged freelance journalist that now appear to have been generated by AI.

“On Thursday, Press Gazette reported that at least six publications, including Wired and Business Insider, have removed articles from their websites in recent months after it was discovered that the stories – written under the name of Margaux Blanchard – were AI-generate . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/21/ai-author-articles-wired-business-insider

No Speaking to the Media!

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Article in AlterNet by Carl Gibson, 8/20/25

Headline:  ” ‘They say it’s a felony’; Police yank Dem lawmeker out of bathroom for speaking to media”

“One Democratic state representative in Texas speaking out against the Republican effort to redraw congressional district boundaries was just threatened with a felony charge for speaking to journalists. . .”

“That’s according to a Wednesday article in the Houston Chronicle, which reported that Rep. Nicole Collier (D) had to abruptly end a press conference she joined from a bathroom at the Texas State Capitol. A video of the moment posted to X shows Collier being interrupted mid-speech while on a Democratic National Committee video stream with California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) while speaking to police.

” ‘Sorry, I have to leave. They said it’s a felony for me to do this,’ Collier said. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.alternet.org/police-democratic-lawmaker-bathroom/

Remember Media Duopoly Rules?

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Article in Poynter by Al Tompkins, 8/19/25

Headline: “Nexstar’s takeover of Tegna would require an overhaul of FCC ownership rules”

Subhead: “The proposed sale would exceed the FCC’s 39% cap, igniting debate among broadcasters, unions and press groups”

“Nexstar announced Tuesday that it intends to buy Tegna for $6.2 billion — a deal that has been rumored for weeks. To pull off what would be the biggest change in TV broadcast ownership history, however, the Federal Communications Commission would have to relax rules limiting how much of the country one company can reach with its over-the-air signal.. . ”

Read the full Article at:

https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2025/nexstar-tegna-fcc-ownership-rules-media-consolidation/

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Article in Freepress by Staff, 8/19/25

Headline: “Nexstar’s Unlawful Acquisition of TEGNA Is a Bad Deal for the Public “

“. . .The newly combined Nexstar entity, if allowed, would have 265 full-power television stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia and 132 of the country’s 210 television Designated Market Areas (or DMAs). The deal would violate the national broadcast-ownership cap, which the FCC lacks authority to increase or eliminate, as Free Press recently discussed in comments opposing the FCC’s proposed reexamination of this law. . .”

Read the full press release at:

https://www.freepress.net/news/nexstars-unlawful-acquisition-tegna-bad-deal-public

Always Trust the AI Journalists

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Hilke Schellmann, 8/19/25

Headline:  “I Tested How Well AI Tools Work for Journalism”

Subhead: “Some tools were sufficient for summarizing meetings. For research, the results were a disaster.”

“Journalists now have access to an abundance of AI tools on the market that promise to assist with tasks such as transcription, note-taking, summarization, research, and data analysis. Are these tools trustworthy enough for use in the newsroom?

“There is not yet a clear answer to that question. While most news organizations have AI policies, the guidelines are typically abstract and broad, and do not address a journalist’s daily workflow. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/i-tested-how-well-ai-tools-work-for-journalism.php

Dominion Over Rt. Wing Media

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Article in Daily Kos by Oliver Willis, 8/18/25

Headline:  “Right-wing media outlets are still paying up for 2020 election lies”

“Right-wing media company Newsmax has agreed to pay out $67 million in a settlement with Dominion Voting Systems for promoting lies about the 2020 election. The announcement adds to a tally of over $900 million paid out by right-wing outlets for peddling these lies, underlining their role in spreading mass disinformation. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/8/18/2339006/-Right-wing-media-outlets-are-still-paying-up-for-2020-election-lies?

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Article in UPI by Allen Cone, 8/18/25

Headline:  “Newsmax settles defamation suit by Dominion Voting Systems for $67M”

Subhead:  “Dominion alleged statements made in Newsmax’s coverage about the 2020 election were defamatory.”

“Newsmax on Monday agreed to pay $67 million to Dominion Voting Systems in a defamation suit against the conservative media company over its 2020 presidential election coverage. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/08/18/Newsmax-settle-defamation-suit-Dominion-Voting-Systems-67-million/7281755536574/

Media Evolution or Revolution?

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Article in The Atlantic by Jessica Yellin, 8/13/25

Headline:  “The Awkward Adolescence of a Media Revolution”

Subhead:  “Truth is still alive on social media—but it’s not easy enough to find”

“There’s a quiet revolution in how millions of Americans decide what’s real. . .The Reuters Institute reports that this year, for the first time, more Americans will get their news from social and video platforms—including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and X—than from traditional outlets. . .”

“For anyone who cares about credible information, this is a potentially terrifying prospect. Social media rewards virality, not veracity. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/08/awkward-adolescence-media-revolution/683863/

FCM Co-Sponsored Event

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You are cordially invited to a hybrid discussion of how to reduce nuclear dangers and improve the prospects for broadly shared peace and prosperity —  August 17, next Sunday, 2-4 PM Central.
Zoom or in person at the Bluford Library, 3050 Prospect Ave., KCMO  – credentials:
A z-fold with an overview of related topics with space for your questions and comments is available at:
For more information, see:  http://pwkc.org/817.
Please help us brainstorm and prioritize topics for research and writing to increase impact of our work without sacrificing a commitment to facts.
See you Sunday.  Spencer Graves, PhD; President, Friends of Community Media (FCM, ourfcm.org) & Secretary, PeaceWorks Kansas City (pwkc.org)

Media Friends are Enemies?

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Article in Daily Dot by Anna Good, 8/6/25

Headline:   “Right-wing radio host and longtime Trump ally says MAGA is turning on him—and lists 7 reasons why”

Subhead:  “Savage isn’t alone.”

“Conservative radio host Michael Savage delivered a critique of President Donald Trump on X this week. In it, he outlined seven key reasons why he believes Trump has “alienated” some of his most loyal voters. In a post shared on X Tuesday afternoon, Savage accused Trump of abandoning core principles that helped build his MAGA base in 2016.

“Although Trump continues to lead in most Republican polls, Savage warned that a growing number of disillusioned supporters may sit out the 2026 midterms, or even the next presidential race. Additionally, he emphasized that these voters aren’t likely to switch to Democrats, but they may disengage entirely. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailydot.com/viral-politics/michael-savage-calls-out-donald-trump/