Archive for the Press/Media Category

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[Don’t] Support Public Media? (June 10, 2019)

Posted in Boycott Series, Journalism, NPR, Press/Media, Radio on June 10, 2019 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “Not really a boycott, rather a commitment to make a more specific allocation of resources.”

J          “No one cares.”

K          “I could not agree more.”

. . .

K          “Remember our conversation a year ago when I raised the question.  Now I have my answer.  I am supporting programs not stations.  I only contribute to stations in America that broadcast enlightened programs but am not contributing to my local station.  And then I listen to podcasts rather than the local station on my own time.  I will send money to ‘Alternative Radio’ and ‘Counterspin’ and ‘Democracy Now’ and ‘51 percent’.  That is the benchmark of commitment.”

J          “And the one you canonized as Saint Terry Gross.”

. . .

J          “No one cares.”

K          “I could not agree more.”

. . .

[The Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corporation are merging to create United Ray Guns Corporation.]

[See the e-commentary at “National People’s Radio?; National Public Radio?; National Petroleum Radio?; National Propaganda Radio? (June 11, 2018)”.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

No one cares.  I could not agree more.

Attempting to Care . . . Loading Please Wait

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The Release Of The Redacted Robert Rorschach Report (April 22, 2019)

Posted in Courage, Journalism, Newspapers, Press/Media, Pulitzer on April 22, 2019 by e-commentary.org

. . .    

J          “Not as carefully yet.”

K          “But that does not seem to be an impediment for most people.”

. . .

J          “Others claim to have mined the Report for nuggets.  What is in the Report and whether it is incriminating or exonerating turns on who one turns to for direction and indoctrination.” 

K          “The Report could be one thousand empty white pages allowing one thousand empty-headed babblers of all political planks to fill in the blanks.”

J          “Or one thousand redacted black pages that could be divined by one thousand self-appointed secular priests and priestesses.”

. . .

K          “I never shared your faith in Mueller.  Anyone concerned about Truth cannot not be disappointed by the longevity of the investigation and the superficiality of the Report that is available for review to date.”

J          “Further proof that America does not produce individuals who can serve competently as lawyers or judges or special counsel.”

K          “But it has produced a generation of journalists who cannot even ask insightful questions.”

J          “They parry and riposte, but do not read Parry or reason.”

. . .

K          “Reminds me of the tony cocktail party at Tony’s a half dozen years ago when Assange’s picture exploded on a television monitor/mirror parked haphazardly off in a corner.  Everyone ceased barking mid-sentence and simultaneously branded him either a ‘Traitor’ or a ‘Hero’ before inhaling another suspire and exhaling further unsolicited opinions.”

J          “The more things change.”

. . .

K          “With all the hired help doing all that investigating all that time, they should have been able to confirm the findings of William Binney and the ‘Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS)’ that the documents were downloaded not hacked which further supports those who contend that he is a hero.”

J          “Assange or Binney?  . . .  Or Assange and Binney?  I now understand that my man Mueller never even consulted with either of them.  That is another major failing.”

. . .

K          “Assange should receive a pardon and a Pulitzer.”

J          “Pardons are given to those in the Club, but not to great and courageous citizens.  Pulitzers are given to those in the Club, but not to great and courageous journalists.”

. . .

K          “So the Russian involvement in the election was incidental and insignificant particularly in comparison to the Dark Money and other nation-state actors such as Israel that played major roles with no public scrutiny or even mention.”

J          “Agree.”

K          “Trumpi may have had some limited communication but no active and on-going collusion which is not surprising because Trumpi just does not play well with others.”

J          “Agree.”

K          “Trumpi is engaged in on-going racketeering, money laundering, tax evasion, obstruction of justice and jay walking.”

J          “Agree.  However, I still don’t trust the Russians.  They are up to no good.  And I never trusted Trumpi.  He is down to much bad.”

. . .

[See the article titled “VIPS Fault Mueller Probe, Criticize Refusal to Interview Assange” in “Consortium News” crafted by the “Steering Group of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS)” dated April 16, 2019 and the article titled “ROBERT PARRY:  All Investigative Journalists Do What Julian Assange Did” in “Consortium News” by Robert Parry first published on December 16, 2010.]   

[See the e-commentary at “Hero or Traitor? (June 10, 2013)”, “Russian Interference; Russian Collusion.  Epilogue (March 25, 2019)” and “Russian Interference; Russian Collusion (February 26, 2018)” for the earlier conversation.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

The Robert Rorschach Report

Most investigative journalists today are neither investigators nor journalists

Happy Earth Day!

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Fourth Annual Pushitzer Prize In Commentary For 2019 (April 15, 2019)

Posted in Journalism, Newspapers, Press/Media, Pushitzer on April 15, 2019 by e-commentary.org

. . .

          “The envelope please.  . . .  This year’s Pushitzer Prize in Commentary is awarded to . . . Caitlin Johnstone for stirring the pot, asking hard questions, demanding answers, rejecting lies, spotlighting uncomfortable truths, comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.  And being a journalist and a patriot for the Planet.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “Third Annual Pushitzer Prize In Commentary For 2018 (April 16, 2018)”, “Second Annual Pushitzer Prize In Commentary For 2017 (April 10, 2017)”, “First Annual Pushitzer Prize In Commentary For 2016 (April 18, 2016)” and “Pulitzers Are Pro-War?  Pressing The Pushitzers (April 22, 2013)”.]

[Please send nominations for the Pushitzer Prize in Commentary for 2020 and a supporting letter by January 24, 2020 to e-ssay@gci.net and send the entry fee to your favorite charity.]

. . .    

Bumper stickers of the week:

For good and honest stuff

Dissent is patriotic

“The purpose of arresting #JulianAssange is to send a message to the people, especially journalists, to be quiet and don’t get out of line.  If we, the people, allow the government to control us through fear, we are no longer free, we are no longer America.”  Tulsi Gabbard

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Russian Interference; Russian Collusion.   Epilogue (March 25, 2019)

Posted in Democrats, Journalism, Newspapers, Press/Media, Trumpi, War and Wall Street Party on March 25, 2019 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “I never doubted that the Russians were involved incidentally in the election, but they did not necessarily collude with Donaldo Trumpi or his ilk and did not significantly impact the outcome.  Seriously investigating and prosecuting Trumpi’s money laundering and racketeering shenanigans over the decades has now been sidelined for at least two more years.  His tax evasions, perjurious statements, obstructions of justice and dubious business dealings with the Russians and others could put him away in less luxurious government housing for hundreds of years, if we lived in a country with the rule of law.”

J          “That is always the catch.  He needs to be residing at public expense in the graybar hotel not in the White House.”

. . .

K          “You could not miss that not much was really going on because not much was really going on.  A few small time punks and grifters were charged, but a serious investigation and prosecution would have involved regular public indictments and purposeful movement up the food chain.  The outcome was signaled and unfolded every month.”

J          “A thousand Manaforts are lurking in public view just between McLean and Bethesda-Chevy Chase.”    

. . .

K          “The profitable newspapers and the Faux (Fox), MSNBC and CNN gab/gossip shows made a small fortune on the side show dubbed Russiagate.”

J          “I find myself dismissing and disregarding the ‘Main Stream Media’ along with others across the political spectrum.  The political and social and economic opportunity costs of the side show are staggering.  Too much day light has been burned to date.”

. . .

K          “So few are willing or able to admit that the ‘D’ division of the ‘War and Wall Street Party’ through its deplorable cabal at the DNC nominated a deplorable candidate in a rigged primary election and then ran a deplorable campaign in the secondary election.  All she had to do was eschew the word ‘deplorable’, modify the sloppy solipsistic slogan from ‘I’m with her’ to ‘She’s with me’, and make a campaign stop or two in Sheboygan and Saginaw and Sandusky and pretend to be concerned about the legitimate grievances of the little folks.  There was no possible way to lose the election.”

J          “If the suppressed vote had been counted, she would have won.  If the populace had been prudent enough to revoke the accreditation of the Electoral College before the election, she would have won in a landslide.”

K          “Russiagate is a collective attempt at therapy by individuals who do not get it and are incapable of getting it and are unwilling to get it.  Losers sometime lose because they are losers and they deserve to lose.”

. . .

J          “I still don’t trust the Russians.  They are up to no good.  I never trusted Trumpi.  He is down to much bad.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “Russian Interference; Russian Collusion (February 26, 2018)” for the earlier conversation.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

If you don’t get it, you don’t get it.

Release the Report

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King Seale Newton X Davis Dellums Day.  Oh, And Happy Martin Luther King Day! (January 21, 2019)

Posted in Bush, Class, FBI, McCain, Press/Media, Race, Society on January 21, 2019 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “We lost Ron Dellums last year and yet the gang described and dismissed by some as the MSM misdirected attention to McCain and Bush I.”

J          “Adding another name makes it sound like an architecture firm.  Are we trying to celebrate too many folks on one day?  Some are concerned that setting aside February is inadequate and dismissive.”

. . .

J          “Rather than a day of service, it should be a day of musing.  Folks should discuss King, warts and clay, and his concerns and contributions.  And who killed him and why.”

. . .

[See the article titled “A Call to Reinvestigate American Assassinations” in “Consortium News” dated January 20, 2019.]

[John Clifton “Jack” Bogle – May 8, 1929 – January 16, 2019.  One of the investment giants of the twentieth century, he created the first index fund.]

[See the discussion of Martin Luther King’s famous Riverside Speech fifty years ago on April 4, 1967 at “Bush Escalates World War III (January 15, 2007)” and the e-commentary at “Race and Class And Crime: Jail White People.  Oh, And Happy Martin Luther King Day! (January 15, 2018)”, “King Seale Newton X Day (January 16, 2017)”, “King Daze (January 20, 2014)”, “King (January 16, 2006)” and “The FBI File:  The American Imprimatur Of Success (January 18, 2016)”.]    

Bumper stickers of the week / Signs at the Women’s March in Washington:

Words matter

“What does being a ‘nasty woman’ mean, Mommy.”  “It means we are getting shit done, honey.”

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears.  It was their final, most essential command.”  1984, George Orwell

It is so bad even introverts are here

Literarily everything about this is so awful

Now you’ve fucking pissed off grandma

ITMF

Furlough Trump

Fuck being ladylike

We need leaders who bleed

Kremlin names Trump employee of the month

Lock him up

Wave in 2018.  Tsunami in 2020

Shut down sexual violence

“Strong woman” is redundant

The Wall is a white supremacist monument

Our rights are not up for grabs and neither are we

Make empathy great again

You haven’t seen nasty yet

My body  My choice  My country  My voice

A woman’s place is in the Resistance

If I wanted the government in my uterus, I would fuck a senator

Go ahead, underestimate me.  This will be fun

Wall out bigotry

She levels are rising

It’s not like he can even read these

All in all, he’s just another prick without a wall

My body  My rules

Be vigilant, stay active, it is the time to meow

We want a leader not a cry baby tweeter

Cut taxes.  Fill your own pot holes.

Women are the Wall.  Trump will pay

Obama, when are you coming home?  The babysitter is weird

Make out, not war

Heart of I.C.E.

Girls just want to have FUNdamental rights

Talk politicsely to me

Trump needs four walls.  All padded

Tiny hands, but a big dick

It’s Mueller Time [on a Miller Beer label]

You’re so vain, you probably think this sign is about you

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National People’s Radio?; National Public Radio?; National Petroleum Radio?; National Propaganda Radio? (June 11, 2018)

Posted in Boycott Series, Journalism, Neoconservatives, Newspapers, NPR, Press/Media, Radio, Technology, Television on June 11, 2018 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “As long as they broadcast Saint Terry Gross, I will support them.”

J          “Too often they are really just a house organ for the neo-liberals in domestic policy and the neo-conservatives in foreign policy.  National Propaganda Radio, I once broadcast.”

K          “Their message is fundamentally ‘analog journalism’ rather than ‘digital journalism’ even if the transmissions are in a digital format.”  

. . .

K          “They are caught in a sticky dilemma.  They cannot get too far ahead of the listeners or they could lose listeners.  But if they get too far behind the listeners, who will lead the listeners.”

J          “I asked an NPR fund raiser in a red state if they change their advertising strategy after they receive a donation from one listener in an effort to attract the other two listeners in the state.  Tough sell.”  

. . .

J          “Do they broadcast ‘Alternative Radio’ or ‘Counterspin’ or ‘Democracy Now’ or ‘51 percent’ on the play list?  That is the benchmark of commitment.”

K          “One option is to support programs not stations.  Contribute to stations in America that broadcast enlightened programs not necessarily to one’s local station.  And then listen to podcasts rather than the local station on your own time.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “The Medium Mandates The Message.  Analog v. Digital: Monopolization & Monetization. Oh, And Happy World Press Freedom Day! (May 7, 2018)”.)

Bumper stickers of the week:

The ‘narrative’ is the story

The medium mandates the message

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The Medium Mandates The Message.  Analog v. Digital: Monopolization & Monetization. Oh, And Happy World Press Freedom Day! (May 7, 2018)

Posted in Antitrust, Awards / Incentives, Blog, Cyberactivities, Journalism, Monopoly, Newspapers, Press/Media, Pulitzer, Pushitzer, Technology, Truth on May 7, 2018 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “Analog affirms the status quo, digital negates it.  Challenges it, really, with a goodly number of exceptions.”

J          “Yet digital is moving toward and merging with the analog business model which is all about business.  Analog is already monopolized.  Digital is aggressively monetizing.”

K          “The medium mandates the message.”

. . .

K          “Some of the digital messengers are not as beholden to the powers that be as the analog members.  Digital messengers are more likely to connect two disparate and distant points, to realize that two plus zero is not three, and to accept that two or more persons can work together to reach an end, usually to the public’s detriment.”

J          “A few stray digital messengers are acting as the town criers.  The best that a commentator of conviction can hope for is to be a prophet with honor and not to be convicted for writing that challenges the established disorder.”

K          “But no one is listening.”

J          “Makes you want to cry for your town.”

. . .

K          “Six corporations monopolize the popular media.  Most of the digital sites are in the monetization phase and may be forced to modify or mute the original message to survive.”

J          “Yet you cannot thrive if you do not survive.  Decades ago, the editor noted to a friend on the first day of his summer newspaper internship that the most important mission of the newspaper is to make payroll.  No payroll, no paper.  He was not disappointed by the stark insight.”   

K          “Making payroll is painful.  One of the sites challenging inequality has something like seven levels of membership and another sells t-shirts and decoder rings.”

J          “No can thrive if no can survive.” 

. . .

K          “Digital is regressing to the mean, digital is regressing to analog.”

J          “No can thrive if no can survive.”

. . .

[With a nod to Marshall McLuhan.]

[See the e-commentary at “First Annual Pushitzer Prize In Commentary For 2016 (April 18, 2016)”, “Boycott (Advertisers On) AM (Anger Mongering) Radio (March 5, 2011)”, “World Trade Center Building 7 And The AIA (May 18, 2015)”, “A ‘Journalist’ Declares War On Journalists . . . And Journalism (November 28, 2016)”, “Dispatches From The War On Journalism: The New ‘Nixon’s Enemies List’ (December 5, 2016)”, “Blogging Bloggingly About Blogs:  A Thing In Search Of A Name (November 1, 2016)”, “Debasing The Dialogue (April 14, 2014)” and “On Courage and Truth (March 17, 2008)”.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

“Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.”  Eric Hoffer

“Only the small secrets need to be protected.  The big ones are kept secret by public incredulity.”  Marshall McLuhan

May 3 – World Press Freedom Day

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