I’m starting a thread for news on mounting media layoffs as well as criticism of the media and journalism. Stuff that doesn’t necessarily or directly touch on politics.

 

Dire warnings after BuzzFeed laid off 15 percent of their workforce:

 

 

 

Apologies if this was posted: The WP Writers' Guild urges angry readers to send feedback to the CEO here.

Thread:

 

 

I think Harris was very good in the 60 Minutes clip I posted in the PT, but I am surprised how Norah O'Donnell kept doubling down over and over on insisting Harris offer more abortion restrictions. WTF? The YouTube comments and social media feeds are roasting her on that too.

1 hour ago, Vee said:

I am surprised how Norah O'Donnell kept doubling down over and over on insisting Harris offer more abortion restrictions.

We've spoken before that the press's need to argue "both sides" is a misguided effort to appear unbiased.  I actually thought Anderson Cooper had a good response to this while discussing Charlemagne's critique of CNN.  He said his job is not to argue with politicians, but to get them to espouse their opinions in order to expose their hypocrisy to the public.   Which is the opposite of what Nora O'Donnell did.

However, the argument for abortion restrictions are inherently illogical.  Firstly, states like Florida are saying that abortion is OK under certain circumstances, which would never appease religious conservatives.  Secondly, restrictions should be overseen by the American Medical Association.  For example, there is no federal law prohibiting breast enhancement for minors, because it is unnecessary due to the fact that it against the ethics principles of the AMA.  Third, we all know this is a smoke screen to create a precedence to evade other civil rights.

I get annoyed that the political argument stops at Tim Walz's stance on privacy.  I think they should use similar rhetoric to the immigration policy and ask how would these federal laws be enforced.  Would they want to arrest the mother or the doctor?  If the doctor is found innocent, they can go back to practice.  But, if there was an ethical concern that was handled by the AMA, that is a lower threshold would inhibit the ability to practice, because those found to be unethical cannot be insured.  And finally, why does the federal government have more of an interest in regulating medicine than other professions?

Edited October 27, 20241 yr by j swift

1 hour ago, Vee said:

I think Harris was very good in the 60 Minutes clip I posted in the PT, but I am surprised how Norah O'Donnell kept doubling down over and over on insisting Harris offer more abortion restrictions. WTF? The YouTube comments and social media feeds are roasting her on that too.

seems to be her mo. i remember her doubling — tripling, quadrupling — down on valerie garret a few years back on 60 minutes. so annoyed me that i rarely watch her. wonder if does she does this with men , as well, or just women?

Edited October 27, 20241 yr by wonderwoman1951

 

I read on X (formerly Twitter), that Tucker Carlson's entrance music at MSG for the Trump event was "Son of a Preacherman."  Which is ironic on a number of levels.  Firstly, it was sung by Dusty Springfield, a lesbian who would have hated Tucker and Trump.  Second, he's the son of a newspaper man (and the adopted son of a Swanson's Frozen Food Heir).  Third, much like Trump's VP pick, he made his mark in the media initially as an anti-Trumper, but later found that MAGA are the only ones who will pay his bills.

If it all wasn't so tragic, it would be funny.

Edited October 28, 20241 yr by j swift

To their credit, the media with the exception of USA Today and Fox have been full throated in calling the MSG Trump rally what it was: A racist sideshow.

In other news, more of this is happening at the Post. Per Dana Milbank, of all people:

 

 

The outlier folds:

 

 

I know that television is often referred to a the “great wasteland” but the newspaper business, at least for the moment, appears to have taken a nosedive off a cliff into a sea of rubble.

 

Wow: