Responsible local journalism delivers useful information from the community - not what billionaires are pitching through their media outlets.
Fox News stokes a constant sense of outrage among its base of viewers, largely by highlighting narratives of white resentment and threats to Christianity. This in turn forces Republican politicians to follow suit. It’s a positive feedback loop that has no obvious braking system, and it’s already radicalized the conservative base so much that most Republicans literally believe that elections are being stolen and democracy is all but dead if they don’t take extreme action. - Mother Jones
How do you counter mainstream media messages that serves the interests of their billionaire owners? How can people get the truth about what is happening in their communities so they make informed voting decisions? Local journalists, media outlets in different languages and often minority owned are part of the answer. They deserve your support.
Media outlets
News deserts
In many regions of the country, there is no local news coverage at all, or next to none. These areas have come to be known as “news deserts” — a term used by academics and researchers to refer to areas where coverage of the community by local news outlets is minimal or nonexistent. It’s in such places that the collapse of local news is being felt most dramatically. Then again, even if you don’t live in a defined news desert, you may have noticed that your regional paper long ago ditched actively covering your community if it is outside the immediate city and first-ring suburbs. - Washington Post
Media ownership gives billionaires an extra level of power
Claire Enders, founder of Enders Analysis, said the super-rich have long sought to buy newspapers to help push their agendas. They use their wealth to extend their political influence. - The Guardian.
This map includes details on over two thousand media outlets including:
- Ethnic Media Services (905 outlets)
- Black owned media (360 outlets)
- Hispanic owned media (621 outlets)
- FOX News (214 outlets)
- Sinclair Broadcasting (185 outlets)
- Metric Media (928 outlets)
Conservatives have invested in media ownership
Check this map to compare the coverage of conservative media outlets with that of responsible local journalism.
Ethnic Media Services
Ethnic Media Services works to enhance the capacity of ethnic news outlets to inform and engage diverse audiences on broader public issues with the goal of building a more inclusive participatory democracy. Over 60 million American adults rely on some form of ethnic media — print, online, TV, radio — for news, information and entertainment. Ethnic media is buffeted by the challenges of the digital era — from the collapse of the advertising model to the explosion of social media. Support ethnic media outlets through subscriptions and advertising.
Community News Center
CNC is delivers community news to locations across the country in need of new, reliable sources of local news and information. CNC’s newspapers and newsletters provide information on topics ranging from local events and destinations to money saving tips and government resources. With the continued decline of local news outlets across the country, the importance of providing compelling and reliable community-oriented news content is greater than ever. The Community News Center (CNC) is working to address this major civic concern by filling the “news desert” void.
Global Press Journal
Global Press builds and maintains independent news bureaus in some of the world's least-covered places. Each bureau is staffed by local women journalists who are from their coverage communities. Global Press reporters specialize in producing high-quality news that increases access to accurate information for millions of readers. Global Press is supporting, training, and employing women journalists in news deserts around the world to provide essential coverage of their own communities.
FOX disinformation
Fox disinformation campaigns are much more than just journalistic bias or simply bad journalism; their scope and power pose an existential threat to our democracy. Fox Corp lawyers defended Tucker Carlson -- as of summer 2021 the most popular program host on Fox -- in a slander case in U.S. District Court by claiming that no reasonable person would believe that he conveys “actual facts.” - Defenders of Democracy Against Disinformation
- Deny facts.
- Skirt inconvenient information that undermines their arguments.
- Histrionically repeat questionable information or outright misrepresentations.
- Impugn the motives and integrity of those who offer alternative viewpoints.
- Make viewers less knowledgeable than even those who watch no news at all.
- Are relentlessly partisan -- supporting one party, no matter the facts, and delegitimizing any American not sharing the host's political views.
- Overtly support white nationalism and use rhetoric designed to inflame their audiences.
How media sways public opinion
Politicians cater to billionaire owned media outlets to get good press in order to get elected. In return the billionaires get the laws they want. Billionaires get richer while the public is manipulated to vote against their own interests. The little guy has no chance against billionaires who get to write their own rules. That’s why billionaires work so hard to cripple the Federal agencies meant to regulate them. Follow the money to see how billionaires rule America. It’s time to regulate out of control billionaires – starting with their media empires.Here’s how the billionaire’s scheme works.
- Want to pay less taxes? Promote the politicians who want to abolish the IRS.
- Want to get political brownie points? Promote your favorite politician across your TV channels.
- Want to expand your monopoly? Bad mouth the Federal Trade Commission that regulates buyouts.
- Fed up with pesky unions? Have politicians stack the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with your cronies.
- Want even more control over people? Have your politicians make the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) do what you want.
- One of your journalists exposes your political manipulation? Force them out.
Follow the money behind media manipulation
Take Away: Support responsible local journalism that counters corporate funded propaganda.
Deepak
DemLabs
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