Los Angeles Times

The Threat To Truth In Journalism

Ronald 8 Comments

A very significant part of any democracy is a free, uncontrolled journalism and news media that promotes accountability and truth by government.

Sadly, and tragically, there are danger signs that a free, unbridled journalism is rapidly being eviscerated.

Examples are ABC News and CBS News reacting to lawsuits pursued by Donald Trump by caving in, and paying financial damages, when they should have fought it out in court.

Also, CBS News has been compromised by new ownership, catering to Donald Trump and firing many on their staff.

Additionally, the Washington Post under Billionaire Jeff Bezos has changed the nature of editorials and columnists, and many leading figures in that newspaper have resigned.

The Los Angeles Times has also shown signs of conceding to the Trump Administration in many instances, and CNN also has demonstrated willingness to be cautious in its approach to the Trump Administration.

For now, only the New York Times and MSNBC (to be renamed MS NOW on November 15) are resisting pressures by the Trump Administration.

All News Outlets Except One Refuse New Pentagon Media Restrictions!

Ronald 1 Comment

Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense (or War insisted by him and Donald Trump) has pushed out all access to Pentagon information, by forcing all journalists to leave their long determined rights to have ability to question and investigate what is going on in our government, regarding military matters and national security.

Except for the one case of One America News, an extremist right wing MAGA Republican news outlet, ALL other news and journalistic websites and their reporters no longer will be able to gain information, except through outside connections, undermining the idea of a government accountable to the population of the nation. Corruption and abuse will flourish as a result!

So 40 news outlets, from left wing to right wing, including
Fox News
Newsmax Media
Daily Caller
Washington Examiner
(all right wing oriented)
join other, more reputable outlets including
NBC News
ABC News
CBS News
CNN
MSNBC
Associated Press
The Economist
The Guardian
The Hill
Huffington Post
New York Times
Los Angeles Times
NPR
PBS Newshour
Politico
Real Clear Politics
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post,
Washington Times
and numerous lesser known news outlets in their unity against the Pentagon mandate!

This is massive interference with Freedom of the Press!

The Rapid Decline Of Honest Journalism

Ronald 5 Comments

A very sad and dangerous situation exists, where journalism at all levels has been compromised in the time of the Trump Presidency.

We have seen courageous, challenging journalists such as Terry Moran of ABC News and Jim Acosta of CNN forced out of their positions for the “nerve” to challenge Donald Trump and his supporters on their policies and actions.

We have seen ABC News and CBS News making financial settlements after lawsuits by Donald Trump over their coverage of news and interviews that Trump decided to sue, and the settlements leading to contributions to a future Donald Trump Presidential Library in South Florida.

We have seen major newspapers, such as the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post, making changes designed to avoid alienating Trump.

We have seen late night comedians, such as Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, along with “The View” and “Saturday Night Live” coming under attack, as well as the leadership and tone of “Sixty Minutes” being changed dramatically.

The new ownership of CBS by the billionaire Larry Ellison family is in process of destroying the long held, high level, reputation of that news network, that had such courageous journalists in the past as Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, and Dan Rather.

The coverage of White House press conferences and other activities, including the Pentagon, has been compromised by Trump, his Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, censoring who can be present, who can ask questions, and denying freedom of speech and press at every turn.

This is all very alarming, as without a free, uncontrolled media environment, and without the ability to have comedy shows that can make fun of government leaders and policies, we are on the road to a total Fascist authoritarian government, which, once accomplished, will be hard to prevent long term damage.

Trump Threatens Any Republicans Who Support NPR And PBS: Time For Courage, Conscience, And Principle To Resist!

Ronald 13 Comments

Donald Trump is on a rampage to eliminate all media reporting of the horrible truths of his first six months in office.

He is trying to eliminate the free media and press through lawsuits of privately owned media, including most notably CBS and ABC; and to wipe out financial support of two institutions that have been crucial in public information and truth—National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), created during the Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson six decades ago.

Both NPR and PBS are great treasures, who have always had citizens contribute to their well-being, including this author and blogger. But there has also, always, been public tax support of the massive positive impact of both agencies, which is a pittance, when one considers federal expenditures.

Trump’s attempt to destroy NPR and PBS, and to promote censorship of major television and cable news, as well as the best newspapers that keep America free (specifically the NY Times and Washington Post, along with the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal), along with other major print media, needs to be resisted at all costs, as the one way to insure American democracy survives the nightmare of Trump authoritarianism!

It is urgent that Republicans in Congress show some courage, conscience, and principle, and resist threats from Trump to oppose any party member who resists his desire to destroy public media that has done so much good for 60 years!

If they do not, on such a small investment as this, then it is time for the Republican Party of history to be declared dead, and admit we have a Fascist party, with elements of Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco, Juan Peron, and even Adolf Hitler!

45th Anniversary Of CNN: Its Impact On Journalism!

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Forty Five years ago, on June 1, 1980, was the birth of cable news, with the debut of CNN (Cable News Network) by Billionaire Ted Turner, a revolution in the covering of news domestically and around the world.

CNN was without competition until 1996, when MSNBC and Fox News Channel were created as competitors.

Now, there are many more cable and online news channels, but CNN, even with criticisms and blunders that have occurred over the four and a half decades, still stands out as one of the premier news organizations, alongside the NY Times, Washington Post, Public Broadcasting System (PBS), Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

CNN had a slow start and beginning, with the occurrence of the Persian Gulf War in early 1991 the turning point of it becoming massive in its evolution.

Many different personalities, with many controversies over coverage of different issues included, just added to the color and impact of CNN.

Despite recognized shortcomings, as with any institution, the nation and the world have benefited greatly from this great institution that continues to challenge powerful people in many areas of public life, domestic and foreign.

It has opened up the eyes and minds of hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Civil Liberties of Speech And Press Under Attack By Trump!

Ronald 2 Comments

It is extremely alarming that Donald Trump is mounting an attack on the basic civil liberties of the First Amendment, freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Trump has launched lawsuits against major news organizations, both print and electronic, and major players in social media, including Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook most prominently, are bowing to Trump, and agreeing to stop monitoring the truth level of published material, afraid otherwise of being prosecuted.

And the Washington Post publisher, Jeff Bezos, who is also owner of Amazon, would not allow an endorsement of Kamala Harris by the journalism staff, and the same with the Los Angeles Times.

The most powerful and wealthy oligarchs of technology, including Zuckerberg, Bezos, and Elon Musk, also the three wealthiest billionaires in the world, are sacrificing the freedoms of all of us for their own selfish, and ego centered protection.

So Disinformation is now in, propaganda and lies, rather than truth telling, a very dangerous move toward authoritarianism!

Alarming That Billionaire Owners Of Media Are Staying Neutral On Presidential Endorsements!

admin 9 Comments

An alarming development as the Presidential Election of 2024 nears, is that the billionaire owners of two highly significant and reputable national newspapers have refused to allow their staffs to make an endorsement for President. The Washington Post has had 76 Pulitzer Prizes in its history, and the Los Angeles Times has had more than 40 in its history.

Jeff Bezos of the Washington Post and Patrick Soon-Shiong of the Los Angeles Times have prevented endorsements in the most significant Presidential race since 1940 and 1860. This is billionaire cowardice, kowtowing to the authoritarian threat of Donald Trump!

Their actions, interfering with the editorial board and staff, is causing alarm and provoking resignations, as well as cancellation of subscriptions by readers, as it seems clear that the personal business interests of both men are getting in the way of principles and public safety at a crucial moment in the fight for protection of democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law!

Additionally, the New York Post, owned by the Rupert Murdoch family, the most despicable newspaper owner imaginable, has decided to endorse Donald Trump, after having backed away from support two years ago after the legal cases against Donald Trump were made clear as a result of the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

Kevin McCarthy Handing Over January 6 Videos To Tucker Carlson Should Be Prosecutable!

Ronald 3 Comments

In a time of shocking developments on so many levels, it is beyond comprehension why Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has released about 44,000 hours of videos taken at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to Fox News Channel, and seditionist and massive liar Tucker Carlson!

What good could McCarthy have conjured up to do this, since Carlson has been lying and deceiving ever since January 6, 2021, claiming it was not the Capitol Insurrection that we know occurred?

Fox News Channel is now involved in a massive lawsuit that one could wish would lead to their bankruptcy and prosecution of the various propagandists at that station who KNOW what happened on January 6 and yet covered up, and continue to do so!

By all rights, Speaker McCarthy should be forced to resign, and should be prosecuted for undermining US Capitol security for the future!

If these videos end up being spread far and wide to right wing, anti government terrorists, they would have the information needed to cause a future US Capitol Insurrection, which would endanger all members of Congress, all law enforcement authorities, all US Capitol staff members, and all American citizens who might be on Capitol Hill at any point of time!

There can be NO justification for what McCarthy has done, and ALL news media sources, including reputable agencies, including CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and many others, should have the same right to such material, but all of them with careful control of how it is shared and spread to the American public!

A Salute To The Free Press And Committed Journalists!

Ronald 2 Comments

As the year 2022 goes into the history books, and 2023 brings its new challenges, it is time to applaud and salute the free press and committed journalists for pursuing truth and facts, and continuing the never ending battle for freedom and democracy in the United States and worldwide.

Those who attack the free press in America and elsewhere are enemies that must be challenged and confronted in every way possible, as it is the free press that promotes progress and shows us reality.

Evil is a force that is always present, but we must thank committed journalists, newspapers, periodicals, and cable and internet websites that continue to pursue the goal of expanding basic civil rights and humane outcomes in the midst of the constant barrage of mistruths, propaganda, and discrimination.

So whenever someone attacks the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, Politico, Huffington Post, and a multitude of other news media, they are attacking all decent people who simply want to live their lives wishing for the promotion of peace, tranquility, and the protection and betterman of human rights worldwide.

Facebook And Social Media In General A Deleterious Force: A Need For Regulation!

admin 6 Comments

This author and blogger can recall the “good old days”, when there was no Facebook and other social media companies, obsessed by profit, and unconcerned about dividing America into opposing forces that see those who disagree with them as dire enemies.

The expose by a whistle blower of what many have sensed was reality has led this author and blogger to decide not to spend time on social media, and instead to back off and focus more on the major news sources to keep up with the constant flow of events.

Despite the criticism of reputable journalism sources–including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times–the record of their reliability over the long haul makes them the best source of information. They are more reliable than even electronic media on cable networks.

Clearly, there needs to be some kind of government regulation to overcome the reality that social media helped to inspire the January 6 Insurrection, and is a danger to the future of American democracy. Also, it is clear that the COVID-19 Pandemic and resistance to vaccination and masking is due to the influence of Facebook in particular, and that Instagram, owned by Facebook, has had a horrific event on self image, particularly of teenage girls.

Social Media has gone out of control, of any sense of responsibility to America, only centered on profits!