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David's avatar

So true. I worked in Network News for 33 years. They prided themselves on their “objective” journalism. There was a plaque to Edward R. Murrow, who helped bring down McCarthy, in the lobby. Not sure it is still there. Everyone talked about the 4th estate as the backbone of democracy. All a myth.

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David's avatar

Can we be honest about the Substack platform though. Yes, in our progressive bubble there are some good writers. A lot of good people. But substack takes a cut of everyone’s subscriptions. And how is anyone able to subscribe to all these great writers without going “bankrupt”. And we don’t usually see it, because the algorithm works so well, but there are fascist bubbles and outright antisemitic bubbles and genocide denier bubbles. Oh, and even on this “progressive bubble”, someone called me a Kike for pointing out their blatant antisemitism. All allowed in the name of “free speech” but really all about substack profit.

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Jean and Joan & Who Knows Who's avatar

Yes, I’m trying to decide which Substacks have the furthest reach. I guess it will change over time.

And have to decide who gets my $7 a month.

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Brutus Macdonald's avatar

Whoever controls the media has control. That would be the plutocracy and its global network of corporate-owned media conglomerates. But what happens as corporate-owned media, which is to say practically all media, continues to be exposed as corrupt, censored, economically driven and politically motivated?

The current state of media (ie, broken) may be the biggest step toward the fall of the plutocracy, for now that we know their most potent weapon, the media, shoots blanks, what do the plutocrats do to maintain control? For the plutocracy to carry on with its dirty work, order must be maintained, control of the masses is necessary, yet that was the job of the media, a platform at which we now roll our eyes.

An even more compelling question is what will replace the all-powerful global entity we call media once it collapses, keeping in mind we now live in the Post-Truth Era, where any and all onscreen content is (rightfully) suspect. The medium itself is broken, practically beaten to death by an abusive owner. Can such damage, self-inflicted and propelled by greed, with all its greasy spatter and collateral damage, be undone?

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Jean and Joan & Who Knows Who's avatar

When will we have media that tells the truth!

Maybe Rolling Stone.

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John Durham's avatar

If you don’t get rid of your paywalls you’re just as bad a Trump grifting off the public when we need your input more than ever. Do it for us all or don’t do it at all.

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