I think we need a new thread because I can't think of anywhere to put this interesting video by Media Matters about the transformation of Russell Brand from leftish comedian to right wing grifter.
Interesting Videos about Media
Sat, 2024-02-03 14:01
#1
Interesting Videos about Media
Mon, 2024-02-05 13:43
#2
Russell Brand is far more interesting than your average right wing grifter. I liked his presentation style, but I don't watch his content much at all, except when he occasionally crosses into other media ecosystems I am regularly in.
Media Matters is a democratic party org that attacks conservatives. Which is fine and their right, but they are not an impartial media watchdog, and they are not interested in nuanced discussion of controversial issues - they push the democratic party line and nothing more.
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/media-matters-for-america/
"Media Matters for America was founded on May 3, 2004 by David Brock. In the early 1990s, Brock was a conservative investigative journalist. By the end of the decade, he had become a liberal activist. He created MMfA to confront the conservative journalism of which he was previously a part. 1
In founding MMfA, Brock received help and guidance from the Center for American Progress, which at the time was also recently formed by former officials from the Clinton White House. The site was intended to become part of a larger liberal media apparatus, aimed at combating conservative opinion-makers like radio host Rush Limbaugh. Brock stated he hoped MMfA could provide content for struggling new liberal talk show hosts, including future U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minnesota) and Janeane Garofalo. 2"
"Media Matters for America’s stated purpose is “comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.” 7 It claims to conduct “in-depth media analysis,” but its website is equally filled with liberal calls to action for its users. 8
In 2016, after the defeat of then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D) in the presidential election, MMfA refocused its primary efforts from challenging falsehoods perpetrated by Fox News to “exposing falsehoods circulated online” by right-of-center sources. 9
The MMfA website includes sections for its blog, videos, research, and Mythopedia. Mythopedia prompts users to “Search the Dictionary of Conservative Lies.” 10 When searching simple words or phrases like “tax” and “climate change,” a list of “lies” paired with “truths” is presented, with links to longer entries. Supposed lies include phrases like “Progressive taxation is class warfare”; supposed truths include “Higher tax rates on the rich are not punishment.” 11
In 2007, MMfA released a study on 1,377 U.S. newspapers and 201 syndicated political columnists regularly carried by those papers. It concluded that conservatives receive much more space in newspapers than do liberals. Reporter John Diaz debunked the study, citing methodological bias: many reporters were classified as “conservative” despite their varied and nuanced opinions. 12
Mobo: As far as media criticism goes, I really respect MediaLens, a british outfit that have a socialist take and articulate it well:
Wed, 2024-02-07 09:24
#3
Good video.
They show him testing the waters early on with his reference to Masons and the Illiminati.
Interesting that this gets released the same week Tucker Carlson goes over to rub shoulders with his fans at RT. They have already been asking him to work there for a year or so now.
Fri, 2024-02-09 00:08
#4
Tucker Carlson: The Vladimir Putin Interview
https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1755734526678925682
fyi
Fri, 2024-02-09 08:30
#5
Yup. Question is how much is fodder for the international tankie brigade and how much is a ready-made campaign video for domestic media, given the upcoming election - just as it is explained in the video, and this government memo:
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/03/exclusive-kremlin-putin-rus...
And from Carlson's perspective, like Brand it is all about trying to stay in the public eye now that he has a podcast, and not a network behind him.
Mon, 2024-02-12 16:57
#6
Apologies in advance to Mobo2000, but here is another video from Media Matters. I know they are liberals, and generally support the Dems, but they are also truth tellers, at least in this case. I think their criticism of The Daily Wire, a horrible right wing media outlet, is right on point, and important to be aware of.
Mon, 2024-02-19 18:48
#7
Here's an interview with the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei on Sky News of all places. He explains how censorship in the west is not that different than in China.
Sat, 2024-02-24 22:20
#8
Remembering John Pilger
https://www.rt.com/shows/whistleblowers/592624-remembering-john-pilger-w...
"Every generation has a journalist to whom most people can point as being transformative in world events. On this episode of The Whistleblowers, John Kiriakou speaks with friends of the late John Pilger..."