Friends, I understand the urge to unplug from the media, but I never would have known my Rep was funded by “school choice” millionaires if my local newspaper wouldn’t have reported it. We need folks on the ground covering school board meetings and city council meetings and commissioner reports.
Local journalists are sorely needed in small towns. They find corruption in the water department and expose dirty sheriffs. They also report the good news about local schools and road repairs and upcoming festivals. They show up to meetings and report findings for the rest of us.
If you have a bent for a topic that's not getting covered in the local news (not owned by venture capital) write the editor and offer to cover it. It takes real commitment to turn out news week to week ... Volunteering gives you just a small insight. I write the #louisvilleco govt. 4 #boulderweekly
I wish there was someone in my community willing to pay for this, but everyone wants it for free, most especially the journalists' bosses. It's important!
I stopped watching MSNBC, but I watch my local general news and weather! I turn off when the politics is too much about Trump & his lies!
Gotta amend that a little - non-CORPORATE, local journalists are sorely needed in small towns. Folks in small towns should research and find out if their local station or paper is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group or another group horrifically skewed to the right (like Fox but worse).
Local media are sorely needed to employ those local journalists. Most towns don't have them any more. We have a network of 8 fmr papers "serving" 8 counties ranging in pop from 37K-183K, w/all reporters & editors based in the neighboring large city (+2 add'l counties not even in the stated region).
There's an excellent independent statewide news source, but they don't get to the so-needed granular level you mention. One local university has a promising hyper-local journalism project. Beyond that it's just individuals posting reports of varying accuracy and bias, for free or a few local ads.
What is starting to gain traction is framed as civic engagement, not journalism - an "observer corps" led by the local League of Women Voters. All volunteer, and obv many more volunteers needed esp for day-long meetings of County Commissioners etc.
I've noticed that. It may be how we restore news reporting. But if so, LWV should organize itself at every level to coordinate and promote host websites as that independent nonprofit. Reporting is more than observing though. It's backgrounding, interviewing and hours/days/months digging in archives.
Be on alert. In recent months, some corporate owners have started using AI, including creation of a fictional journalist, made-up bio and all with the byline. Try to meet the reporter in person, to be sure they exist and have a legit journalism degree.
Very good point. The one reporter assigned to my county, I've only spoken with him on the phone, but his story that included the interview was fair and competently written, and I'm satisfied he's legit. But I don't really doubt LinkedIn is full of AI generated profiles at this point :-/
Found it: patch.com/new-jersey/h... A fake byline "includes a claim that one reporter had a master's degree in education policy from Columbia University, a claim called into question by a spokesperson for the graduate Teacher's College."
... and that AI fictional byline in the local paper gets its "facts" by plagiarizing real reporters (including their exclusive direct quotations) and grabbing as equal QAnon-style disinformation -- anything AI finds posted online. AI can't phone to validate real vs fake stuff it is plagiarizing.
best thing you can do is unplug and actually get involved in your town, your local politics, a cause you personally believe in. going fully into the comfort zones of digital save havens while unplugging from the real place you live and breath in is giving up.
💯 The majority of my 2024 election work was raising awareness about our local school board candidates. In spite of that, 33% of the voters in my city left their school board vote blank(!) and a right wing Moms For Liberty candidate just got elected.
imo an uncomfortable truth about our current system is that the right wing is much much more tuned into local politics, in large part due to churches being their meeting halls with leadership, structure, and action items to take. Liberals just don’t have a strong equivalent.
Uh no, unplugging is not info sharing. What’s the pt of trying to effect change if we don’t organize with each other? She’s right. You’re right about involvement tho. ❤️❤️❤️
Hey weird question, are you on TikTok, and how many videos do you have on your profile? I think you may have a copycat messaging people.
I am on TikTok. I have about 300,000 followers. I have a lot of folks who pretend to be me on that app.
That's what I figured, people don't usually try to get me to go to a different app...... Can you post your actual TikTok account cuz I'd like to give you a follow on there
Until venture capital buys said outlet and lays everybody off.
It's doesn't have to be that way. It's like people who live in place for 60 years blaming property taxes for not being able to afford to stay. Then sell your house for less than market rate. Get it listed historic. My paper local is going co-op as the owner wants to retire.
Venture capital is less prone to go buying up town newspapers than it is a lot of other things.
👍👍👍👍
You are so, so good at this! 🫂
Local journalist are great. I just don't want to hear any of the BS from the big MSM. They are part of the reason why we are where we're at today.
Agree.
I wish....most journalist are activise for wokeness
Yes they do and small town papers have been in decline for years. If you see a problem, fix a problem. Aggregate local stories on the web for your town. No one is going to do it for you
Support nonprofit local newspapers. inn.org
What a fabulous resource! Thank you. I just found a new source I didn’t know existed. Awesome.
I've not seen anyone say that they'll unplug from all media, just national media. To the contrary, I've seen them highly value the importance of local media. We just need to build those and our online presence up on all platforms, and the sooner the better.
This!!!! ‘School choice’ is a euphemism for: I don’t want my kids sitting in school with black kids, but they’re not allowed to say that anymore.
Anti school choice could be argued to be a euphemism for "I don't want my middle class white kids to have black & Latino kids bussed in to our private school."
No honey that’s ’school choice’ racists
Well no I just explained how it's possibly the opposite. Can you explain why not?
‘School choice’ is what racist ppl call the creation of private schools, by wealthier ppl, to exclude black and brown ppl. It’s not actually ‘choice’ it’s a label the racists use for their proposal/policies.
The purpose of the program is to allow minority kids stuck in public schools to use tax dollars already spent on them / the public school to go to private schools. It's the opposite of excluding them, it's allowing them to afford private education denied them.
Yes and you said ‘anti choice’ was ‘I don’t want them to be in school tigether’ Did you mean the double negative????
I'm saying wealthy white people are trying to keep minorities away from their kids by claiming the very thing which would allow those minorities to attend same classes as their privileged white kids, school choice, is somehow "racist" instead of the status quo which traps minorities in bad schools
As a school board member in Ohio, I can give you numerous examples of Private school voucher students who have been removed by the private schools for a variety of reasons. Those "poor" &/or "minority" families then have to file for bankruptcy so their student can graduate from the public schools.
They say it anyway.
Unfortunately, my local newspaper is a maga rag called the Star News while my big city, "mainstream" LA Times is owned by Soon Shiong, bowed to Dump, and was afraid to endorse Kamala. I guess there's always NPR.
Local reporting is vital. Ideally from a trained journalist, but if not then from informed citizenry.
We don't just need reporters doing that we need reporters investigating every single candidate what they do what they've done who are they in cahoots with everything we need that. Because nobody sitting in government is ever going to be transparent because they know they have dirt
Local government meetings are public. You can attend yourself, and get together with like - minded people to publicize what they're doing -- right and wrong. It helps when they know people are interested in watching.
It’s not just “unplugging.”Newspapers across the country have been bought by people like hedge fund owners who are not the least interested in journalism. They just want to sell the assets & run. It costs money. Do you know people who would invest in the news business? It’s risky. How do we get it?
100%
Yes that IS very important shit...
I agree. We’ve switched to local media. We aren’t watching @cnn or @msnbc or reading WP LATimes NYT anymore. 1. Because they’ve become useful idiots. 2. I can’t listen to sanewashing that BS 24/7.
I'm not unplugging from all media, just big corporate media. Independent media is what I look to now, in whatever form it takes. I pick my sources carefully. Even many local papers are owned by billionaires now.
👏🏼 Thank you
Hi folks :) What: TRUMP PROTEST When: January 4th from 2 - 5Pm Where: 2000 Fashion Show Dr, LV Trump Towers, Las Vegas Bring signs, and dress for the cold, high of 55 but sunny! Local police have been notified and so has the press. Please share folks, and come join us. #resist #bluecrew
I’ve been unplugged from MSM for years. Thankfully our county has a local non profit newspaper run by mostly volunteers, and it’s free. There are two of them actually, one that’s about entertainment and one that’s about news. Downside is they’re both only delivered once a month. But between those 🧵
And just paying attention to what’s around me, what people are talking about and what’s going on I seem to always get the news I need when I need it. During election time I do my own research on the candidates. Having access to the research databases from school makes that easier. The library helps2
Newspapers are important!
www.reddit.com/r/somethingi...
I do not include local reporting in msm.
Say it sis.
I don’t think people understand the importance of municipal and school district politics. This is where many right ring movements start and gain control and power. Please pay attention and vote in your community!!!
You are absolutely correct!
Go to your local Democratic party meeting. I'm going in the new year. They clearly need the help.
Exactly! And be sure to vet carefully. In the mid-1990s the Fundamentalists/Creationists started a tactic they called "stealth campaigning," in which a candidate presented themselves as reasonable, and once elected went full-bore crazy. I've seen signs of that returning.
It’s happening where I live, and they succeeded in flipping the school board. I am devastated, and we fought like hell to inform the public. Now we have some very long school years ahead of us.
Yes exactly. The small town bigot in BC who accosted Trudeau recently has tried to become a school board trustee a couple of times as a stepping stone into far right politics. If the community hadn't been well prepared she could have been acclaimed. www.antigender.watch
Small towns, school boards, and LGBTQIA+ groups have been on the front lines of protecting Freedom & Democracy for the rest of the country for years/decades. 𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚! We need more ppl to be involved on these front lines.
Completely!! Some of us in my region have been battling to stop giving religious orgs and anti abortion clinics permissive tax funding.
Small government is how we get through these next years. If we can keep democracy locally we can expand.
Subscribe to your local papers! Know what is going on where you live and not from Nextdoor.
Nextdoor is even more toxic than Twitter. Especially because you know they live near you. Bums me out.
I went on there once and I was like no I don’t wanna know the crazy people that live around me.
Literally me! One peak. The misinformation and MAGAt lunacy near me was like a red warning siren in what I thought was my sea of bright blue. Delete!
We really don’t need to know our neighbors 😂
No we do not!
My experience on Nextdoor was quite similar.
Scary
Yes. It’s like giving people an added way to stalk you. It scared me so much. 😔
My local newspaper is a Gannett conglomerate rag staffed with children and sports homers.
Oy. Maybe u should work for them.
100%agreed 🤩👍
I'm in a blue state. Maybe I'm getting complacent?
The problem is there really isn’t “local” media anymore. 99% is corporate owned. Big media companies like Sinclair have bought it all up. It’s just a fact. I’m all for supporting locally owned media, if I could find it.
Santos was outed before his election by the local newspaper Their reporters know what is happening in the community & we all are better off if we read their reporting
I of course cannot speak for everyone else, but I simply stopped paying attention to the infotainment segment of the national "news" media. I still follow my local newspapers and digital media.
Local newspapers may be different. Legacy media is paid for and therefore anchors have a script. You can see most of the same on any channel.
Unplugging from large Media is spontaneous rejection of Vichy-like Journalism Hopefully the rising alternatives will fill the void Meantime local News reporting needs supporting unless Sinclair owned #WJLA —News7 in DC
Ground forces unite
We need folks on the ground actively involved in those board meetings www.runforsomething.net
Small town newspapers mantra, do not offend anyone or they will not buy advertising. Sports, obits and craft fairs only.
Shocking!! You mean private faith based schools want to steal public school funds to indoctrinate children! Tell me it isn't so.
Exactly. Local media, particularly newspapers, serve to “shine a light” on what we all need to know about our communities. Support local media.
If it was actually news, then yes. But they haven't done "news" since 1980 when CNN busted onto the scene and all media discovered that News = Money.
100%. The idea that openly biased sites, which by their nature are echo chambers, should be the source of all news is beyond ridiculous. It’s the sign of followers, not thinkers, who don’t want to hear anything that deviates from the group-think. The result will be electoral defeat after defeat.
I’d hope people haven’t pulled away from all news media. I’m no longer watching the cable news networks, but I’m still following my local news and several independent media outlets.
Yes we do!! Can’t believe the republicans are trying to destroy our schools and libraries
Local news is the best check on municipal corruption.
I worked for a Gannett paper and watched the newsroom staff fall from 67 people in 2001 to eight now. Eight people can’t possibly do the work of 67. They can’t cover the news and the oligarchs who own the media know — and count on — that.
I agree 100%. That’s why I support the National Trust for Local News (NTLN.org) which is working to save local journalism.
I completely understand your words, but admittedly I remember the anxiety, anger, and panic attacks of the last time we were subjected to this. I am not sure how to balance without losing my mind.
nowmarch.org
I read most of my news.
People have to actually READ the paper first.
Our local “newspaper” only reports favorable GQP “news”. They give drama queen Rand & Self-Described ‘Grim Reaper’ Mitch, front page heavy coverage & never report their engage votes on issues for their constituents. So, no, I unsubscribed from our local paper.
I unplugged from the talking head, MSM and cable news. Reading my news…and definitely my community news more. I agree on the community journalists.
I watch my local news. It's the National news or cable news I don't watch. I get more and earlier news from here or other sites. I notices tv/cable are late to the game on most stories.
Knowledge is power. I've been an elected official on a school board for almost 8 years. I always appreciate community members who come to meetings and ask questions. Otherwise, gossip becomes the reality and that is dangerous.
Excellent example!!
Our weekly local paper covers the county. The paper sends reporters to town and county board meetings, and many local community & sports events. The reporting and coverage are excellent. It’s the only print paper I still subscribe to. The Reporter (Catskills Today), Walton, NY
It’s corporate media that sucks. We need true journalism, not the talking head crap.
Wish I could find a way to morph from a production accountant to a reporter 😌
I do interviews about cost reports ftw
All the more reason why we should protect local newspapers.
Our local newspaper is a right-wing rag run by a narcissistic nepo baby who likes to sue. It's an almost impossible battle against this, at least without some major funding for staff, production, and legal support. :(
100%. Grassroots media can remind local people what is great about their community while providing the light to expose the human cockroaches.
Yes local media. Subscribe to the local paper
I unplugged from the legacy media, but follow more reputable media on line. Many more choices as well. YouTube brings so much info too. NYT, WaPo, and the wackjobs I do not follow...
At least some local media actually does their job. After being part of the mainstream news cycle for a few years, I no longer trust it to get the story straight. I trust overseas news before U.S. corporate media at this point.
My blackout is on cable & network news and the Sunday talk shows. Local news is still on the menu.
Thanks for sharing
School choice in Ohio is draining our public schools of much-needed resources. Remember Ohio funds schools by property tax, basically segregation if the truth be told.
When I heard the words from his mouth,”Vouchers”, Mitch Daniels who would become governor of Indiana, made my skin crawl. This system, which is firmly entrenched in Indiana has stolen millions from our public school.
Thank you for this reminder; I did that work for a while back in the 1980s and it’s crucial information for the community.
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The lead researcher, Prem Kumar, described this breakthrough as a "step toward next-generation networks," paving the way for advancements in quantum computing, encryption, and precise measurement techniques.
The urge is to unplug from social media. Still browse your various news outlets to get current local news.
I’m unplugging from the media that has sold out, that sane-washes the unacceptable, that won’t speak truth to power, that let America down.
Everything is important right now. EVERYTHING. We need eyes and ears all over the place, watching and reporting.
Local matters 👽👽👽
Local journos are vital in uncovering local corruption...
You make a great point. I think we as a country started to go rapidly downhill when local newspapers began to dry up. We used to have a common source of reference and had a way to judge truth from lies.
First and foremost, Christian Nationalists want to take over school boards. They want to bring a Christian agenda into every school, including school prayer and bible reading. These people are hateful and divisive. They are NOT the good guys they pretend to be. -TN Rep. Gloria Johnson
It’s truly more crucial now than ever ⬇️
💯✍️
SF here! We have lots of press coverage at our BOE meetings. The people recalled our BOE a couple years ago and since then they have been eroding public edu. They tried closing our schools this year, there’s lead in the water and corruption runs so deep, and not just this year, historically! 🤷🏻♀️
Continue being relentless about the goals. It’s tiring at times.
Supporting community journalism is critical. Non-profit and independent news co-ops are particularly important. Great examples include VT Digger @vtdigger.bsky.social and the Portland Press Herald @pressherald.bsky.social
Bridge Michigan is a great nonpartisan, nonprofit source for Michigan news. bridgemichigan.bsky.social
Then let them come from the community and post here or on YouTube. I'm done with MSM. You can do as you like.
People telling us to unplug from the media have an alternate agenda - 🤑 Some media IS biased and does report garbage but we can sift garbage from gems to know what is happening. 2025 will be a year of challenges for a great many people and we need to be aware of what is happening.
Better school choice millionaires than say George Soros
Agree 💯%
Is your Rep a Republican? Because that would be a strong clue.
We have been seeing Dems cross the aisle once elected. :-( If we stop investigating based on the presence of an R or D then we still get caught short.
True. A "D" doesn't save it, but an "R" does wreck it.
According to Wikipedia, there have been many Dems switch to Repub, both Federal as well as Senate, but only a handful of Repub to Dem. I do see some Repubs listed as having become Liberal Repubs which is different than Progressive. Id love to see the numbers on switching back after election.
Yes and like it or not, investigative reporters like to break stories on TV news so We need an alternative media that these reporters can feel comfortable breaking their stories with.
I live in a rural area in Nebraska. No daily newspaper. Weekly paper is a shopper with random canned articles,no local content besides the few adds of grocery store. Local radio is all but dead. Most local news is from Facebook. No wonder Trump wins these areas.
I live in a rural area where all media is gone. Local TV gone. Daily newspapers gone. Local radio dying slowly. When you need these things the most they’re gone.
The saddest part of this is that Fox News and Facebook filled the void.
but the reason we are in this mess right now, is because so many people un pluged. We need to PAY ATTENTION, just like you did. And get your info from more than 1 source!
Good local and regional journalists are a necessity, and a blessing, to the community. They have many times broken important stories which have had nationwide affects. Many nationwide journalists & authors have helped create, or hide, the problem. 1/2
How many times have you heard important info an author held onto when learned and then saved until book release, here’s looking at you Woodward. 2/2
Millionaires are the problem
I think it's safe to guess that all Republicans are funded by oligarchs at this point. Even most Democrats are in the same situation. Government in general, is corrupt at nearly all levels.
My HOA is corrupt as hell! I'm sick of it! But I'm old and sick and disabled. I can't fight the fight the fight anymore. I'm sitting this one out. It's time for the next, younger generation to step up and make a stand.
Which means we need to be supporting that local media, and we're not. Lack of local media is one of the primary reasons we're less informed than we used to be.
Unfortunately I can tell you from experience that even hyper local newspapers are struggling. I'm in a community of app. 15k and I have only about 1k daily readers AND it's FREE 🤦
“School Choice is Vouchers”! Vouchers / School Choice programs ARE A SCAM!
Exactly. Media is there as guard rails, as checks, as an amplifier to misconduct - NOT as one big giant infomercial for corporations & billionaires.
Less unplugging, more calling out!
😂 Try X then.
"Sit in your church’s parking lot and write down the license plate of brown folks," the letter instructed. www.yahoo.com/news/trump-a...
We can’t hide our heads in the sand, but we can support our local media over the legacy media. Give your attention and energy to those who deserve it and help rebuild our media to serve the community, not the corporation.
It's not local newspapers or some local TV news that I unplug it's Corporate Media that I have no taste for.
Democracy is won from the bottom up and lost from the top down.
This reply is from someone likely not real, my friend. I’d block him.
We need people to RUN for local offices like school boards et al. How about YOU run.
The little local newspapers that used to be free and delivered to your door are being gobbled up and closed down. But the reporters are still reporting for small independent news outlets that have integrity. They are the lifeblood of our community. Support local.
💯
"Thanks for sharing this!" www.protectingourstudents.org/donate-new/
I have always relied on local papers to inform of the hidden story, who is being funded by whom, basic viewpoints of each candidate. This year the local papers stayed silent until 2 days before election day. 50% or more had already cast their ballot. T
I think people are unplugging from MSM like cable news. Local papers still play a role in information gathering.
Yep! If I hadn’t fallen into some info & done follow-up research, I wouldn’t have started attending the meetings myself which led to me getting elected to the board.
Exactly so. We need far fewer talking heads with their “analyses” & opinions. We have 40% fewer journalists today than we had ten years ago. We need - More facts. Less talk. More walk.
We need much more local reporting and much less amplification and “analysis” of every incendiary statement by the incoming federal clown show.
www.reddit.com/r/somethingi...
My unplug strategy is to read local and world news, eschewing all main stream nation media, especially politics, which has done wonders for my mental health.
My belief is journalism in Papers is far more accurate than News for Ratings on Television. You likely won’t know any of that from Television. I agree with you fully on this. News on Television is garbage.
You're in Missouri? Some of my ancestors settled there
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Agreed
Then by all means read your newspaper. But, I lived a long time without CNN and MSNBC. I know which ones I trust.
Same .
Local media yes, mainstream media no. Both can exist simultaneously.
It’s important and unfortunately there’s very little press left to report on local events.
This means they can teach their right wing propaganda to our babies through schools that are not in the teachers' union.
I'm far more comfortable with local news, I only really trust national and international news from certain sources. I like France24.com
Part of our problem with the death of local newspapers… no one to cover the actions of deviants… of course the other issue is people’s unwillingness to read! We have become a dumb and dumber society.
I unplugged from msm. Not local or independent journalists or reporters.
It bothers me tremendously that people want to fight big battles when they haven't even learned how to fight small ones through community engagement. That's why no one on 🦋 can ever come up with a plan when asked. Democracy begins & ends within our own communities. We have to fight for it there.
...In fact, we should be talking about how to restore locally owned news media to most of America. I advocate a nonprofit business model, or even municipal/county/state employment of SPJ member pro journalists. But democracy will die without reviving its robust Fourth Estate.
Yes!
Agree. Would love to see one reporter at least covering local events and politics (high school sports for example) as the local stuff will get more to read or catch headlines on the politics
This is where the largely silent wealthy dems need to be investing cash infusions across America. Journalism needs a better long term funding strategy, but we won't get there if local reporting dies.
Amen! You're lucky to have a newspaper covering your school board. Most of America is a news desert now because of corporate, hedge fund and private equity investor takeover of locally owned media.
I recall the defeated Wagner-Hatfield amendment to a 1930s Communications Act, which reserved a percent of radio licenses for public use. Find a way for the feds to fund what you suggest, in Constitutional support of fair Communications, usurped by corporate consolidation. (ie,the Filthy Rich)
It’s got to be ground, and upwards
Very true. I learned that three school board candidates were anti-public school through the Next Door App which is an odd way to learn about it. There were also public forums of the candidates. They were all defeated in spite of their efforts to hide their strongly held beliefs.
Yeup.
Nancy Pelosi screwed America She's all about her legacy which she ruined by not being open minded
Its so tempting to stick our head in the sand but not a clever idea. We need to tune into local media a start paying attention to what is going on right in front of us.
Agree! Vet every politician, school board member. The recruiting starts there.
support local journalists! They will cover the scandals and the good news too
Unplugging from corporate national media doesn't necessarily mean unplugging from all media. It means finding better sources for the news you consume. Like many local outlets.
You just summarized my post.
I think knowing whats going through national media is also important, because it’s what the majority of people see. How people consume that info, and what they do with it, is the big problem.
Your local, municipality, politicians are the most important ones to follow. They have the most immediate impact on your lives.
It's just major media that is the problem, because they create funnels. Independent journalists will be supported, and not only supported, but directly supported, without middle people.
"You might not fuck with politics, but it sure as shit is gonna fuck with you." Ignorance is bliss they say, but even that bliss is starting to be messed with, so being ignorant isn't worth it anymore.
I still really respect the opinion of Marty Baron on Jeff Bezos and the WAPO debacle. This was very good. youtu.be/iWL5sgZi5Jg?...
Not being informed about daily things- that's what is killing democracy around the world. A culture of being informed is what the world needs.
We need to unplug from Cable news. MSNBC< CNN< ABC, NBC
I'm not anti-media, just anti-getting lied to. That's why I quit Twitter and stopped watching MSNBC after J&M went to suck tRump's balls at his lice-ridden motel.
Unplug from billionaire media. It’s on us to know our state’s offices and contacts without their hand holding. Caveat: Local news is far superior in helping with that. I use open secrets for any politician.
We're unplugging from the disingenuous of the MSM - CNN, ABC and half of MSNBC
Missouri Ethics Commission - for campaign finance.
Initiating change in politics is effective if you start locally. It’s a manageable task. Worthwhile. You have taken on Missouri’s issues and it has spread to the surrounding states. I am grateful to you for sharing your work.
❤️
It all starts with local politics. Without that as a base we do not stand a chance. This is where the right excels. They have been flooding the local systems. We need to be there pushing back.
That's EXACTLY WHY I subscribe to our paper. The AZ Republic is an award-winning newspaper with excellent journalists. They write important stories and cover sensitive subjects - even when those stories involve people in power who don't like it. Freedom dies in darkness. Support your paper!
Years ago, friends and I started a local newspaper that flourished. Ready for a do-over.
People need to distinguish real journalism from other "news" media that is actually just sensationalism, drama, reality TV in disguise, or scripted opinions. Journalism is what we need. We must support it, protect it, and fund it. Please respond by naming media outlets that employ journalists.
I don’t necessarily disagree but the problem is exhaustion from having done just that very thing for the last EIGHT YEARS and watching it rendered meaningless because that prick is now back angain and nastier than ever. So it’s easy to conclude “what’s the use?” Seems pretty apparent karma is dead.
Except, Denver, CO local newspaper is owned my republican multimillionaire that print very slanted news. I say this as kindly as I can. Boulder Daily Camera is more honest.
That's confusing since Alden Capital owns both. The only difference is that Boulder Daily Camera publishes many AP news reports rather than doing their own major reporting.
Interesting. So, is the Camera editor just more independent on what is published?
They have fewer resources I assume and since they have to publish, the AP reports provide some level of balance. I'm a Camera subscriber. Apart from op-ed there is almost zero original reporting. What makes you think it is better?
And they've just lost their most visible local reporter, so 2025 will be interesting.
Who?
Mitchell Byars
They published some friends items.. been a while.. Longmont news site is also open to outside opinions. Just not the DP.
Honestly I need to start taking my local paper. The world is big but our power is at home, in person!! School Boards, city council, etc.
Yes, grassroots, local. That’s where we need to be and must be in ‘25
Please create a profile/bio. I almost deleted you. You will receive more followers with similar interests 😊
we need secure elections first and we do not have secure elections
Sorry, but after this election I've lost all hope anything can be fixed. Y'all can keep fighting, I'm sitting back with popcorn to watch this dumpster fire engulf everything and burn to the ground. The only way the pheonix can rise and rebuild.
Not unplugging from media, just television media. "Watching" the news anymore just makes me feel dumber about everything. Because people who get their "news" from television aren't getting news. They're simply getting commercials for dish soap and douche powder, with empty headlines in between.
It’s infotainment from billionaires that HAS to make everything a sport, a competition.. They can’t report the news, they have to have an opinion about it. Like Burr said, when did we start having opinions about facts? Screw the pundit class.
Been saying this for years!
Local papers are not in the mainstream group. They are the epitome of Indie, running on realistic budgets with hungry reporters and determined editors. MSM = conglomerate media that continues to gain millions from amplifying lies.
I guess "Media" is a large tent. I have cut back on Social Media because it's mostly unverified nonsense. I do read legit news sources. I stopped doom scrolling and have gone back to expressing myself with a fountain pen and nice paper. Gets me centered better.
I tune into local print news. Televised media can get bent.
Legacy media is a tool for misdirection, deception, & lies. Independent media & media from our Allies (like BBC) are the only reliable truths in broadcasting. Resistance isn't futile & revolution is necessary. Resistance isn't futile & revolution is necessary. 🌊🇺🇸🇺🇦🌈🟧🏞️💙
I think of it as "corporate media" because there are many non-profit media outlets that have been around for a long time as well e.g., ProPublica, Mother Jones, The New Republic, The Nation.
Excellent topic!
Great points - We definitely need factual and transparent reporting.
Time to follow me 🦋
That's what you do instead of MSM
Doom scrolling is part of the problem; information overload to the point where we can't properly parse what we're given--information that's probably given to us by one side or the other--just isn't a sustainable model for a properly educated society.
Absolutely. One of the great losses is the change of ownership rules by the FCC that permitted non local ownership of news outlets. So many when the ownership and rules changed dumped local news gatherers. People at least used to believe in local Journalism. But it’s compromised by owners now too
It doesn't help anybody if you stick your head in the sand and try to ignore what's going on, you have to stay on top of things as hard as it is
As a transplant from a liberal Chicago suburb to a rural county in SW VA, I so appreciate what you do. Thank you 🙏
For me, unplugging is just from legacy media - not from news. Local news is especially important. All politics is local.
We don't live under a rock. Unplug nothing. They want us to be ignorant.
Agreed. We just need to be a bit more vigilant as to where we source our news. As my third grade teacher often said - learn to read between the lines.
It's important to keep abreast of what the other side is doing. Dropping all media is not going to help anything. Learning to differentiate propaganda from valid news is a good skill to master in this regard and also makes our opposing arguments stronger. Use the enemy's weapon against him.
GD right
Exactly this! ☝🏼
The problem is we don't have any local newspapers here anymore. Our closest is an hour and a half away and run by a trump supporter. They refuse to print anything we send in.
Can they also check in for any representatives that haven't shown up to work in months?
Not saying we should unplug at all. I have during the holidays because I needed to for mental health. Having said that get your news locally - if a trusted source. American corporate media has failed us though. Will not go back to any of them!
Unfortunately, local news…truly local and independent… are getting scarce
Thank You Governor 😀
We have to be very picky where we get our 'news' since there are too many unscrupulous purveyors of misinformation.
That is especially true for those of us in deep red states.
The challenge is finding accurate and truthful news that doesn’t have as much visibility, WITHOUT giving attention, viewer ratings to those who normalize Trump/Trumpism. But those resources DO exist!
Exactly. This is why local journalism and community papers are so important.
Just MSM, I'm loving finding new sources
Also, too many of us unplugging for too long it's what got us in our current situation. Let's engage together and fix our damn democracy!!
Our not so small (6th largest in state) town newspaper has been gone for years. We should not underestimate the disappearance of a daily newspaper lying on the kitchen table for why so many people don’t know stuff. It has been seismic but rarely addressed.
Sometimes unplugging strategically is necessary. But we will need a lot of boots on the ground as mainstream media keeps rolling over. We have to be involved personally locally.
We need to be everywhere. Not in hiding!
Agreed.
My southwest Michigan town of less than 2000 still has a local weekly paper, along with the next small town 8 miles away. We subscribe to both. My uncle said many years ago people should attend their city council meetings.