Because NPR and PBS are woke outlets liberals rely on for accurate, truthful information. And Christo-fascists can't have that. (Scroll to the end to listen)
I think it does make a good case for some form of public funding for information. When access to information depends on ability to pay, that's a different problem. In ancient :) times the solution was public libraries, but with all information moving online that's not quite the solution yet.
It would be great if nonprofits could fill in the gap, but ultimately it's problematic when the solution to every social problem is a nonprofit, essentially depending on charity to provide every vital social service. And information is a vital social service.
I don't know what the solution is, but it isn't fucking billionaires owning everything and taking us back to being like serfs in the Middle Ages.
But that's the dilemma, right? I spend around 30 hours a week on this space. It takes time to create what look like short, snappy pieces of writing, plus all the other ancillary things I have to do to maintain this community and get this work out there. While I'm really grateful for people who support this work financially, and I try to focus on them, it is sometimes discouraging to live in a world of so many takers. It used to hurt my feelings, but now I use that information to understand what people value. It really tells me what kind of people they are. If I decide I don't want to spend 30 hours or more a week on this space because I'm only making 5 cents an hour for my time and expertise, I don't have to continue. That's a dilemma for every creator. It's one of the hardest things about putting oneself out there. When is it time to say, "This isn't working for me"? (I'm not saying that now BTW, but it's something I had to learn to manage as part of therapy.)
Some people give in other ways: They make connections for me with other readers; they enable me to do interviews; they share and endorse my work. But if we want to have good information, we have to invest in it. I keep reading all the complaints about mainstream media, but a refusal to support good information got us here.
It seems like a deep hole which is going to be very difficult to dig our way out of. And it's everywhere in the world, not just here. There was a time a few decades ago when there was a hope that the internet would make information more accessible and thus have an enlightening effect on humanity. It turns out though that you don't need to silence or censor the truth to make it ineffective. You just need to flood the zone with lies and misinformation, such that anyone can choose to believe anything they want, and then who's to say what's true?
There are at least two more lawsuits against Faux, Smartmatic & the female employee who claimed sexual harassment & a hostile workplace. Oh, & I think one more for defamation. I hope they all win
It's crazy! I cannot imagine a world without public broadcasting, specifically NPR. It's a huge part of so many people's lives. I hope if they screw around with this it'll create a gigantic backlash but the problem is the mainstream media is not covering this at all!
NPR and PBS Newshour are both vital outlets for accurate news, something Republicans don't want Americans to have. Obviously. Since they spent time since 2020 consolidating and corrupting our mainstream media.
I think it does make a good case for some form of public funding for information. When access to information depends on ability to pay, that's a different problem. In ancient :) times the solution was public libraries, but with all information moving online that's not quite the solution yet.
It would be great if nonprofits could fill in the gap, but ultimately it's problematic when the solution to every social problem is a nonprofit, essentially depending on charity to provide every vital social service. And information is a vital social service.
I don't know what the solution is, but it isn't fucking billionaires owning everything and taking us back to being like serfs in the Middle Ages.
But that's the dilemma, right? I spend around 30 hours a week on this space. It takes time to create what look like short, snappy pieces of writing, plus all the other ancillary things I have to do to maintain this community and get this work out there. While I'm really grateful for people who support this work financially, and I try to focus on them, it is sometimes discouraging to live in a world of so many takers. It used to hurt my feelings, but now I use that information to understand what people value. It really tells me what kind of people they are. If I decide I don't want to spend 30 hours or more a week on this space because I'm only making 5 cents an hour for my time and expertise, I don't have to continue. That's a dilemma for every creator. It's one of the hardest things about putting oneself out there. When is it time to say, "This isn't working for me"? (I'm not saying that now BTW, but it's something I had to learn to manage as part of therapy.)
Some people give in other ways: They make connections for me with other readers; they enable me to do interviews; they share and endorse my work. But if we want to have good information, we have to invest in it. I keep reading all the complaints about mainstream media, but a refusal to support good information got us here.
It seems like a deep hole which is going to be very difficult to dig our way out of. And it's everywhere in the world, not just here. There was a time a few decades ago when there was a hope that the internet would make information more accessible and thus have an enlightening effect on humanity. It turns out though that you don't need to silence or censor the truth to make it ineffective. You just need to flood the zone with lies and misinformation, such that anyone can choose to believe anything they want, and then who's to say what's true?
It’s definitely contributing to the rise of autocracy. Democracies survive with truth. If there is no truth, there is no democracy.
A fact well understood by the likes of Putin.
AI is equally concerning. I'm lucky to have found substack. I've learned so much. I have not watched MSM in years.....mistrust it.
And I feel like our leaders are asleep on AI.
Yes..... Faux News has been another terrible contributor to lies and disinformation. They should be sued again. Sued into submission.
Everything Murdoch has done has been awful.
There are at least two more lawsuits against Faux, Smartmatic & the female employee who claimed sexual harassment & a hostile workplace. Oh, & I think one more for defamation. I hope they all win
It's crazy! I cannot imagine a world without public broadcasting, specifically NPR. It's a huge part of so many people's lives. I hope if they screw around with this it'll create a gigantic backlash but the problem is the mainstream media is not covering this at all!
Thanks for your important work!
NPR and PBS Newshour are both vital outlets for accurate news, something Republicans don't want Americans to have. Obviously. Since they spent time since 2020 consolidating and corrupting our mainstream media.