The Media Archives - LA Progressive

Concentrated ownership of the media in the hands of a few corporate media conglomerates has a detrimental impact on democracy. The articles posted here address those impacts.

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Pacifica Issues Taken to Attorney General Becerra

Michael Novick: Since KPFK went to a “strip-programming” model about a decade ago, with gate-keepers controlling access to the airwaves and limiting free speech and community engagement, its audience has been cut in half.

Benefit of the Doubt? The Shaky Ethics of Giving Prime Time to Trump’s Propaganda

Peter Laarman: There was no “ethical dilemma” here for the networks. As Princeton’s Eddie Glaude said on MSNBC, the ethical imperative here was to deny giving critical aid and support to a congenital liar and manipulator.

The Problem Is Not Civility

Steve Hochstadt: The problem is that a few prominent conservative opinion leaders, headed by our President, have gone way beyond incivility to hatred.

PBS Examines Facebook, Monday & Tuesday Nights: Time for a Hard Look

Larry Wines: If you’ve heard the questions posed in hearings when the heads of tech giants have testified, you know what boobs our lawmakers are when it comes to even a basic ability to comprehend the capability of the internet.

The Left Will Never Thrive Without Its Own Smart, Entertaining and Well-Funded Media Organization

Ted Rall: Not in the derpy leaderless consensus style that destroyed the Occupy movement, but top-down by brilliant Machiavellian can’t-be-bought leftist schemers who know how to motivate and build an organization.

An Unexpected Farewell: Local Columnists Disappearing

Steve Hochstadt: While national newspapers are weathering this storm, local newspapers are closing. Since 2004, about 1,800 local papers have closed or merged. The smaller the paper, the more likely it would close.

Where Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport

Democracy only works if there is ample participation. These local boards can ensure that these radio stations are run well. But if effective, logical people don’t join these local boards the stations may be poorly governed and decline. Democracy is not a spectator sport.

All the Anonymous B.S. That’s Fit to Print

Ted Rall: What is scary is that the stewards of a grand 167-year-old publishing institution can cavalierly abandon the basic standards of journalism in search of a social media splash in their tepid jihad against a sitting president.

The Right Wing, Trump and Media Fairness Rules

John Peeler: In the old days broadcast media had to give equal time to opposing points of view. Could Fox News as we know it even survive such a standard?

The National Enquirer and Trump Warrant RICO Prosecution!

H. Scott Prosterman: Now we know that this rag willfully enabled t-Rump, gave him “secret” editorial powers to plant bogus stories about his enemies, and kill unfavorable stories about him and his allies.

Is Trump a Brand-New Weird Existential Threat to the Republic? Not Even Close.

Ted Rall: Trump isn’t — despite what 300-plus newspaper editorial boards would have us think — a root cause of American crisis. He is a symptom of preexisting conditions. This is important. Because if we delude ourselves into thinking that getting rid of Trump will fix what ails us, things will only get worse.