Latest news with #independentjournalism
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Support journalism that is independent and honest
(Stock photo by Nenov via Getty Images Plus) I am often overwhelmed and alarmed by much of what passes as news in the United States. Moreover, the problem of fake news is increasing as we become ever more polarized and as our government tries to undermine and to silence media that exposes intentions and actions it wants to keep hidden from us. Adding to the problem is the proliferation of social media posts that may or may not be accurate. Increasingly, I have become a supporter of independent journalism and have dropped my subscriptions to local papers — owned by what some call vulture equity firms, interested only in power and profit. I've even dropped my long-time subscriptions to two well-known national newspapers. Instead, I support my local library, where I can access, online, my local newspaper, as well as national news publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX I am not necessarily advocating that you drop your newspaper subscription. Instead, I am hoping you are aware of the many independent news sources available to you. In Colorado, among those I support are Colorado Sun, Mountain Ear and this newspaper, Colorado Newsline (part of the States Newsroom organization). Conveniently, in Colorado alone there are many more independent news sources than the three I have named. The Media and Democracy Project has compiled a list that can be found at the organization's website. Personally, I also support a number of independent national news sources, some of which are identified online at Most crucially, I support those organizations that support independent journalism in a variety of ways — organizations such as the Colorado News Collaborative, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Media and Democracy Project. What do I mean by independent news sources? Independent news sources are those that are free from the influence of governments, corporations or special interest groups, ensuring that what they report is truthful. To determine independence, you could begin by looking at whether the news source is more reliant on facts than on opinions/arguments, by investigating the sources of its funding and whether there are potential conflicts of interest, by evaluating its history and track record (e.g., its record for exposing criminality or abuses of power), and by assessing the extent to which it follows established journalistic standards and ethics. When I want to ensure that what I am reading is trustworthy, I search for primary sources if available (e.g., a C-Span video or a legal document) and for additional reports on the topic. I search Reuters Fact Check, Snopes, and Media Bias/Fact Check, too — all available online. We are awash in fake news, and it is eating away at our society. We deserve an honest, skeptical, independent press. Too much of corporate-run media is only interested in lining their own pockets at our expense. According to a Sept. 18, 2020, article in TechStartups online: These media conglomerates are owned by the elite or the ruling class, which extends its reach to encompass not only traditional power structures but also modern behemoths like big tech companies, exerting control over the content we consume — what we read, watch, and listen to … The term 'elite' often slips into our conversations without much thought, yet its roots and significance remain unfamiliar to many. Derived from the French élite, which traces back to the Latin eligere, meaning 'to select or to sort out,' elites represent a select group of influential individuals who wield a disproportionate share of wealth, privilege, political power, or expertise within society. Are you confused and overwhelmed about whom and what to believe? If so, make a point of becoming a savvy news consumer, and spreader, of truly important and reliable news. Don't repeat or repost something you've read without first checking out whether it's true. And support independent journalism. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Manitowoc letter-writers share views on Trump, his proposal to end funding for NPR & PBS
Here are this week's letters to the editor of the Herald Times Reporter. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views. Read more in Opinion: Click here to view the latest headlines in Opinion Recently, the New York Times reported: 'Trump Signs Executive Order Seeking to End Federal Funding of National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting System.' This is a war on independent journalism valued by millions of Americans. Public radio and television are a threat to Trump because they have provided accurate, reliable, truthful news day after day for decades. The educational and recreational programming has been a household staple for decades for Americans. A loss like this creates a 'dumbing down' of America, in the same vein as defunding universities and the research and medical advances they provide. Where does this lead? Americans must protest this vigorously by calling, writing or emailing their elected public officials: President Donald Trump: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20500; 202-456-1414; U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin: 141 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5653; U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson: 328 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5323; ronjohnson@ U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman: 1511 Longworth H.O.B., Washington, D.C., 20515; 202-225-2476; When Congress does not respond to Trump's dictatorial orders, the people must act. The time is now. Darlene Wellner Manitowoc Our fathers served in World War II in the Air Force. Kathy's father was a prisoner of war for 10 months. We know neither of our fathers fought to serve a man like Donald Trump and his self-aggrandizing platform. Kathy's father did not endure cruelty at the hands of the Nazis to serve a man who has openly stated he admires Adolph Hitler and is imitating his takeover plan. To those who defend Trump, you know his focus is not on the Constitution or citizens. So far, he … was convicted of 34 felonies, which involve misstating his use of his money and his financial value; commuted the sentences of 1,500 insurrectionists who attacked police while trying to take over the government (these people were found guilty of crimes by a jury of their peers); proposed completely unqualified cabinet directors and tried to avoid the Senate confirmation process; withdrew from the Paris Accord and the World Health Organization; threatened neighbors with high tariffs, knowing it would harm them and our own citizens; and attempted to withhold federal assistance to many needy Americans and is now suggesting cuts to Medicaid. 32% of eligible voters voted for Trump. 31% voted for Harris. 2% voted for a third party. 36% did not vote. This is not an overwhelming mandate. We can't ask our dads if they fought for this kind of evil, but we're pretty sure they didn't. Kathleen A. Bernhart and Joseph M. Bernhart Manitowoc Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to htrnews@ and Editor Brandon Reid at breid@ Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel. This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Trump cuts to NPR, PBS a war against independent journalism
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Axed MSNBC host Katie Phang reveals her next move
Published: | Katie Phang (pictured) has launched a YouTube channel under a left-leaning media umbrella after she was canceled from MSNBC. The Katie Phang Show was one of several casualties brought on by a lineup shift implemented by new network boss Rebecca Kutler in early 2025. Now, almost one month after her final show aired on the network, she has unveiled her new business venture - revealing she actually gave keen listeners a clue in her final MSNBC appearance. Phang will join the MeidasTouch media group with a brand new YouTube show titled Phang Unleashed. 'YouTube is the perfect place for Katie Unleashed,' the attorney and legal analyst wrote on X. 'We'll talk about the law, politics, and culture. You'll hear from trusted, familiar voices. And you'll hear from new voices with fresh takes. It's time we realize WE are the cavalry we've been waiting for,' she added.' The revelation should have come as no surprise to longtime viewers after Phang teased the collaboration in her final on-air appearance. At the time, she said she would 'meet you where you are at places like Substack and YouTube with fellow truth tellers like MeidasTouch.' Phang has also launched a Substack account to go alongside her new show. 'When it came time for me to get out of mainstream media and find my way into the holy land of independent journalism, I could not think of a better place to be than [with] the guys at MeidasTouch,' she said in her first YouTube episde alongside MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas. In her second to last episode on air, an emotional Phang cried as she interviewed Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Joy Reid, Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also said goodbye to their programs as part of a strategic overhaul from higher-ups. Capehart and Mohyeldin will fill different roles on the network as well, with news shows being built around them. The same could not be said for Phang, who, like Reid, twisted the identity-politics knife while lamenting her situation after seeing her show pulled by her bosses. 'I was proud to platform more AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) voices than any other cable show ever,' Phang wrote in a pointed post to Instagram in February. 'Representation matters,' she concluded. 'I went hard on so many issues,' Reid complained separately, while weeping through her remarks on a Zoom call to supporters. 'Whether it was the Black Lives Matter, issues of a young baby or a mom or dad that was killed or when we opened up people's eyes to the fact that Asian Americans were being targeted, and not just Black folks. 'My show had value,' she insisted. As for MSNBC, the picture has gone from bad to worse. In February 2021, MSNBC averaged a total of 1.4 million total viewers every hour throughout the entire day and an average of 2.9 million total viewers during only primetime hours. Today, those numbers have dwindled down to just roughly 600,000 and 1 million total viewers, respectively - a more than 50 percent decline on both ends.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Canceled MSNBC host Katie Phang reveals next shocking move
Katie Phang has launched a YouTube channel under a left-leaning media umbrella after she was canceled from MSNBC. The Katie Phang Show was one of several casualties brought on by a lineup shift implemented by new network boss Rebecca Kutler in early 2025. Now, almost one month after her final show aired on the network, she has unveiled her new business venture - revealing she actually gave keen listeners a clue in her final MSNBC appearance. Phang will join the MeidasTouch media group with a brand new YouTube show titled Phang Unleashed. 'YouTube is the perfect place for Katie Unleashed,' the attorney and legal analyst wrote on X. 'We'll talk about the law, politics, and culture. You'll hear from trusted, familiar voices. And you'll hear from new voices with fresh takes.' 'It's time we realize WE are the cavalry we've been waiting for,' she added.' The revelation should have come as no surprise to longtime viewers after Phang teased the collaboration in her final on-air appearance. At the time, she said she would 'meet you where you are at places like Substack and YouTube with fellow truth tellers like MeidasTouch.' Phang has also launched a Substack account to go alongside her new show. 'When it came time for me to get out of mainstream media and find my way into the holy land of independent journalism, I could not think of a better place to be than [with] the guys at MeidasTouch,' she said in her first YouTube episde alongside MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas. In her second to last episode on air, an emotional Phang cried as she interviewed Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Joy Reid, Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also said goodbye to their programs as part of a strategic overhaul from higher-ups. Capehart and Mohyeldin will fill different roles on the network as well, with news shows being built around them. The same could not be said for Phang, who, like Reid, twisted the identity-politics knife while lamenting her situation after seeing her show pulled by her bosses. 'I was proud to platform more AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) voices than any other cable show ever,' Phang wrote in a pointed post to Instagram in February. 'Representation matters,' she concluded. 'I went hard on so many issues,' Reid complained separately, while weeping through her remarks on a Zoom call to supporters. 'Whether it was the Black Lives Matter, issues of a young baby or a mom or dad that was killed or when we opened up people's eyes to the fact that Asian Americans were being targeted, and not just Black folks. 'My show had value,' she insisted. As for MSNBC, the picture has gone from bad to worse. In February 2021, MSNBC averaged a total of 1.4 million total viewers every hour throughout the entire day and an average of 2.9 million total viewers during only primetime hours. Today, those numbers have dwindled down to just roughly 600,000 and 1 million total viewers, respectively - a more than 50 percent decline on both ends.
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
E.U. Offers Emergency Funding for Radio Free Europe After Trump Cuts
The European Union said Tuesday that it was stepping in to provide emergency funding to Radio Free Europe, though the promised amount fell far short of what the news organization said it needed to stay afloat after the Trump administration froze federal support. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, announced that the bloc would provide 5.5 million euros ($6.2 million) to support Radio Free Europe, which provides independent reporting in countries with limited press freedoms. 'In a time of growing, unfiltered content, independent journalism is more important than ever,' Ms. Kallas said. But she added that the funding would be for the short term and that the European Union could not make up the news outlet's entire shortfall. Since taking office in January, President Trump has ordered the dismantling of Radio Free Europe's parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which provides the broadcaster with $12 million in congressional funding each month. A U.S. District Court judge initially paused Mr. Trump's termination of the congressional grants, but this month a federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration could continue to withhold the funds. Stephen Capus, the president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said on Tuesday that he was grateful for the emergency E.U. funding to keep the operation running 'for a short while longer.' He said that the news organization was continuing to fight in court for the release of congressionally appropriated funds. 'RFE/RL's survival remains at risk as long as those funds are withheld,' he said in a statement. The news organization on Tuesday filed an emergency petition in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking its May funding. Radio Free Europe said last week that it had received its April funding from Congress, though it came six weeks later than scheduled, forcing the news organization to reduce programming and staff. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which has been funded by Congress since it began broadcasting during the Cold War, reports on human rights and corruption in several countries run by authoritarian governments. In the 1980s, it reported on the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, details of which the Soviet authorities had obscured. Today, it broadcasts in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as nations in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
