199 replies to this topic

[SimonH]

This is one of the biggest media stories of the decade. Where’s the usual bevy of critics and concerned posters?

We don't do fake news.

[Mike K.]

Everybody agrees that the press should have access - including the Biden administration and DHS. The DHS suspended press access citing pandemic concerns.
...
On the other hand, after years of having a president treat the press poorly and being staunchly defended by people like Mike K for doing so, it's a bit rich to see that you've become such an advocate for the press.

Not according to CNN and the rest of the mainstream press who demand access, and I never defended it under Trump, I just called everyone’s bluff. Besides, you guys do not allow whataboutism on political issues.

It's part of a larger pattern of restricted media access at the southern US border — despite promises of transparency and the fact that at least 14,000 migrant children are detained in federal custody amid a surge in migrants attempting to enter the country.

The lack of access was repeatedly pointed out by journalists this week. A number of live-shots from the border have ended with a reporter pointing out that officials denied access to the facilities holding migrant children.

In a statement Thursday, Radio Television Digital News Foundation Executive Director Dan Shelley blasted the Biden administration for failing on its promise of transparency. "The President promised things would be different," Shelley said. "Turns out he was right, but in this case not the way we had hoped. The Trump administration allowed journalists into juvenile migrant detention facilities."

Shelley urged Mayorkas to "immediately" allow journalists access to Border Patrol processing facilities and officials.

"At a time when the southern border of the United States is undergoing a historic surge of migrants, it is more important than ever that journalists be allowed the necessary access to report accurately and independently on the Border Patrol's response to the increased arrival of migrants and the well being of those housed in Border Patrol facilities," he said.

Hot off the press: https://www.cnn.com/...ency/index.html

[Mike K.]

Same article, referring to John Moore:

Getty Images special correspondent John Moore on Twitter Friday asked US Customs and Border Protection "to stop blocking media access to their border operations."

"I have photographed CBP under Bush, Obama and Trump but now — zero access is granted to media," Moore said.

[rjag]

It’s like Trudeau unmuzzling scientists. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

[Sparky]

Facebook Canada head warns news posts could be blocked as last resort

 

https://www.okotokst..._campaign=Email

[VIResident]

See link for entire article.

 

Fifty new outlets, 250 journalists: Canadian startup unveils plan to revive local news

As local papers close their doors, a morning newsletter defied the odds. Now its founder aims to push the model nationwide

Local journalism has shed jobs faster than the coal industry, leaving swaths of North America as news deserts with little or no regular coverage.

But the grim prospects for an industry in decline didn’t deter the Canadian tech entrepreneur Andrew Wilkinson, who in 2019 hired a reporter and launched a daily newsletter in his home town, Victoria.

 

Emailed to subscribers early each morning, Capital Daily gave residents news highlights from around the city. Wilkinson bought advertising on Facebook and Google and subscribers started pouring in.

https://www.theguard...-community-news

Edited by VIResident, 07 May 2021 - 02:12 PM.

[spanky123]

^ Big jump from 1 to 50 but best wishes to the team for trying.

[VIResident]

Wilkinson started OMG, or Overstory Media Group https://www.omgmedia.com/), the CEO is Farhan Mohamed, known for his work as past editor-in-chief of the Daily Hive https://dailyhive.com/

OMG is a new, national news brand in Canada. OMG's first newsletter is the Capital Daily https://www.capitaldaily.ca/ other newsletter titles include Decomplicated, Fraser Valley Current, Vancouver Tech Journal, Burnaby Beacon.   

Wilkinson also owns Tiny Foundation - https://www.tiny.foundation/ which owns (or major investor) in about 30 tech companies estimated to be valued at $600 million.

Today Wilkinson says OMG has 40,000 (free) subscribers for Capital Daily. 

Very little advertising has/is found in the newsletter and, while advertising in the newsletter is advertised as available in the newsletters, the price to advertise is not published. 

 

And there is a hint to something 'better' than just advertising for advertising sake:

 

"OMG will take a similar community-first approach when it comes to advertising, said Mohamed. “We only want to work with a small group of partners who believe not only in what we do but believe in their community that we serve.” Rather than display advertising or sponsored content, OMG wants to work with marketers to develop more “unique concepts and unique experiences” that have greater meaning and resonance for the community supporting the media brand. Simply selling eyeballs to brands that are irrelevant to the community upsets audiences and readers, has little value for the advertising brand, and is not a strategy for long-term sustainability, said Mohamed. “What we are doing is making a conscious choice of who we want to work with, and only allowing a small select group in,” he said. “I don’t want to turn down money, but at the same time we will if it doesn’t make sense.”

https://the-message....ity-journalism/

 

Operating at a loss is a given. 

It's been a bumpy start with a few editors in and out over short period of time.

 

So where is the money coming from? 

Andrew recently had a business go public, WeCommerce https://www.wecommerce.co/ and his shares seem to be worth $179 million.

 

Based on number of people Wilkinson is hiring and wages with zero revenue this operation will run at a loss - in the millions. Thats a dedicated love of the news media. 

 

Wishing them well and have enjoyed some the of long story journalism of late. 

[Banksy]

Rather than display advertising or sponsored content, OMG wants to work with marketers to develop more “unique concepts and unique experiences” that have greater meaning and resonance for the community supporting the media brand.

“What we are doing is making a conscious choice of who we want to work with, and only allowing a small select group in,” he said. “I don’t want to turn down money, but at the same time we will if it doesn’t make sense.”

A community supporting media brand cannot be divisiveness but their editor on Twitter is very one sided and articles under his oversight are antagonizing people who have opinions other than his. I believe none of the curated advertising idea because they will take what they will get and the advertisers will tell them what they want.

[VIResident]

A community supporting media brand cannot be divisiveness but their editor on Twitter is very one sided and articles under his oversight are antagonizing people who have opinions other than his. I believe none of the curated advertising idea because they will take what they will get and the advertisers will tell them what they want.

 

Credible media has no opinion., it's unbiased - dry, even bland at times however highly trusted.  People, individuals have opinions and are free to express them wherever they like as long as they add the caveat it is their own opinion and not that of the 'news' or 'business' etc.  Perhaps this new venture as attempting to straddle, or, is a hybrid of some sort.  Will be as interesting to watch as it has been reading some of the content generated.  I hope they do well, I'm intrigued, appreciate the views that do not necessarily align with mine however trust and credibility is golden and therefore I will consume 'news' that I need elsewhere.  

 

(To advertising - transparency is key.  If advertising is not open to all/anyone, or prices/methods are different for one over another - this will take away from both credibility and trust.  A clear policy, and transparency is needed imho).

Edited by VIResident, 08 May 2021 - 07:08 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

people have biases.  and people write and edit news stories.  here are two sentences using the same facts:

 

 

Cases dropped below 1,000 for the third time this week, and hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths were all down once again today.

 

Cases dipped slightly today, but the 7-day average is still well over 1,200.  Hospital capacity remains severely strained, and 37 more deaths were attributed to COVID just this week alone.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 May 2021 - 07:16 AM.

[VIResident]

We are all human.  We all have biases.

Professional, bonafide 'news' outlets have an eye (journalists, editors etc.) on bias, oversight.

General consumers of 'news' seeking credible, factual information who perceive active bias within the content tend to no longer be a consumer of that news outlet.

 

(On advertising - same applies.  If it appears the news outlet leans one way or another towards an active advertiser the above lens is utilized by the reader/consumer)

Edited by VIResident, 08 May 2021 - 07:31 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

We are all human. We all have biases.
Professional, bonafide 'news' outlets have an eye (journalists, editors etc.) on bias, oversight.
General consumers of 'news' seeking credible, factual information who perceive active bias within the content tend to no longer be a consumer of that news outlet.

(On advertising - same applies. If it appears the news outlet leans one way or another towards an active advertiser the above lens is utilized by the reader/consumer)

news outlets slant though. because they are most likely to hire like-minded individuals. look at NYT and Bari Weiss.

[Mike K.]

Cap had a distinctly different flavour under Hopper. It took a turn under Thomas. Will it take another turn under a third editor?

[VIResident]

Agree 100% and in true 'reporting' biases are to be checked at the door.  The reporter/editor bias that fits the news outlet bias, kept in check (often can see the struggle in the reporting), is what makes the difference between credible, trustworthy, trash or something between - hybrid.

[Rob Randall]

Newspapers used to report on every single robbery, murder, traffic ticket, high school swim meet, council meeting and bridal shower. New media outlets get to pick and choose the topics they want to delve in to. This is good for things like the recent expose on the takeover of the Sooke Harbour House hotel.

 

But there are stories to be told beyond long-form scandals. Just plain old reportage--what happened at City Hall last night. The daily mundane stuff. 

[Victoria Watcher]

it might be interesting to know what “printed word” medium sells best.

daily newspaper.
Weekly newspaper or magazine (Time)
non fiction books

[Mike K.]

I think the key word here is 'sells.' The buyers of those mediums are paying for the content they consume.

[Victoria Watcher]

I don’t think PBS or NPR or even CBC style news sells unfortunately. so news outlets with a slant do. or with an edge at least.

FIRST AT SIX WITH NEWS! (Correct at 11).

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 May 2021 - 08:44 AM.

[Mike K.]

Sure it sells. NPR has funding drives all the time, as does PBS. CBC is government funded but also competes with corporate media for advertising dollars (but who are we kidding, even corporate media is on the take from the feds now).