"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage on the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation. We'll look to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.
09.23.21
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – THE WASHINGTON POST
No more needs to be said than this column from CNN's Fareed Zakaria. It is magnificent in all of its elitist glory.
"I wanted to understand Europe’s populism. So I talked to Bono." https://t.co/Dr8jPSe3a1 via @PostOpinions
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 21, 2018
Thank you, Fareed. That laugh you induced worked better than coffee.
Prose & Contradiction – CNN
- The network tries to join the chorus without changing its tune.
As more outlets become upset over the allegedly racist aspect of covering the Gabby Petito disappearance and death, CNN cannot help itself in covering the Gabby Petito disappearance and death.
CNN devotes 15 minutes to the Gabby Petito story. (I'm betting broadcast nets were heavy into this as well).If you think it's unfair to suggest a racial aspect to this, show me the story of a missing/ murdered Black woman that got anything like this play.
— Jeff Greenfield (@greenfield64) September 23, 2021
It seems this practice of looking into saving someone is wrong and hurtful; we need to curtail efforts at rescuing people, as it sends the wrong message.
It's the second thing.
— Brad Slager - Focused On Lasers (@MartiniShark) September 23, 2021
CNN complains about the focus on white girls missing, and highlights the white girl missing on the same front page. https://t.co/IpYL4XP1P0 pic.twitter.com/Qa4PkKy62L
Blue-Anon – THE INDEPENDENT
The press has an addiction of sorts in needing to find crackpot theories and then elevate them to levels that are entirely exaggerated. This allows them to maintain that the GOP is gripped in nutjob theories and not operating in reality in order to dismiss an entire party. The latest involves former Gen. Mike Flynn suggesting that there is a plot to place Covid vaccines in salad dressing.
He said he was sent something that suggested this. In reality, there is a study being conducted to see if it is possible to grow vegetables that contain mRNA for ease of distribution. Now, while Flynn was notably off base, it was a part of a conversation in an undisclosed video conference, where Flynn introduced the theory in a by the way, did you hear about this, fashion. Writer Graeme Massie instead elevates this as if Flynn is making the rounds on all the news networks to promote this concept.
- "Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser is pushing a new conspiracy theory that the Covid-19 vaccine will be placed in salad dressings."
Michael Flynn pushing conspiracy that Covid vaccines placed in salad dressings https://t.co/NbCx2jHpQi
— The Independent (@Independent) September 22, 2021
Reporting on the Mirror – DIGIDAY
In its lengthy feature on news outlets making adjustments toward the streaming environment, Digiday has this revelation; CBS News will be changing the name of its news streaming division from CBSN to CBS News. Additionally, "CBS This Morning" became "CBS Mornings," and "CBS This Morning: Saturday" became "CBS Saturday Morning."
- "The move is meant to reflect how CBS News is unifying its efforts across traditional TV and streaming as well as between its national and local coverage, with its CBSN local streams set to be similarly renamed."
Well, that should clear things up.
Future of TV Briefing: TV news networks are stepping up streaming’s centrality https://t.co/a27jlo7bqM
— Digiday (@Digiday) September 22, 2021
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – THE WASHINGTONIAN
This came about through the intrepid muckrakers at The Washingtonian – okay, it was just writer Andrew Beaujon. But he was intent on finding out who was behind the Peleton social media account for the Washington Post. For those not immersed in spin classes, on Peloton stationary bikes, there is an option to follow people who are also "riding," and you can send them a "high five" as they peddle. That's pretty much all it does.
Beaujon says he spent much of this year trying to track down who it was. He then tracked down who it was; one outgoing staffer in the PR division set up the account. The end result of this investigation makes as much progress as riding a stationary bike.
Who, exactly, was behind the Washington Post‘s Peloton account? We spoke with the creator of perhaps one of the publication's more offbeat social media initiatives.https://t.co/A7acCtiZ1I
— Washingtonian (@washingtonian) September 22, 2021
