"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.
03.15.22
Anti-Social Media Pt. 1 – THE NEW YORKER
- Don't let professional mourning interfere with biased slander.
The news that a Fox News journalist has been killed in Ukraine, videographer Pierre Zakrzewski, is tragic. While some in the journalism landscape have expressed sympathy and condemnation over this, others are incapable of holding back from using Pierre's death as a springboard to deliver caustic commentary on Fox News.
Exhibit A – Susan Glasser.
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What a tragedy. A cameraman died covering the war for a TV network that airs a pro-Putin propagandist as its top-rated primetime host. https://t.co/zKHXRciMYu
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) March 15, 2022
Anti-Social Media Pt. 2 – WASHINGTON POST
- Almost tipping over the bandwagon while jumping on board.
Most rational thinkers would see Glasser's comment and say, even if they agreed, it would probably be best not to join in on that chorus.
Not Maggie Sullivan. She is tossing an arm across Susan's shoulders on this one.
Saving this for when she deletes it--
— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) March 15, 2022
The @WashingtonPost media columnist Margaret Sullivan saw that craven message from @Sbg1 and felt it was a perfectly delivered sentiment. The damage in these biased minds like @Sulliview is stark. pic.twitter.com/Ps1i1Uy7kO
Consider for a moment the level of bias needed to even formulate these feelings, let alone broadcast them, and now reflect that we are seeing this on display from supposed neutral journalistic sources.
Anti-Social Media Pt. 3 – MIAMI HERALD
- While she doesn't echo Glasser, Julie Brown is perfectly content to occupy that same arena.
Miami Herald's Julie Brown admonishes the network because she saw a segment when they were not discussing the loss of Zakrzewski. Brown completely undermines her own title of "investigative reporter" by displaying her abject refusal to investigate her own claim. Fox has certainly covered their photographer falling victim, extensively. It is foolish to even suggest otherwise. But here is Brown behaving foolishly and dishonestly, pointing at a lone segment and holding it up as some kind of proof they have avoided the story completely.
Fox News just lost a visual journalist killed by Russians in Ukraine and their hosts right now are talking about the cost of pajama bottoms at Target. I am not kidding. pic.twitter.com/uq20n9lvWS
— julie k. brown (@jkbjournalist) March 15, 2022
The only basis of this critique would be that Julie Brown expects around-the-clock coverage of just that one story; otherwise, it is a dereliction of journalism. That would be like calling Brown an incompetent journalist for not covering the war story and instead getting in a snit over things Fox News is broadcasting.
Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – WASHINGTON POST
You might have seen the story shared around how all of the school superintendents in the state of Virginia opposed Governor Glenn Youngkin's idea to set up a tip line for parents to register complaints about teachers and remove what they deem to be divisive content in the curriculum. Every single superintendent signed this letter, we were told, all 133 superintendents. ALL of them!
If that figure sounds dubious to you, wellllllll…of course, it is. Turns out, a number slightly smaller than 133 actually wrote and signed the letter. Or significantly smaller. WaPo has since issued a correction, and it does NOT go far enough to explain the wild divergence of participants in this decree.
- "CLARIFICATION
This article was clarified to explain that the letter to the state superintendent of schools from the Virginia Association of School Superintendents was written on behalf of the state's 133 school superintendents and was approved by the board, but not signed by every member of the group."
In truth, that word "approved" is doing some incredible lifting here. In truth, the letter derived from just 12 board members, a notably liberal body, while claiming they were representing all of the superintendents. This is a remarkable feat, considering that many supers did not even know about the existence of this letter. ABC 7 News reports that many expressed surprise at its existence.
-" 'It was a surprise to read a letter that presumed my agreement in the Washington Post as reported through various news sources,' a Virginia superintendent said. 'I think several of the superintendents in the state were a little surprised that we were attributed to something that we had not seen.'"
News Avoidance Syndrome – MSNBC
- You almost make it sound worse than what the current guy said.
On "Deadline: White House," Nicolle Wallace spoke with former lead counsel of the impeachment inquiry, Daniel Goldman, about the involvement of the president and threatening to withhold military aid. Not the current president, mind you, but the previous one.
"The relationship between Donald Trump and the Republican party and Russian disinformation has, over the past five years -- from the 2016 election to where we are today -- completely become entangled together" - @danielsgoldman w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/q5mFvmg50M
— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) March 12, 2022
To take this seriously, we need to pretend that it was not Joe Biden threatening to hold back $1 billion in military support unless the country bowed to his demand. It is tough to do, considering he is on tape admitting this to be the case, of course.
Presentation Paradox – MSNBC
- Joy Reid draws up a picture of oppression using a Hedonism Resort.
For years now, we have all been inundated with the lazy shorthand imagery from the left promising the threat of conservative policies would plunge this nation into a "Handmaid's Tale" dystopia. Everyone knows how women are projected to be subjugated, made to wear red gowns and bonnets to remove their freedom and femininity.
Er, everyone – except Joy Reid. She apparently missed out on the significance of this visual metaphor as she attempted to slam the state of Florida as the promised incarnation of this feminist nightmare.
Florida at this point is basically Gilead with palm trees and bikinis. Wake up, people.
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid ?? (@JoyAnnReid) March 14, 2022
Ummm…Joy? Women permitted to be outdoors and frolicking in skimpy swimwear basically defies the entire premise of the book/movie/series/liberal narrative.
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – NEWSWEEK
- Breaking all the news of foreign anonymous intolerance.
Look, we understand there might be the occasional slow news day – but with a war raging, inflation surging, gas prices spiking, our border leaking, AND TOM BRADY UNRETIRING…there is plenty of content.
That's why it is a bit of a mystery why Newsweek is covering some activity regarding the stage play "Rent." We hear how during a performance, a possible hate crime took place.
A statement from us about a horrible incident during our matinee performance at @carriageworks_ pic.twitter.com/WZeTJFvOPp
— Bite My Thumb (@bitethumb) March 13, 2022
-" 'All the cast, creatives and backstage crew of the production were utterly disgusted to hear about this display of small minded ignorance. As a theatre company, we purposely chose Rent to give a voice to the LGBTQ+ community and educate on the horrors of the AIDS epidemic,' Bite My Thumb said in a statement."
Or not. Here are the deeply unserious details.
- During a performance, there was a walkout.
- This took place in England.
- It was due to the play featuring gay characters.
- It involved one person.
- We do not even learn if it was a male or female audience member.
We still have so much to learn as a planet…
