"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of 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.
04.13.22
Anti-Social Media – The Atlantic
Even with a new variant said to be arriving, it is showing little signs of impact collectively. People are resuming their lives, and most seem unburdened with the prospect of returning to a more limited lifestyle. This is due to more studies showing how states with strict lockdown measures showed no sign of better mortality performances. With that in mind, the press is feeling their own dark mood – one of their preferred and dependable topics is losing its grip on the populace!
Never fear, as Molly Jong-Fast is here to reinstill that sense of foreboding in a cheery piece of a column - These Dreadful Days.
Recommended
- "If it feels like the vibe shifted to existential despair, you’re not alone. Low-level fear seems to have permeated everything these days, like the music you hear in elevators or in airport lounges. It’s the hum of dread, the lullaby of anxiety. Finally the vibe has shifted from the abject panic and disbelief of March 2020 to the ubiquitous dread of April 2022."
Just to counter this serving of frothy ebullient doom, do a search on Covid cases currently and behold the flatline effects seen across the country.
Just a little data to leaven the drama. https://t.co/xQ3hCeO1Lk pic.twitter.com/Opttp04ucp
— Brad Slager ???????? - Most Certainly A Biologist! (@MartiniShark) April 13, 2022
Matching Media Memorandum – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- It appears that White House spin documents are a renewable resource.
With the expected arrival of the harsh inflation numbers yesterday, it was quaint the way the press worked in lockstep to properly frame the spike in our spending – it's that damned Putin!
We have not seen this level of agreement from the press complex since looking all the way back to…every single outlet referring to Florida's Parental Rights law as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
Note the uniformity in the media in blaming Putin's 6 weeks of war for our inflation -- that has been soaring since Biden began enacting policies last year. pic.twitter.com/qtjDwwoBOJ
— Brad Slager ???????? - Most Certainly A Biologist! (@MartiniShark) April 12, 2022
Stealth Story Evolution – CNN
- This may silence the deposed newsman, just a touch.
The Chris Cuomo saga at CNN might be, much like burying nuclear waste, something that keeps going on as a half-life. In the wake of Cuomo and Jeff Zucker's exits from the network, The New York Times alluded to something that could have delivered the ax blow to Chris or both men. A message had been received from a lawyer stating that their client, an alleged victim of Cuomo's sexual advances, had been silenced through a deeply unethical agreement.
- "Barely 24 hours later, a letter arrived at CNN. It was from a lawyer representing a woman who had worked with Mr. Cuomo years earlier at ABC News. She said he had sexually assaulted her and that, in the heat of the #MeToo movement, Mr. Cuomo had tried to keep her quiet by arranging a flattering CNN segment about her employer at the time."
Now, it appears that The Washington Free Beacon has unearthed the segment in question. It was from a 2017 broadcast of the morning show Chris was co-hosting, as he fluffs for the now infamous scam entity WeWork. If this is at all accurate, it becomes an even more vile entry on Cuomo's dark résumé.
NEW: Chris Cuomo aired a bizarre segment in 2017 on CNN praising 'WeWork.'
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) April 12, 2022
It turns out that a former colleague who accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct was doing public relations for WeWork. The segment was aired to keep her quiet.
Via @elianayjohnson https://t.co/5moDRKHZqx
DNC PR Firm – ABC NEWS
In a bid to help shield President Biden from culpability on the subject of – well, anything – ABC News issued a poll where they asked Americans where they place responsibility on a number of issues, as well as asking how they feel Biden is performing. The difference is that they did not give out a list of items from which to choose one item, but people could cite as many items as they felt.
In this way, it could be pointed out that Putin, for instance, was to blame in the minds of most people…even if most people also put the blame on oil companies…AND most people also blame Biden. Behold these convenient results:
- Disapprove Biden handling gas prices - 68%
- Blame gas prices on Oil Companies - 68%
- Blame gas prices on Democrat Policies - 52%
- Blame gas prices on Vlad Putin - 71%
- Blame gas prices on Joe Biden - 51%
There you go, news outlets, choose the result that best fits your narrative!
55% of Republicans say they are "very enthusiastic" about voting in this year's midterm elections, compared to only 35% of Democrats, new @ABC News/Ipsos poll finds. https://t.co/WLlVQFYXbI
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 13, 2022
Anti-Social Media – WASHINGTON POST
- JOB OPENING - Explorer needed to send dispatches from the exotic land of Texas.
The Washington Post has a new job opening. They are looking for an enterprising type to be stationed in Texas to report on the life, happenings and politics in the strange land in the center of the country. Imagine the discoveries they might uncover in the mysterious realm that has been a part of our country for at least 125 years.
“The hiree will be given their own cowboy hat, a $25 Wattaburger gift card, a pamphlet with all of the Dallas Cowboys records dating to 1990, and a guidebook with regional sayings.
— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) April 13, 2022
Must be willing to travel from Austin to explore the state.” https://t.co/sy3z4fLhHG
Pre-Written Field Reports – Touré Show
- Keeping the focus on what is important in a violent episode.
Following the news story of the shooting in the New York subway system, journalist Touré apparently had his assessment of the event all set to fire off until some inconvenient details emerged about the shooting.
Police say the suspect is a male Black." Damn. Damn. Damn.
— Touré (@Toure) April 12, 2022
