"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.
12.16.22
Reporting on the Mirror – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- The most significant case of censorship happened last night…so long as you do not research.
As most are aware, Elon Musk dared Thursday night to continue the long Twitter tradition of suspending accounts over spurious reasons. That he elected to do so with the accounts of a few journalists had the media complex in an outraged uproar.
BREAKING: CNN is going to “reevaluate” their “relationship with Twitter” after the suspension of “journalists”.
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) December 16, 2022
It’s really something to see corporate media do a complete 180 on Censorship 😂 pic.twitter.com/TUEJyLX5MJ
The move dominated so many headlines that any one would suffice here. The key takeaway: Putting a couple of reporters in timeout for a week is a far greater threat to journalism and the First Amendment than when an entire news outlet was shut down – over correct reporting, mind you.
Recommended
Six people is "so many".
— Brad Slager: Polling For Soup (@MartiniShark) December 16, 2022
An entire news outlet was taken down from multiple platforms for being accurate.
Another platform (Parler) was basically decommissioned.
But half a dozen important people put in time out for 7 days is a crisis of journalistically epic proportions. https://t.co/M1ibXDUd4W
Pathological Media Amnesia – Jason Kint / DCN
- Now let's not be hasty, maybe the company owned by one man is not considered private.
Mr. Kint was deeply concerned over the moves by Mr. Musk last night. So much so that he was going to spring into action! Kint pledged that failing a satisfactory explanation from the owner of Twitter, he would see fit as someone who is not elected and not a member of the government that Musk would be dragged before Congress to answer for…suspending Keith Olbermann?
More amusing than that neutered threat was that Kint is in possession of a collection of comments about past accounts being suspended – and he was not so outraged. No, in those instances he would wave a hand and essentially tell the complainers to grow up, it is a private company choosing how to operate.
This is what happens when the media narrative shifts under their feet. https://t.co/zYJkyRgNGN pic.twitter.com/TGFz9MY7VF
— Brad Slager: Polling For Soup (@MartiniShark) December 16, 2022
Presentation Paradox – CNN
At CNN the outrage was expected, given that one of their own – conspiracy correspondent Donie O’Sullivan – was caught in Elon’s snare. Oliver Darcy was on a panel bemoaning what all of the nefarious journalism ramifications were for his colleague basically told to put the phone down until Christmas. Of course, he wants you to forget all of the times over the years he has personally worked to have far greater instances of silencing of journalists and outlets.
To help you remember, here is a rundown of Darcy taking great effort to censor those he is opposed to journalistically.
Oliver Darcy Wails Over a CNN Suspension After Years of Promoting the Outright Silencing of Outlets and Individuals https://t.co/8yFuKt5uLR
— RedState (@RedState) December 16, 2022
Both Kinds of Standards – NBC NEWS
- Some suspensions are more equal than others?
We have now learned that NBC’s disinformation expert reporter Ben Collins has also received a suspension. You will note there is not near the level of hysteria nor all of the charges of this violating journalism freedom and other such blather.
That is because it was not a Twitter move – Ben was suspended by NBC News, for his reports on Elon Musk not rising to the network’s journalistic standards.
That there was a possibility of NBC News actually being in possession of journalism standards comes as a surprise to a great deal of people.
'Reporter' Ben Collins Suspended by NBC News for Criticism of Elon Musk https://t.co/HWcoyj6OJE
— RedState (@RedState) December 16, 2022
Both Kinds of Standards – WASHINGTON POST
- Attempted homicide hardly measures up to flight plans, you simpletons.
When looking at the original motivation behind the suspensions – the site that was tracking Elon Musk’s private plane flights – The Post’s Philip Bump looked over the controversy and has now declared that it is all over nothing at all. Mr. Bump has made the expert opinion decision that tracking these flights amounts no concern for anyone.
I would again like to point out that identifying the location of an airplane provides "assassination coordinates" to, like, the operator of a Patriot missile battery.
— Philip Bump (@pbump) December 16, 2022
To place this into perspective: Bump thinks that while Musk has done nothing illegal or even wrong, his flight plans and destinations should be broadcast to everyone – while at the same time he has fought against the release of the body-cam videos from the night Paul Pelosi was attacked when numerous crimes, including attempted murder, took place.
Washington Post Columnist: Releasing Evidence of Paul Pelosi Attack Will Feed Conspiracies https://t.co/14wRiOmGoA
— RedState (@RedState) November 3, 2022
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – CNN
- Based on the fervency, this must be HUGE news!
Maybe this is a reflection on their audience? Look, we understand about sending out multiple tweets to back your content. It just seems unnecessary to spend FOUR FULL DAYS selling the same daft feature about going around and smelling like a camper at Woodstock.
Okay, we get it!
— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) December 16, 2022
Wow, CNN must REALLY not want us to wear deodorant!!! pic.twitter.com/EHgqE61ErI
