10.19.23
News Avoidance Syndrome – VARIOUS OUTLETS
After a stampede of outlets rushed to state that Israel was responsible for bombing a hospital, leading to at least 500 deaths, that story has – shall we say – "evolved." The blast appears to be from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the hospital was not damaged, and estimated deaths on the scene are about 10% of what was reported.
In the ensuing days, major news outlets are pretending they did not get duped by Hamas propaganda. They are also, pathetically, coming out to decry misinformation appearing on social media in the hopes of distracting away from their own severe media malpractice.
After the Worst False Wartime Journalism, Major News Outlets Blame Social Media for ‘Misinformation’https://t.co/WjUM9FObBt
— RedState (@RedState) October 19, 2023
Low Octane Gas Lighting – CBS NEWS
Recommended
- You know, we have the evidence to the contrary – you should go check that out.
Not having learned from the widespread embarrassment seen across the media spectrum, CBS News decided to plow ahead with its report of the "hospital explosion" that supposedly "killed hundreds." (Reports on the ground report that maybe a few dozen were killed in the PIJ-rocket impact.)
Considering the network appears to be behind the curve of all the others, we can expect its critical report on internet misinformation sometime tomorrow.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to grow following a hospital explosion that killed hundreds. CBS News spoke to a doctor who says Israel's army had previously warned the facility to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/QhJhOomDG1
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) October 18, 2023
Reporting on the Mirror – NATE SILVER / 538
- They have a very difficult job…which they avoid doing.
Another voice attempting to lend support and request sympathy for the press is Nate Silver. He suggests that we be more understanding of the blatant errors and false reporting witnessed in the press as a story is unfolding.
That is to say, he wants us to employ more understanding and more care than the journalists and news outlets applied to their reporting of the story they absolutely butchered.
As someone who frequently criticizes the media, I'd just say you should be approximately 10x more sympathetic to media fuck-ups on stories that are unfolding in real time (i.e. over minutes/hours versus days/weeks). It's literally 10x harder.
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) October 18, 2023
Glossary Over Things – ABC NEWS
You probably heard that there were a number of activists who occupied the Capitol yesterday. To give a quick rundown, here are all of the actions we have seen on display in the past that were dubbed an insurrection:
- Trespassing the Capitol
- Vandalizing the property
- Assaulting Capitol Police
- Breaching security to get where they were not permitted
- Protesting inside the building
- Interfering with the democratic process
- Blocking the roadway
In looking over this list of crimes, however, ABC News could not come to the conclusion this was an insurrection. Instead, it was measured to be a "gathering."
LATEST: About 300 people were arrested after gathering in the Capitol complex rotunda to demonstrate against the Israel-Hamas war, according to a Capitol Police spokesperson. https://t.co/SiR93m9bIC pic.twitter.com/vI4F2VfjfK
— ABC News (@ABC) October 18, 2023
Blue-anon – "THE VIEW"
- I dunno, seems if this were true, it would be actionable or something…
We basically have a position here at RFTH that we do not cover the cackling hens on "The View." Nothing spoken on that panel, even by the guests, comes off as worthy of coverage. The balloon juice generated amounts to very little.
The only reason we break from this policy today is that esteemed pundit Rachel Maddow went on the program to hawk her book release, and she said something of a bat-crap-insane nature that undermines whatever credibility she might retain.
After being prompted by one of the gals (we do not care enough to find out her name) with a comment about Trump desiring to cancel news networks entirely, Maddow listened to this hysterical blather and, in a calm fashion, decided to simply extend that thought to a truly insane level. She told the assembled gals at the table that if Donald Trump were reelected, killing off MSNBC was his goal. Not the network, mind you – the people on the air:
He wants to put MSNBC on trial for treason so that he can execute us.
WATCH: Rachel Maddow Warns Trump Will ‘Execute’ Corporate Media News Actors If He Winshttps://t.co/m86zVunFFF
— PJ Media (@PJMedia_com) October 19, 2023
Anti-Social Media – PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Maybe it is a sign of caution, considering the sensitivities this war breaking out has generated. But at the same time, when it was announced that the paper was pulling an editorial cartoon, it made sense if it was due to the avoidance of too much controversy, even if we do not find it obviously offensive, at least as far as the claim of fostering anti-Semitic tropes.
The image was made by Monte Wolverton and derived from the syndicator Cagle Cartoons, which might explain how it passed by editorial control and saw its way into the paper. Maybe a bit of human oversight would help in that department.
Anyway, here is the entry that generated enough outrage for the paper that it pulled the graphic.
— Monte Wolverton (@montewolverton) October 14, 2023
Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – THE TELEGRAPH
There is a frequently used gag in reference to left-wing thought police: The novel "1984" is a work of fiction; it is not to be used as a how-to manual! More frequently, we are seeing those on the left employing speech control tactics and other methods of attempted manipulation of narratives that evoke Orwellian predictions, but The Telegraph just went to a new level – it is trying to cancel Orwell.
A piece from that outlet claims that the writer is guilty of a number of social ills, any one of which is grounds to be canceled by today's hyper-sensitive standards. (Well, for those that follow such social mandates, at least.) The flawed basis for these claims is not rooted in any evidence but instead based on a book that claims his fictional characters were actually based on real-life experience, and therefore, "prove" Orwell was a sexist, racist, etc.
Zzzzzzzzz….
George Orwell was ‘sadistic, misogynistic, homophobic and sometimes violent’ https://t.co/GAps4MA8pM
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 15, 2023
"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage on the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation, where Brad Slager looks to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.
