01.31.24
News Avoidance Syndrome – VARIOUS OUTLETS
It was deeply important earlier, but now, not so much.
Recall the excitement that shot like a thunderbolt through the media when it was announced that the Disney Corporation was suing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis? This is a grand lesson in the imbalanced approach to the news, as the update is not receiving nearly the level of energy.
Sure, there are some reports of the lawsuit being tossed out like used donut boxes, but we are not seeing days of energetic coverage and enthusiastic editorials in the wake of what journalists regard as a disappointing result.
#BREAKING: Federal judge dismisses Disney's case against Gov. Ron DeSantis, where Disney alleged retaliation for their criticism of parental rights legislation
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) January 31, 2024
Low Octane Gas Lighting – MSNBC
If a pundit feigns confusion, his audience will not need to investigate further.
Look, we know Chris Hayes has a measure of intellect about him. But for him to posture as if this border issue flummoxes him, it really makes you consider how deep in the tank his network is for the Democrats.
In his response to a letter penned by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Hayes pretends to be baffled on why Congress expects Biden to take action rather than its duty of passing laws. To explain it to Mr. Hayes (not that he needs the explanation), what Speaker Johnson outlines is a list of actions Biden can take in relation to existing laws. That is to say, enforcing the law.
On top of everything else this is literally the *opposite* of one would expect the constitutional equities of the different branches would be. Why on earth would *congress* be saying "no we don't want to pass a binding law, we want the executive to do it alone?" https://t.co/0DfPHcnpuq
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) January 30, 2024
Democratic Custodial Services – CBS NEWS
"We have tried doing nothing, and shockingly, that has not worked!"
In an announcement that comes as a surprise to…well, nobody, really, we have a news conference from Oregon, where Governor Tina Kotek declares that the adverse effects of Fentanyl use in the state have reached alarming levels. This follows a new policy years ago where the state decriminalized drug use in the hopes of achieving a more humane manner of addressing the scourge. Despite this failure, CBS News still had to inject a positive aspect of the law:
Some Portland residents say they don't want to see Oregon's law repealed. Ebony Brawley said that it helped her avoid prison and turn her life around.
So they cite one case of this being beneficial, holding her up as the example of this law being effective. This, despite also including one other statistical detail that might kind of cancel out her story:
The hope was that a more humane approach would help curb addiction in the state, which saw nearly a thousand accidental overdose deaths in 2022. However, overdose deaths have continued to rise since 2020.
The governor of Oregon has declared an emergency in the city of Portland a few years after the state became the first in the nation to largely decriminalize drug use. https://t.co/vsixZyEPSY
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 31, 2024
Reporting on the Mirror – THE MESSENGER
We really only ever heard about how poorly it was performing.
Chalk up another news outlet headstone. It has been announced that the upstart source, The Messenger, will shutter after less than one year of operations. Considering Jimmy Finklestein started his venture in a deeply tumultuous time for media, he faced a losing marketplace. It was as if he were launching a new ship into the face of a hurricane.
It is said he poured $50 million into the start-up, and while he claimed to expect $100 million in revenues this year, he only has seen a $3 million return on the balance sheet for 2023.
🚨 @TheMessenger is shutting down after running out of cash
— Sara Fischer (@sarafischer) January 31, 2024
— It's a spectacular flameout for a high-profile media startup that blew through $50 million in less than a year
— CEO was scrambling to raise cash to keep it afloat but missed deadlinehttps://t.co/tIxhnVl1kC
Anti-Social Media – THE CONVERSATION
We are of the opinion the problem might rest with those who are swayed by board game rules.
The Canadian eggheads at The Conversation have come to the conclusion that there is a scourge in the culture that is driving the poisonous mindset of colonialism.
Board games.
They have concluded that the game "Catan" is fostering this nefarious globalism agenda, infecting the minds of board game players. We eagerly await the synopsis of other studies showing societal ills placed on particular participatory diversions.
Toxic Capitalism (Monopoly)
Murder (Clue)
Anti-Social Behavior (Cards Against Humanity)
Global Warming Skepticism (Don't Break The Ice)
Dangerous Animal Husbandry (Hungry, Hungry Hippos)
What’s unsettling about Catan: How board games uphold colonial narratives https://t.co/H9gX3603mt
— The Conversation Canada (@ConversationCA) January 29, 2024
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"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of 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.
