This is a great piece, and yet I have to admit I cancelled my WaPo subscription yesterday and I still think it was the right choice. If Bezos wants to start putting his whole ass on the scale rather than just his thumb, then what the hell difference does my $50 a year make to the fate of the very good unionized journalists?
The thing is we are already seeing top tier small startup journalism on YouTube and the Internet through such Substack as this. Someone is going to come in and fill this space left vacant, and that space will need the journalists that once worked at the Washington Post and the New York Times.
“Canceling your subscription is an understandable impulse, but not a helpful one.”
As a newspaper subscriber I have two options for expressing my exceptional displeasure about these non-endorsement decisions: writing a letter to the editor, which will never be read or acknowledged, and canceling my subscription. I canceled my NYT subscription after their grotesque treatment of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 cycle, and I don’t regret it; they learned nothing. Yesterday I canceled my Washington Post subscription. Billionaires understand exactly one language: money. Bezos decided to obey Trump in advance because he’s worried about retaliation from President Trump Part 2, so he forced a major US newspaper of record to scuttle its Harris endorsement. Because of money. So you bet I canceled my subscription, and I’m not sorry. I will subscribe to a couple of other large newspapers in addition to my local metro. I subscribe to 45 Substacks, the majority of them paid. I have a journalism degree, I have loved writing and newspapers since I was a child. But hell if I will continue to financially reward a billionaire for compromising one of the most significant newspapers in US history by silencing its voice at a pivotal moment, and compromising the integrity of the paper - why should anyone believe their coverage now?
I did the same thing yesterday, for the same reasons. My only concern was how this impacts the actual workers doing good journalism for the Post. I don’t think Bezos’ first thought would be, “oh shoot, made the wrong call.” Instead, it will be “profits are down, time to lay some people off.” But a collective message simultaneously will hopefully resonate. And, public funding of journalism, plus taxing billionaires out of existence.
I also feel for the reporters and writers who had no control over this decision, and I certainly don’t expect the loss of my $100/year or whatever to bother Bezos. But I only have one way to respond here, and it’s by taking away my dollars and clicks. There are other places I can support good journalism. And, +1 on public funding and taxation.
“This WAPO is now just a propaganda machine for the Democrats”
This is… quite a take given the entire premise of this conversation is WaPo’s owner prevented the paper’s staff from endorsing the Democrat candidate for president. We’re done here.
“These billionaire owners are craven bastards” So true, as the rest of your observations.
The main takeaway from all this is that the selfish, arrogant, autocratic power of the wealthy (and its Supreme Court and Congress) have spread their craven-ness across the country like a plague. And if DJT wins it is going to get a lot worse.
No, You need to lear. I read your above comment, thanks- and it's junk.
Hamilton is, I think, making the point that journalism is worth something and serves a valuable function in society. When rich owners compromise the integrity of their own publication, that detracts from the civilized discourse by not serving the directive of its journalists as well as its readers. Throwing it all out because you may not agree with some of the ideas expressed- as you're suggesting, and hiding under the covers- is not fixing anything, you're just refusing to participate. That's the problem, not the solution. What you are doing is assuring that nothing will change.
Excellent post, sir. Your writing hits me right in the heart. You did a fine job drawing the distinction between hardworking journalists and management. This editorial brouhaha draws attention to the internal contradiction between needing to tell the truth and needing to increase profits. Thank you for clarifying this in my mind.
I didn't have a subscription to either WaPo or LAT - cancelled each sometime back because I just didn't read them that much - but I did cancel Amazon Prime, which I should have done long ago.
In Michigan, we're lucky to still have two major dailies. The Free Press's endorsements always skew Democratic, the News always skews Republican so the only impact is when one deviates from their norm. They really have never affected my vote.
I wish you all the best in your quest for global dominion! 😸
Back in the ‘80s, thought if WSJ Op-Ed staff actually read their own paper, no way they write the batshit stuff they do. Of course, worse now, all tools…
With the LA Times and the Washington Post drama is in play, counter measures come to mind. I have one. It would get us the Democrats who are staying home, which could be enough. For how, listen to five minutes of Marianne Williamson: http://mariannewilliamson.substack.com/p/at-last-the-final-stretch. Sit her next to Kamala for the next nine days. There’s more she would tell her. Omg, what a leap toward a more enlightened world that could be. How to get to Harris? Why don't we have a Suggestion Box?
This is a great piece, and yet I have to admit I cancelled my WaPo subscription yesterday and I still think it was the right choice. If Bezos wants to start putting his whole ass on the scale rather than just his thumb, then what the hell difference does my $50 a year make to the fate of the very good unionized journalists?
The thing is we are already seeing top tier small startup journalism on YouTube and the Internet through such Substack as this. Someone is going to come in and fill this space left vacant, and that space will need the journalists that once worked at the Washington Post and the New York Times.
I have come to another conclusion:
3 months ago I unsubscribed from the Washington Post. I am waiting for this to end!
Because I can, I still go to comments (not reading the editorials or news) relying on alternative news.
This WAPO is now just a propaganda machine for the Democrats.....very few people from the other side are commenting.
I am beginning to think I should stay on WAPO only to question these elite "Vote Blue" people.
“Canceling your subscription is an understandable impulse, but not a helpful one.”
As a newspaper subscriber I have two options for expressing my exceptional displeasure about these non-endorsement decisions: writing a letter to the editor, which will never be read or acknowledged, and canceling my subscription. I canceled my NYT subscription after their grotesque treatment of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 cycle, and I don’t regret it; they learned nothing. Yesterday I canceled my Washington Post subscription. Billionaires understand exactly one language: money. Bezos decided to obey Trump in advance because he’s worried about retaliation from President Trump Part 2, so he forced a major US newspaper of record to scuttle its Harris endorsement. Because of money. So you bet I canceled my subscription, and I’m not sorry. I will subscribe to a couple of other large newspapers in addition to my local metro. I subscribe to 45 Substacks, the majority of them paid. I have a journalism degree, I have loved writing and newspapers since I was a child. But hell if I will continue to financially reward a billionaire for compromising one of the most significant newspapers in US history by silencing its voice at a pivotal moment, and compromising the integrity of the paper - why should anyone believe their coverage now?
I did the same thing yesterday, for the same reasons. My only concern was how this impacts the actual workers doing good journalism for the Post. I don’t think Bezos’ first thought would be, “oh shoot, made the wrong call.” Instead, it will be “profits are down, time to lay some people off.” But a collective message simultaneously will hopefully resonate. And, public funding of journalism, plus taxing billionaires out of existence.
I also feel for the reporters and writers who had no control over this decision, and I certainly don’t expect the loss of my $100/year or whatever to bother Bezos. But I only have one way to respond here, and it’s by taking away my dollars and clicks. There are other places I can support good journalism. And, +1 on public funding and taxation.
Please read my above comment. Thanks.
“This WAPO is now just a propaganda machine for the Democrats”
This is… quite a take given the entire premise of this conversation is WaPo’s owner prevented the paper’s staff from endorsing the Democrat candidate for president. We’re done here.
“These billionaire owners are craven bastards” So true, as the rest of your observations.
The main takeaway from all this is that the selfish, arrogant, autocratic power of the wealthy (and its Supreme Court and Congress) have spread their craven-ness across the country like a plague. And if DJT wins it is going to get a lot worse.
Who cares who wins!
What you are doing if you vote Trump/Kamala nothing will change.
USA needs to lear what war is like!
No, You need to lear. I read your above comment, thanks- and it's junk.
Hamilton is, I think, making the point that journalism is worth something and serves a valuable function in society. When rich owners compromise the integrity of their own publication, that detracts from the civilized discourse by not serving the directive of its journalists as well as its readers. Throwing it all out because you may not agree with some of the ideas expressed- as you're suggesting, and hiding under the covers- is not fixing anything, you're just refusing to participate. That's the problem, not the solution. What you are doing is assuring that nothing will change.
Excellent post, sir. Your writing hits me right in the heart. You did a fine job drawing the distinction between hardworking journalists and management. This editorial brouhaha draws attention to the internal contradiction between needing to tell the truth and needing to increase profits. Thank you for clarifying this in my mind.
Will Lewis is the guy that got kicked out of the UK for hacking into a dead girl’s phone.https://www.npr.org/2024/06/07/nx-s1-4995105/washington-post-will-lewis-tries-to-kill-story-buzbee He didn’t get kicked out but he did leave a bad smell.
I didn't have a subscription to either WaPo or LAT - cancelled each sometime back because I just didn't read them that much - but I did cancel Amazon Prime, which I should have done long ago.
In Michigan, we're lucky to still have two major dailies. The Free Press's endorsements always skew Democratic, the News always skews Republican so the only impact is when one deviates from their norm. They really have never affected my vote.
I wish you all the best in your quest for global dominion! 😸
great job pulling back the veil!
Back in the ‘80s, thought if WSJ Op-Ed staff actually read their own paper, no way they write the batshit stuff they do. Of course, worse now, all tools…
HamNo, I hope you had a cigarette after writing that first paragraph, because I sure did after reading it.
That last paragraph is subtle.
With the LA Times and the Washington Post drama is in play, counter measures come to mind. I have one. It would get us the Democrats who are staying home, which could be enough. For how, listen to five minutes of Marianne Williamson: http://mariannewilliamson.substack.com/p/at-last-the-final-stretch. Sit her next to Kamala for the next nine days. There’s more she would tell her. Omg, what a leap toward a more enlightened world that could be. How to get to Harris? Why don't we have a Suggestion Box?
Harris should have absolutely nothing to do with Williamson or Taibbi, actually
Why do billionaires rig their news coverage for Trump? Follow the money with this interactive map!
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/10/26/billionaires-rig-their-news-coverage-for-profits/