170 Comments

The problem with newspapers is their owners are not in love with the truth. They bought the paper to spread lies.

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It is a traditional lever of power. The owner of the local paper has lots of friends and influence in the community because of it. The city hall and courthouse make sure their interests are protected via a “strong working relationship”. Media complacency is an essential ingredient to any political machine.

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Corruption is a tradition of power, but while our society had faith in God, He prevented our corruption from destroying us. Now that our society has discarded God, He is revealing the depths of our corruption. Repent, for the kingdom of God is nearby.

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Thank you for this excellent truth, David Thompson.

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I guess it pays to remember that first news “papers” were broadsheets posted in public published by individuals to announce something or to argue or dispute a point or to promote an action. ‘News” started out as one-sided point of view self published. Now we have a name for the malignant use of same - propaganda. That applies to all media I think.

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The internet was going to make life great but instead it fueled barrages of hate and "misinformation" at breakneck speed. The media that spawned forth from that spelled the beginning of the end. The covid madness is something we have never and will never recover from insofar as damage to the human psyche. God is NOT dead, but Satan has pushed him into the closet. I am not optimistic that we can recover.

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While my optimism has been dented, I will remain prayerful for positive and uplifting changes to occur. God's WORDS and PROMISES sustain my FAITH that God keeps all of us in HIS sight and Protection. We must be vigilant and familiar with His Words of Wisdom and Courage.

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Isaiah 11:16 And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.

Don't worry about the state of the world; Christ has already defeated death and God has preserved a remnant from every nation, not just Israel. Revelation foretells that these things must happen and that the saints will be overcome for a time before Jesus returns. Be faithful and remember Psalm 91:7:

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you

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I aagree 100%. We have to ferret out the truth and remain alert and aware.

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Also, the liars were allowed to purchase and consolidate media outlets (newspaper, radio, TV, and even the internet though it has proven slightly more problematic) because RINOs refused to enforce anti-trust laws back before we even knew what a RINO was.

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Back when anti trust laws passed, that was the corporatism starting to flex its muscle. The Republicans became the party of the rich and started their downward spiral of losing its soul. Free markets are what government should protect, sadly it does nothing like that. Its a complete retardation of truth when someone complains about capitalism's failures while completely ignoring the gigantic influence the government has on restricting it.

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Twain said never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Now we have the Internet.

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... and AI can "spill ink" by the petabyte.

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Or data centers.

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succinctly, and correctly, stated.

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From the same media that told us that character doesn’t matter in a president in 1992 when they were trying to run cover for the blatantly lying sexual abuser from Arkansas.

I don’t think that Pedo Joe went home on the train each night to tuck his sons into bed. He did that so he could shower with his daughter.

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You could be right. I was thinking it was to shag the babysitter.

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That seems to be a Dem trait. Maybe you're thinking of Commiela's husband.

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And the ex gov from Ca.

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Ouch !!

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Most conservatives had "ick factor" problems with Joe before we knew he was Pedo Joe.

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I wondered that myself when I read that line.

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The most important function of “news papers” is to hide any information that may be beneficial to republican candidates or detrimental to democrats.

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Actually, they are still very good at starting fires at night to stay warm. Frankly, the main reason I subscribe to the local rag.

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Buying reams of 8 1/2 X 11 paper would be cheaper- and more informative.

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Nice Take,MLR.

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A great test of character for a Republican candidate for House or Senate is whether or not they support bailouts for the fledgling newspaper industry.

If they do, vote them out.

These newspapers have done nothing to deserve their readers. The readers need them to fail so that someone more responsive to their market needs can buy the assets at a bankruptcy liquidation.

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IMO, govt has NO BUSINESS BAILING OUT ANY PRIVATE INDUSTRY. Period!

The free market will take care of itself.

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The free market is uncontrollable, that's what the political class hates about it.

No control, no power.

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Totally agree.

And the fact that they can't redistribute the wealth if they're not controlling it.

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Free market? ..... Where? (wink wink)

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Sadly, only In Theory.

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I would disagree its more than just a theory, because there is enough historical fact behind us that shows where the free market is allowed to act by self serving humans it innovates and thrives. Black markets prove this. Warts and all.

Our political leaders are just fools refusing to learn truth and natural economic law. Science stuff matters.

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I think the free market is on life support. If Commie-la wins (Godforbid!) the free market will be DOA. Let's hope Trump voters will turn out for him for votes that are TOO BIG TO RIG. 🤞

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"Why would you subscribe to a newspaper that is so out of touch with its readers?"

Why would you subscribe to a newspaper that is so out of touch?

There. I fixed it for you.

With all humility since you're the great newspaper man Don and I am just a lowly reader, (and because I have only had one cup of coffee this morning) but isn't the point of newspapers and journalists, especially of the investigative type, to speak the TRUTH based on FACTS?

Like Ben Shapiro has made famous: "Facts don't care about your feelings."

IMHO, the problem with newspapers is not that they're out of touch with their readers. It's that they're out of touch WITH THE TRUTH and FACTS upon which they should base their opinions, such as endorsements.

Just my 0.02, or in Kamalanomics, my $5.00.

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Thank you, Gail W. I am a fan of your excellent thoughts and conclusions.

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Oh that is tremendously generous of you! Thank you! 😊

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Forget the newspapers. Subscribe to people you want to read on Substack.

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CITIZEN FREE PRESS

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As a sub stack podcaster can I like this twice?

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I guess my follow up thought / question is WHY DON'T ANY CONSERVATIVES BUY ANY MAJOR NEWSPAPERS???

Peter Theil or Miriam Adelson or a few other conservatives could afford to buy up a paper or two I'm sure.

Or even START a new one with solid talented journalists that come out of the very few conservative schools in America, like Hillsdale? If they started paying them very handsome salaries, especially for those just out of J-school, maybe we'd have something?

I think the problem in America is not so much that the demonic left is winning, it's that the conservative side has long ago surrendered the playing field for some reason. 🤷‍♀️

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You reach more people online. More bang for your buck. The only ones who still get papers are us old guys/gals. Most kids have never read the funny papers of the Sunday edition. They will never subscribe to a newspaper. They don't even know what they are. Newspapers are a dying animal. It's time to call Kristi Noem and put it down...

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🤣 👍👍

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That is a good point, Gail. The Epoch Times is the only conservative one that I'm aware of that publishes in paper form, but I haven't read their paper version in several years--I only subscribe to their Internet version.

But there is still a significant segment of Americans that like the paper-newspaper format-- probably mostly middle-aged and older, who like a physical newspaper in the morning with their coffee. I know many who feel that way. And, there are many on the liberal side of all ages that still like their paper Sunday New York Times, which is the ritual they have substituted for going to church on Sunday mornings.

So there is still a niche for quality paper newspapers, and you are right-- you would think someone well-off would find it fulfilling to publish a quality conservative paper-form newspaper.

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You can see the paper version of the Epoch Times by clicking on the "Looking for your E-paper? Click here" link at the top of their morning brief emails.

I also recommend Canada Free Press whose slogan is "Because without America there is no free world!"

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There is also the Washington Times. But it is a fraction of the size of WaPo.

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I stopped having a need for newspapers after my parakeet died.

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I didn't know birds can read.

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Of course they can. That's why they poop on them.

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10 points

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(insert rim shot here)

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My wife and I both spoke at City Council against their brilliant plan to build 6 story “affordable” apartment buildings w/o requirement for parking spaces, to prepare for our cities rapid growth.

A writer for the Columbus Dispatch asked to speak with us, and first question was “Do you take the Dispatch?”

We said, “Not since our son came back from Iraq, and saw a report of some Marines killed on the front page. He said, ‘If we had to read this shit everyday, we wouldn’t have gotten out of bed.’”

The guy seemed to understand.

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Steve, you have mentioned this before, and I apologize, but I don't quite get it. Do you mean the Marines would be against the newspaper covering the death of Marines? Meaning, because it would scare people from enlisting in the Marines? Or was the paper giving it some undue emphasis or negative spin?

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When one person or entity owns a string of media outlets (are you listening Murdock?) their messages automatically stink to the high heavens. I come from a world of listen to, or read a news story, and make up your own mind." Once a media outlet tells me what to think, or what to do, they make my shit list. In today's world, I have yet to find one that is reputable. They all peddle bullshit.

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Sorry Don. Let them die. Today’s journalists are to newspaper as photographers are to Penthouse. It’s all pornography.

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As kids me and my brother threw the Comical from our bikes, as a teenager I went along with a distributor friend to the press depot to deliver to the kids throwing the paper, in college I delivered it to stores and racks in SW Houston before the sun came up. A guy that rose to be editor for years was our next door neighbor and he kept us in Astros tickets for years.

Somehow Jack Loftis appeared again in my life in his 80s. His wife was best friends with one of my wife's friends who we had dinner with at our favorite Mexican joint every Thursday. The man's memory was peerless and the conversations were fascinating. He still had status at the paper and strolled through it on occasion. Jack said every story on the front page was read and edited by every department lead editor. He lamented with sadness what had become of it and the entire industry of media. as he watched young reporters get on their computers, latch on a national feed or see a shiny thing and just add a few pictures, throw in a bit of commentary and send it off to be published.

To think that paper had been owned and edited by Jesse Jones, a guy that never got beyond 7th grade, became one of the wealthiest citizens of the US, built skyscrapers in Houston, New York and Ft Worth, managed the finances of WWII at the behest of FDR and both parties and created an endowment that exists to this day that provides millions in charity only to have it bought by Hearst and become the laughingstock of journalism in Texas.

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Thank you for that fascinating chunk of history about the paper. I remember when we had 2 newspapers - Chronicle and Post

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Yes indeed. Lynne Ashby, editor of the Houston Post spoke at my HS graduation ceremony at Bobby Lee Tech! (Robert E. Lee High School). My sister had Barbara Jordan two years earlier and she was spectacular.

We always had both papers at our house. Post in the morning, Chronicle in the afternoon. Post owned by the Hobby family was barely left and the Chronicle, owned by Jesse's Houston Endowment was more conservative but not overtly so.

When the Chronicle absorbed the Post it took a hard turn left and with Cragg Heines taking over as editor in chief my wife cancelled it because it riled me to read his crap.

https://www.houstonendowment.org/about/history/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_P._Hobby

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Thank you for this amazing walk through another time. You have seen a rare view of a very important part of American life. Your experiences would make a wonderful book! Most interesting - you are an excellent writer... just a hint.....???

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Newspapers, such as they are today, are useful.

Generally whatever the news is they say the news is the opposite is closer to the unvarnished truth.

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The last newspaper I subscribed to was the WSJ which I promptly canceled the day after the 2020 "election"

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In other words, we are to believe what we read in newspapers? Is that the message? Well, I have a bulletin for you. There is not one newspaper that is believable. Why? Because there is not one news outlet, print or electronic, that isn't biased. Lemme know who actually reports the news without bias or slant. The strangest thing is this: if a paper actually does play it down the middle, without a doubt, they would seize a leadership position. But that's merely a pipe dream.

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Point Counter Point has been gone for awhile. The people have spoken. They do not care what the other side thinks.

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Again, if Surber 2024 were on the ticket, I'd vote.

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I read the NYT food section. The rest is pure garbage. I enjoy Miranda Devine’s columns in the post. Our local papers are so woke they even spin local events. Sad

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Indeed. Even the weather news is now political. Every storm is evidence of climate change. Every hot day is global warming. Some writers even link earthquakes and volcanoes to CC/GW. Truly, we have idiots in positions of influence.

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The weather dudes and dudettes are further evidence that the television stations are out of touch. Meteorologist aren’t there to push politics. They are there to scare the beJesus out of you. At six: The next breeze will be a tornado, the next drop of water a hurricane. “Mother, save your children. Run for your lives!” And of course, by the time we get to the 10 o’clock news, the weather people are wiping their brows with a sigh of relief: “Just dodged a bullet on that one, folks! But their job is successful; they scared thousands of viewers into watching.

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Yep! 100% One can see this is true ( Even the weather news is now political) if you look at the 'articles' on weather.com or accuweather. I just look at the radar and then close the window.

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Profoundly true but unsaid !!!! thank you BK

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