Corporate Media Is Not Failing—It is Collaborating

As the fourth estate falls, here's what we must do to stay informed and empowered

The news of the Big Ugly Bill passing today is devastating. But we didn’t get here on accident. Paramount capitulates to Trump. NY Times endorses hate. And Washington Post acts as state media. If you're still scratching your head about how authoritarianism is thriving in America, stop. One big part of the answer is staring us in the face: corporate media. The press was meant to be a watchdog, the Fourth Estate. Instead, it’s become a concierge service for fascism—polishing propaganda with a patina of objectivity while our democracy burns.

Let’s break this down. Three examples from just this past week show exactly how deep the rot runs. Each one is a case study in cowardice, complicity, and calculated betrayal. Let’s Address This.

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1. Paramount Bows to Trump While He Cries "Content Creator Pain"

Donald Trump, who has weaponized the presidency against free speech at every turn, sued CBS and Paramount Global for $20 billion. Why? Because he claims a “60 Minutes” segment caused him “mental anguish” and damaged his rep—as a content creator. Yes, this is real. The man who openly brags about war crimes now wants sympathy for missing out on TikTok clout.

But the truly grotesque part? Despite denying any wrongdoing, Paramount is reportedly paying Trump $16 million. Why? Because Trump’s administration controls the fate of a pending merger with Skydance Media. So now, one of the country’s biggest media empires is greasing the wheels of fascism to get a corporate deal approved.

And the few leaders with integrity—CBS News President Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” EP Bill Owens—have both resigned. That tells you everything. This isn’t journalism. It’s capitulation for profit.

2. The New York Times Endorses Hate—and Doesn’t Blink

Let’s talk about Whitney Tilson, who ran one of the most disgusting, Islamophobic campaigns in recent memory—accusing Zohran Mamdani, a sitting assembly member and Muslim New Yorker, of wanting to “kill Jews.” A blatant, dangerous lie—echoing blood libel and Islamophobic bigotry.

The New York Times endorsed Tilson anyway. No apology. No retraction. They saw the bigotry and co-signed it. All while demanding New Yorkers “do not rank Mamdani.” And with that decision, they made a clear statement: corporate media will stand with anyone if it protects their power and access.

3. The Washington Post Pretends It Doesn’t Endorse—Until a Muslim Wins

Jeff Bezos supposedly banned political endorsements at the Washington Post. No endorsements for Harris. No endorsements in primaries. That was the line. But when Mamdani won—breaking records, building a multiracial coalition, and toppling establishment machines—suddenly the Post had something to say.

They published a scathing editorial attacking Mamdani’s victory, warning it would be bad for America. Not because of policy. Not because of corruption. But because he dared to win while being unapologetically progressive, brown, and Muslim. This is not a free press. This is state media, but make it capitalist.

Call It What It Is

This isn’t a series of unfortunate lapses in judgment. It’s a pattern. It’s collusion. It’s a soft coup through compliant media executives and billionaire owners who are terrified of upsetting Trump—and more terrified of losing market share.

From the New York Times endorsing violence, to Paramount's surrender, to the Post embracing racism and Islamophobia—corporate media is serving power, not truth. And we’re paying the price. Cowardice in journalism is not a neutral act. It is betrayal. And we don’t have time left for soft takes and polite critiques. Not when fascism is knocking on every door.

How We Fight Back

1. Support Independent Media

When I launched Let’s Address This, it wasn’t to comment on injustice—it was to confront it. More than 475 articles and 25 million readers later, we’ve built something powerful. We’ve exposed corruption, elevated marginalized voices, and challenged fascism at every step. But I can’t do this alone.

If you’re a subscriber, thank you. If you’re not yet, please join us. No paywalls. No billionaire backers. Just people-powered media. Every subscription, every share, every read chips away at the disinformation machine.

2. Use Ground News to Cut Through the Noise

Ground News is more than a news website and app—it’s a critical tool in a disinformation age. I use it every day. If you care about getting the critical context missing from your typical newsfeeds—and I know you do—you need Ground News.

In addition to gathering related articles globally in one place, revealing source bias and factuality, they cut through partisanship and sensationalism to focus on the facts—Ground News reports on who funds a media outlet.

So even if you didn’t know that Jeff Bezos may have banned political endorsements at the Washington Post, Ground News would show you that Bezos owns the Post. That matters. Ground News doesn’t tell you what to think. It shows you who’s funding the narratives, so you can decide for yourself.

It’s also worth mentioning that Ground News itself is subscriber supported, not billionaire funded. So by subscribing, you directly support my newsletter and you contribute to keeping the media transparent. And right now if you subscribe to Ground News at my exclusive link below, you’ll conveniently get 40% off their Vantage Plan, the same one I use. That's $5/month to stop letting other people's agendas control how you think.

Conclusion

This moment demands clarity. It demands courage. Freedom doesn’t vanish overnight—it’s eroded every time we choose silence over resistance, comfort over courage.

I’m fighting like hell to stop fascism from taking permanent root in this country. I know many of you are, too. Let’s not do it alone. Let’s do it together. Subscribe. Share. Fight. Because truth still matters. And silence, now more than ever, is surrender.