Corporate Media Is Not Failing—It Is Collaborating

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

Tech giant Meta issued a devastating press release this week and virtually no one in corporate or legacy media covered it with any sense of urgency. But its ramifications for our news consumption, sources, and accuracy are devastating. Meta is partnering with right-wing propaganda outlet Newsmax in an “AI Content Partnership.” Yes, the same Newsmax forced to pay $67 million in damages for election denialism. Now, the world’s largest social media tech giant is fusing with America’s most deceptive and right-wing media outlet on AI disinformation. Here’s what corporate media hasn’t shared with you, and more importantly, how we fight back. Let’s Address This.

Credit: NewsMax Facebook page

Experts Already Warned Us This Was Coming

This isn't speculation. It's the exact mechanism the Brennan Center for Justice—one of the country's leading authorities on election law—has been warning about. As the Brennan Center notes, generative AI:

now has the capability to convincingly imitate elected leaders and other public figures … The proliferation of deepfakes and similar content poses particular challenges to the functioning of democracies.

Meta handing Newsmax’s archive and AI infrastructure to hundreds of millions of users isn’t a hypothetical risk. It’s that exact threat, arriving right on schedule before midterms.

Call It What It Is—State Media

It’s no secret that Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has done a complete 180. From banning Trump from Facebook after Trump incited an insurrection, to paying Trump $25 million as a settlement for banning him. Meta has continued to grovel before Trump in a pathetic attempt to gain favor with the aspiring autocrat, and this latest move with Newsmax is another example of that capitulation.

And now Meta is proudly announcing a partnership with Newsmax, which boasted:

Newsmax Inc. announced today that the Company has entered into an AI content partnership with Meta Platforms. Under the agreement, Meta will have access to Newsmax’s digital news content. Meta will be able to draw upon Newsmax’s significant current reporting as well as archived content across its platforms to support AI queries across Meta’s apps and devices. Newsmax views this agreement as an important step in its broader strategy to work with leading technology companies, expand the reach of its journalism and make the Company’s distinctive perspective available through emerging AI technologies.

NewsMax is the right wing propaganda outlet fined $67 million for election denialism. It regularly publishes such volatile headlines and false stories as this:

And this:

And this:

Meta is helping Newsmax expand this disinformation. Imagine labeling election denialism, dangerous misogyny, and anti-Muslim hate as “journalism.” Now, hundreds of millions of Meta users will be subject to grotesque disinformation right before midterm elections. This is catastrophic for our national security and public trust.

But now that you’re aware of this, what do we do to respond? If you know me, I do not cite problems without offering meaningful solutions—and I offer two such solutions below that I invite you to engage with.

How We Fight Back

First, we must understand that this isn’t an unfortunate lapse in judgment. It is collusion. A soft coup through compliant media executives and billionaire owners who are terrified of upsetting Trump—and more terrified of losing market share.

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.

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 900 articles and 55 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

I am partnering with Ground News, and I invite you to join me. 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, about recognizing disinformation immediately, and about finding accurate sources that you can trust, then you need Ground News.

In addition to gathering related articles globally in one place and revealing source bias and factuality, Ground News 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 Newsmax had to pay $67 million for their election denialism, Ground News would show you Newsmax’s media bias. That matters. Ground News doesn’t tell you what to think. It shows you the historic narratives and biases of each outlet, 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.

Subscribing to Let’s Address This, downloading Ground News, and simply sharing this article are three easy and effective ways to push the narrative towards facts over fiction.

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.

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