By indefinitely suspending him, ABC is reminding us that trust in corporate media is dead for a reason—but there's something even more sinister afoot we cannot ignore
Oh good. ABC just handed the censor a clipboard and asked where to initial.
This is not a scandal about jokes. This is a civics test and corporate America failed spectacularly.
They’re not choosing decorum. They’re choosing survival. They chose shareholders over a free press. They chose fear over teeth.
Laughing at power is not a crime. Letting power silence laughter is.
If you want to fight back, stop feeding the machine that kneels. Feed the small lights instead. Share. Subscribe. Keep the jokes alive. Keep the truth louder.
The writing has been on the wall for decades, in reality. Noam Chomsky highlighted the cynicism and disingenuity of legacy media in 1988 with his book Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. The title alone tells you everything. It lays out what was happening, if only people were willing to see it. As current affairs show, they largely were not.
But there have been plenty of overt demonstrations by media since then that show their support of fascism for the sake of capital gain: Their transparent antipathy to report on and investigate the murder of WaPo journalist Jhamal Khashoggi because Saudi Arabia is a supremely wealthy country that holds the US by its short hairs due to its dependence on SA's oil (so, because of money), their willingness to be trolled nonstop by dump45 for the sake of viewership-driven profit after he announced his run for the presidency in 2015, media's breathtakingly stunning failure to refute the concept of "post truth" in news reporting, their lack of fact checking...it all ALWAYS goes back to money—to profits.
And every one of these incidents could have been latched onto by people who were decrying the loss of First Amendment civil rights. Not enough people did, either because of their own apathy or lack of comprehension about what it meant that news corporations were influencing our political environment. And the fact is that if they were going to get the same viewership profits from amplifying "left-wing" rhetoric, they would have done so, and that would have, in some ways, been just as damaging to the principle of Fourth Estate journalistic integrity. THIS, to me, shows more than anything else, that because such censorship tends to come from the right, and corporations will pretty much always bow to such threats to safeguard their own wealth, corporate news media has been a rot within american culture for decades not just these past ten years.
The only good thing to come from the ascension of Trump is that what was formerly carefully hidden is now spectacularly on view. Nobody is under any illusions about Israel. Few have any illusions about commercial media being "free TV" as it was always described to us. The 1% are undeniably in charge. Our political system is thoroughly corrupt. There is nothing solid about law, if those charged with enforcing it don't observe the law themselves then it is simply writing on a piece of paper, the Constitution included.
All of these things together mean we are floating untied to ground with unrestricted power/wealth directing the way we go. We have to hope that martial law will not stop the midterm elections next year when all indications are that Trumpism will be turned back in Congress and we will be headed for more solid ground than what we knew before Trump rose to power. The American people after decades of being fooled are opening their eyes but just as with someone awakened from a drugged sleep, it is taking quite a while to become fully conscious.
Maybe all the employees affected by this cowardice should file a class action lawsuit against the FCC, the White House admin, and ABC for wrongful termination. Let Trump sue who he wants and then we take all he gets from him as well
Already dropped those corporate media subscriptions and watching habits. Just wish I could afford to fund you and other voices like you who are crying in the wilderness!
Ironic that Trump has consistently called corporate media "fake news." After all the sane voices are silenced, will he change his tune and embrace it? That turn around will be interesting to watch.
Qasim, you're certainly right that Kimmel has loads of money, and can well afford never to work another day in his life. If his staff and support are good, which no doubt they are, they'll get other assignments, probably at ABC (unless they're disgusted, and quit). The problem is the process: the underlying wish of ABC/Disney to acquire something else, or stay out of Donnie's crosshairs, which leads them to do whatever Donnie wants them to do. There is zero independence, or "freedom of speech." And while they're trying to deprive Kimmel and Colbert of freedom of speech, they're trumpeting the grossly antisocial and provocative speech of that child, Kirk.
I agree that greed (wanting yet more acquisitions) is a driving factor in corporate media's collapse. Staying out of Trump's crosshairs is also about money. Corporate America is obsessed with money: stock valuation, stock earnings, stock prices, obscenely large bonuses, stock options, living like princes, fighting against unions, skimping on workers wages and benefits -- and more. The product itself is the least concerning aspect! Morality is at such a low ebb.
I have a question. Is Netflix kissing ass too. I ask because I only have Hulu and Disney for my great granddaughter. If I cancell Disney she won’t have anything and she’s here a lot? But she likes Netflix.?
Disgusting that Carr would change his tune so easily. I subscribe and <mostly> agree with you about the state of the world. I continue because you are an independent voice, and not "too" crazy. <smile emoji>
You mean to tell me they actually suggested giving a sizable donation to Turning Point in addition to an apology to be put back on? Sounds like to me they need Kimmel more than Kimmel needs the network. I literally pray for those people who are standing up for what is right, being the voice for the underprivileged and overlooked. It’s a calling and not everyone can do it. You’re putting your life on the line every time you choose to speak truth to power. I’m truly grateful for the work you put in, Qasim.
Thank you for caring about us, or feeling sorry for us. We're all just trying to make it to the end of next year intact (well, semi-intact), so we can begin to clean up this unbelievable mess, which will get worse by then.
Oh good. ABC just handed the censor a clipboard and asked where to initial.
This is not a scandal about jokes. This is a civics test and corporate America failed spectacularly.
They’re not choosing decorum. They’re choosing survival. They chose shareholders over a free press. They chose fear over teeth.
Laughing at power is not a crime. Letting power silence laughter is.
If you want to fight back, stop feeding the machine that kneels. Feed the small lights instead. Share. Subscribe. Keep the jokes alive. Keep the truth louder.
The writing has been on the wall for decades, in reality. Noam Chomsky highlighted the cynicism and disingenuity of legacy media in 1988 with his book Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. The title alone tells you everything. It lays out what was happening, if only people were willing to see it. As current affairs show, they largely were not.
But there have been plenty of overt demonstrations by media since then that show their support of fascism for the sake of capital gain: Their transparent antipathy to report on and investigate the murder of WaPo journalist Jhamal Khashoggi because Saudi Arabia is a supremely wealthy country that holds the US by its short hairs due to its dependence on SA's oil (so, because of money), their willingness to be trolled nonstop by dump45 for the sake of viewership-driven profit after he announced his run for the presidency in 2015, media's breathtakingly stunning failure to refute the concept of "post truth" in news reporting, their lack of fact checking...it all ALWAYS goes back to money—to profits.
And every one of these incidents could have been latched onto by people who were decrying the loss of First Amendment civil rights. Not enough people did, either because of their own apathy or lack of comprehension about what it meant that news corporations were influencing our political environment. And the fact is that if they were going to get the same viewership profits from amplifying "left-wing" rhetoric, they would have done so, and that would have, in some ways, been just as damaging to the principle of Fourth Estate journalistic integrity. THIS, to me, shows more than anything else, that because such censorship tends to come from the right, and corporations will pretty much always bow to such threats to safeguard their own wealth, corporate news media has been a rot within american culture for decades not just these past ten years.
This is fascism, no doubt an intimidation against freedom of speech and our own liberty.
We must not be complacent, or we will regret it.
It’s an attempt to silence dissent, spread fear, and abuse power to impose a regime that keeps us obedient under the rule of a few.
We should also note that Big Tech doesn’t care about people they do business with whatever brings profit.
We need to pay close attention.
We cannot allow a totalitarian regime to decide the future of our lives.
The only good thing to come from the ascension of Trump is that what was formerly carefully hidden is now spectacularly on view. Nobody is under any illusions about Israel. Few have any illusions about commercial media being "free TV" as it was always described to us. The 1% are undeniably in charge. Our political system is thoroughly corrupt. There is nothing solid about law, if those charged with enforcing it don't observe the law themselves then it is simply writing on a piece of paper, the Constitution included.
All of these things together mean we are floating untied to ground with unrestricted power/wealth directing the way we go. We have to hope that martial law will not stop the midterm elections next year when all indications are that Trumpism will be turned back in Congress and we will be headed for more solid ground than what we knew before Trump rose to power. The American people after decades of being fooled are opening their eyes but just as with someone awakened from a drugged sleep, it is taking quite a while to become fully conscious.
well put
Maybe all the employees affected by this cowardice should file a class action lawsuit against the FCC, the White House admin, and ABC for wrongful termination. Let Trump sue who he wants and then we take all he gets from him as well
Can't Claim being American Running Around Playing Communist Manifesto
https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/cant-claim-being-american-running
Already dropped those corporate media subscriptions and watching habits. Just wish I could afford to fund you and other voices like you who are crying in the wilderness!
Ironic that Trump has consistently called corporate media "fake news." After all the sane voices are silenced, will he change his tune and embrace it? That turn around will be interesting to watch.
Nothing he says has any validity beyond his perception of usefulness to him a the moment.
There doesn't appear to be one brave soul in corporate mainstream media. They are pathetic and should be ashamed.
Qasim, you're certainly right that Kimmel has loads of money, and can well afford never to work another day in his life. If his staff and support are good, which no doubt they are, they'll get other assignments, probably at ABC (unless they're disgusted, and quit). The problem is the process: the underlying wish of ABC/Disney to acquire something else, or stay out of Donnie's crosshairs, which leads them to do whatever Donnie wants them to do. There is zero independence, or "freedom of speech." And while they're trying to deprive Kimmel and Colbert of freedom of speech, they're trumpeting the grossly antisocial and provocative speech of that child, Kirk.
I agree that greed (wanting yet more acquisitions) is a driving factor in corporate media's collapse. Staying out of Trump's crosshairs is also about money. Corporate America is obsessed with money: stock valuation, stock earnings, stock prices, obscenely large bonuses, stock options, living like princes, fighting against unions, skimping on workers wages and benefits -- and more. The product itself is the least concerning aspect! Morality is at such a low ebb.
"Morality?"
I have a question. Is Netflix kissing ass too. I ask because I only have Hulu and Disney for my great granddaughter. If I cancell Disney she won’t have anything and she’s here a lot? But she likes Netflix.?
NO! netflix is standing up ⬆️ for the people!!! one of the few mega companies to do so
Thank you. Your right.😃
I beleive Reid Hastings has supported proposition 50 in CA
I am a paid subscriber and I appreciate you and am glad I did.❤️
I get my news and commentary from wsws.org
Disgusting that Carr would change his tune so easily. I subscribe and <mostly> agree with you about the state of the world. I continue because you are an independent voice, and not "too" crazy. <smile emoji>
Carr didn't change his tune. He knew then, as he knows now, that "censorship is the authoritarian's dream". It wasn't a warning, it was a plan.
You mean to tell me they actually suggested giving a sizable donation to Turning Point in addition to an apology to be put back on? Sounds like to me they need Kimmel more than Kimmel needs the network. I literally pray for those people who are standing up for what is right, being the voice for the underprivileged and overlooked. It’s a calling and not everyone can do it. You’re putting your life on the line every time you choose to speak truth to power. I’m truly grateful for the work you put in, Qasim.
we: my family, does not support Disney or ABC or corporate propaganda. we avoid American products, we don't travel to the United States of facism.
anything american is poison, nowadays.
we feel sorry for the decent people trapped in your shithole of a facist dictatorship.
Your decisions are absolutely right.
Anything American is poison to us, too.
Thank you for caring about us, or feeling sorry for us. We're all just trying to make it to the end of next year intact (well, semi-intact), so we can begin to clean up this unbelievable mess, which will get worse by then.