The news that Elon Musk was actually going through with the purchase of Twitter came as a genuine surprise to me. From the start I somewhat assumed Musk was throwing his money and influence around, hoping to affect change at … Read more
A few years ago, at a conference, I said that Mexico had more protection for journalists and press freedom than the United States, Great Britain, or France. I got confused stares in response. Mexico, as everyone there knew, is … Read more
When news organizations cover police statements, why do they do it? This isn’t a trick question. Or it shouldn’t be. In theory, reporters seek police comments to better understand matters of community safety and urgent public concern. Police statements, in … Read more
Driving home from the beach a few weeks ago, I listened to a guest on NPR assert that most of the damage from Hurricane Ian was insured, implying, I imagined, that homeowners would rebuild without too much trouble. Wait, I … Read more
Whatever happened to values voters? Were they wiped off the face of Earth like dinosaurs? Hitched a ride on unidentified interstellar object Oumuamua, which Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb thinks might be evidence of alien intelligence, and are now on … Read more
They said it wouldn’t work. They had said the same thing when we started Daily Maverick, a fiercely independent, long-form news publisher, in 2009. At least they were consistent. Most people couldn’t get their heads wrapped around a voluntary membership … Read more
Days after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, declaring a constitutional right to abortion no longer existed, news outlets responded with stories suggesting how this landmark decision could be a boon for those seeking to adopt. And people … Read more
Why would the FBI conduct an unprecedented court-authorized search at the home of a former president of the United States? That is the wrong question for journalists to ask. These are better ones: Why was such a search unprecedented? Have … Read more
It was never going to work for one simple reason: President Trump and his supporters had failed to take the TV stations. In this case, “TV stations” means getting hundreds of journalists and dozens of news organizations to stop informing … Read more
Before I discuss news coverage of a 10-year-old rape victim whose story became a political football, there are a few things I want you to consider: Women and girls who become pregnant as a result of a rape don’t automatically … Read more
