White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

Pope Francis Calls “Fake News” A Very Serious Sin

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Photo courtesy Pixabay

Pope Francis called on journalists over the weekend to report precise, complete and objective information to the public, instead of one-sided viewpoints or ‘old news that has been dealt with’ and hurts society at large.

While talking to Catholic media, the pontiff said that “You shouldn’t fall into the ‘sins of communication:’ disinformation, or giving just one side, calumny that is sensationalized, or defamation, looking for things that are old news and have been dealt with and bringing them to light today.”

The Pope also went on to praise the world done by the mainstream media, and that objective journalism performs a mission that is among the most “fundamental” to democratic societies.

David Cameron Tells Trump “Fake News” Act is Dangerous

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

At the annual Transparency International UK lecture in London, former British prime minister David Cameron called President Donald Trump’s attacks on the mainstream media was dangerous, with the true threat to democracy coming from sources like Russian twitter bots.

“When Donald Trump uses the term ‘fake news’ to describe CNN and the BBC, that is not just a questionable tactic.  It’s actually dangerous,” the former prime minister said in his remarks.

Cameron noted that “of course” journalists occasionally makes mistakes. But Trump’s use of “fake news” as an attack on the media “is an attempt to question the whole legitimacy of organizations that have an important role in our democracy.”

“Let me put it like this. President Trump, ‘Fake news’ is not broadcasters criticizing you. It’s Russian bots and trolls targeting your democracy, pumping out untrue stories day after day, night after night.”

“When you misappropriate the term ‘fake news’,” he continued, “you are deflecting attention from real abuses. Ignoring what’s happening on social media is facilitating a form of corruption that is undermining democracy.”

Cameron resigned as prime minister in 2016, immediately after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in their “Brexit” vote, which Cameron opposed.  Many point to the similarities between the surge in nationalistic movements surrounding the Brexit vote and the 2016 U.S. presidential elections that placed Trump in the White House.

 

Washington Post Reporter Apologizes to President Trump for Posting Inaccurate Photos on Twitter

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Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

President Donald Trump has received an apology from Washington Post reporter David Weigel, who posted a photo of Trump’s rally in Florida on Friday.

Weigel had posted a photo on Twitter of the crowd at the Pensacola Bay Center showing a significant number of empty seats.  After being told that the photo was taken before the venue started, Weigel removed the post and apologized in a later Tweet with the president.

In response to the apology, the president demanded Weigel be fired.

The Washington Post issued a statement on Weigel’s erronious Tweet on Saturday:

“Dave Weigel relied on an inaccurate image in tweeting about President Trump’s rally in Pensacola,” said Washington Post’s vice president of communications, Kristine Coratti Kelly. “When others pointed out the mistake to Weigel, he quickly deleted the tweet. And when he was later addressed by the president on Twitter, he promptly apologized for it.”

Journalists Express Mixed Feelings On Attending White House Christmas Party

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Photo courtesy the White House

Following CNN’s announcement they will not attend the annual White House Christmas party for the media, other reporters have expressed mixed responses and reservations over socializing with an administration that often lambastes mainstream journalists as “fake news.”

For example, New York Magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi wrote in an email to Politico that:

“While I don’t think it’s improper to attend social events with the president per se, I personally am uncomfortable with the idea of being a guest in this White House for a party (if I would not be covering the party), given Donald Trump’s stated threats to the First Amendment and general lack of understanding or interest in its importance. For that reason, my personal feelings are that it sends the wrong message to schmooze under mistletoe while our freedoms are under attack. That said, I don’t judge colleagues who arrive at a different conclusion.”

Another White House correspondent, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the record about this topic, said that he would attend the holiday event.

“I do get bothered [by the attacks on the press].  But I don’t view it as our role to engage in a fight with the president. I think that it’s our role to keep doing our jobs reporting the news and not treat it like we’re two warring institutions of American democracy. We don’t need to reciprocate that attitude.”

CNN announced earlier this week it would not be accepting the White House invitation, although they would send a reporting team to the event and report on any relevant news that may come out of the party.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded by posting on Twitter that “Christmas comes early!” because of CNN’s decision.


The White House Christmas party is held annually, and is normally a casual event where reporters mingle off-the-record with administration officials and staff.

Media Stars Support Non-Profit Journalism On #GivingNewsDay

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Fox News Bret Baier and Wolf Blitzer in Washington, DC

November 28th is #GivingNewsDay, a day to give back to the hundreds of nonprofit newsrooms across the country. Donations up to $1000 will be doubled by NewsMatch, a national campaign to support nonprofit, local, and investigative news organizations. News Match 2017 was launched by Democracy Fund, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation to give people an easy way to find quality newsrooms in their region.

Thousands have already gone on social media to promote and discuss nonprofit news, as well as encouraging others to join in this year’s efforts.

Visit NewsMatch.org to find a nonprofit newsroom and invest in quality journalism. NewsMatch will double your impact.

News Match Raises Awareness and Money for Non-Profit Journalism on #GivingNewsDay

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Photo courtesy Pixabay

Traditionally the Tuesday after Thanksgiving has been a day of charity, with millions of individuals taking time to donate to nonprofits and philanthropic causes.  This year, the grassroots campaign News Match is launching #GivingNewsDay to promote an investment in quality non-profit journalism.

News Match 2017 was established as a campaign through Democracy Fund, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation.  It’s mission is to support nonprofit news organizations that play a vital role in holding those in power accountable through non-profit news.

“We’ve never seen a movement of funders and donors turning out to support nonprofit news like this before,” said Sue Cross, Executive Director and CEO of the Institute for Nonprofit News. “But because these are challenge grants, nonprofit newsrooms across the United States are depending on you to donate and unlock these matching funds.”

Through December 31, individual donations up to $1,000 will be matched by News Match partners.  Nearly 20 individuals and foundations have also set up campaigns to match donations for local News Match participants.  The Gates Family Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, and the News Integrity Initiative have each pledged to match donations to specific newsrooms. And in ten states, individual donors and local foundations have added at least another $400,000 in matching funds to the campaign.

“Trusted nonprofit news organizations… are essential to building stronger communities, holding our decision makers accountable, and providing people with the information they need to contribute to civic change. Ensuring they have a bright future is in all of our interests,” said Jennifer Preston, Knight Foundation vice president for journalism.

All news organizations participating in News Match are members of the Institute for Nonprofit News. To be a member, an organization must be a 501(c)(3) or have a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor, must be transparent about funding sources, and produce investigative and/or public-service reporting. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

If you would like to donate to #GivingNewsDay, please visit newsmatch.org before December 31, 2017 to contribute.

Department of Justice Files Suit to Block AT&T Merger With Time Warner

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Photo courtesy Josh Hallett.

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit to block AT&T’s purchase of Time Warner, a potential $85 billion deal granting the telecommunications giant access to major media brands including CNN, Warner Brothers, HBO and more.

Filing in the District Court for the District of Columbia, government lawyers claim the merger would allow companies under AT&T’s umbrella to control a disproportionate interest of both what individuals watch and how they watch it, meaning they could force both competitors and consumers to pay higher prices.  AT&T owns satellite provider DirecTV, while Time Warner owns networks such as TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network and HBO.

“This merger would greatly harm American consumers,” said assistant attorney general Makan Delrahim.  “It would mean higher monthly television bills and fewer of the new, emerging innovative options that consumers are beginning to enjoy.”

AT&T general counsel David McAtee countered the lawsuit’s claims, saying the deal was a “vertical merger,” combining two companies that operate at separate stages of a production process.  He also stated that the lawsuit was “a radical and inexplicable departure from decades of antitrust precedent.”  Historically, vertical mergers are much more difficult for government officials to block.

The Department of Justice was forced to defend the lawsuit in light of several comments by President Donald Trump, criticizing cable news network CNN, which is owned by Time Warner.  One executive at Turner Broadcasting said, “there isn’t any precedent.  It’s one thing to say ‘Fake news!’, it’s another to reverse governmental policy because you object to a company’s journalism.”  Trump has indicated several times he may attempt to thwart the merger, both during the presidential campaign and as president.

AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson said he has no intention of selling CNN to win approval of the Time Warner merger.

 

Disney Ends Ban on Los Angeles Times Film Critics After Media Backlash

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Photo courtesy Pixabay

Amidst significant media backlash, the Walt Disney Company has reversed its decision to ban film critics with the Los Angeles Times from press screenings of its films.

Disney said in a statement:

“We’ve had productive discussions with the newly installed leadership at the Los Angeles Times regarding our specific concerns, and as a result, we’ve agreed to restore access to advance screenings for their film critics.”

The Walt Disney Co. had revoked the Times’ access to all press briefings, an ABC website for journalists and other media events following a September story in the paper titled “Is Disney paying its share in Anaheim?” which focused on the company’s business ties with the city of Anaheim.  Disney had considered the story to be unfair, and blacklisted the newspaper following its publication.

In response to the blacklisting, several individual journalists, film critics and media outlets ranging from The New York Times, Washington Post and The A.V. Club announced their own boycotts of advance screenings of Disney films.

The A.V. Club’s A. A. Dowd wrote that the outlet took exception with Disney’s strong-arm tactics.

“It’s a dangerous precedent that Disney is setting: Write an unfavorable story—one that Disney hasn’t disputed factually, even—and it will blacklist your publication, punishing independent journalism by using its massive corporate influence. And it’s one that we similarly can’t abide. The A.V. Club will follow [Washingont Post film critic Alyssa] Rosenberg’s lead and—effective immediately—we will refrain from attending any press screenings of Disney movies, at least until the company rescinds its ban on The Los Angeles Times. “

Film critic groups had also voted to disqualify Disney films from award nominations.  In a release, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Boston Society of Film Critics and the National Society of Film Critics jointly announced their decision, wherein “all four critics’ organizations have voted to disqualify Disney’s films from year-end awards consideration until said blackout is publicly rescinded.”

The Walt Disney Co. has enacted punitive action against news organizations and analysts in the past for publishing pieces the company deemed unfair.  Press liaisons have told journalists several times that access to Disney executives and film previews is “a privilege and not a right.”

“A powerful company punishing a news organization for a story they do not like is meant to have a chilling effect,” The Times said. “This is a dangerous precedent and not at all in the public interest.”

Fox News Rejects Democratic Mega-Donor’s Television Commercials

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Fox News building on 6th Avenue in NYC. Photo courtesy Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons.

Fox News has cancelled a contract to broadcast advertisements on the network that were purchased by a Democratic mega-donor as part of a $10 million national campaign demanding the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

Californian hedge fund manager and activist Tom Steyer confirmed on Friday that Fox News informed him October 31 it was discontinuing his ad entitled “Join Us,” which urged viewers to sign an online petition demanding Congress begin impeachment proceedings.

Brad Deutsch, an attorney for Steyer, claimed Fox News was in breach of contract after agreeing “unconditionally” on October 27 to air the ads for a second week.  Deutsch stated the network’s actions on pulling the ads early showed “a profound failure of journalistic integrity, a suppression of constitutionally protected speech, and likely a consequence of inexcusable political pressure.”

The ad campaign was the focus of a tweet sent from President Trump on the same day, saying Steyer was “[w]acky & totally unhinged.”

Deutsch wrote in a letter to Fox that “It is no coincidence that the Cancellation of the Advertisement, in the second week of its run, came on the heels of a tweet from President Trump criticizing the spot and Mr. Steyer personally.”

Steyer criticized the decision of the network, saying “[m]illions of Americans have raised their voices in opposition to Donald Trump.  If Fox News is siding with Trump and trying to silence us, they must be afraid of what we have to say.  It shows no respect for democracy.”

Fox News’s co-president Jack Abernathy said the decision to pull the ads was reached due to the “strong negative reaction” by the network’s viewers.

“Due to the strong negative reaction to their ad by our viewers, we could not in good conscious take their money,” Abernathy said.

 

High Profile Alt-Right Blogger Unmasked as Russian Troll

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Photo courtesy Pixabay

A high-profile, controversial alt-right blogger that had 70,000 Twitter followers has been unmasked as a fictional “troll” maintained by the Russian government.

Congressional investigators, with cooperation from social media companies, has confirmed Abrams was a creation of the Internet Research Agency, the Russian government’s “troll farm” in St. Petersburg.

Jenna Abrams was branded as a free-thinking American blogger promoting a return to segregation and lamenting problems stemming from “PC culture” running rampant in the nation.  Her account gained significant notoriety after “fixing” a nude photograph posted by Kim Kardashian.

On her Medium account, the Internet Research Agency published a blog post entitled “Why do we need to get back to segregation.”

“Humanity has gone full circle.  Never mind how many activists of any color died to get rid of segregation, and fought for inclusion, black people want it back.  100 percent free people made their choice, and their choice is segregation,” the fictional Russian blogger wrote.

Her posts and tweets received attention from nearly every national media outlet, including U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, The Washington Post, BBC, and The New York Times.  Her comments were also covered by Russian government-funded media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

Even former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul engaged Abrams in arguments on Twitter.  During the timeframe of February 2015 through August 2016, McFaul responded to Abrams’ posts on at least ten separate occassions.