Dr. Gerald Horne commentary on Chris Hedges article: "The Collapse of US Media is Accelerating Our Political Crisis"

 Friends,

Listen to this warning by renowned University of Houston historian, Dr. Gerald Horne, speaks on the demise of public media. He responds to Chris Hedges who wrote the following:

"The collapse of U.S. media is accelerating our political crisis a third of all U.S. newspapers have permanently closed. The industry is hemorrhaging reporters and private equity and big tech are to blame."

The news media has found it difficult to compete with big tech, soaking up advertising dollars previously available to them. I can only imagine how this is impacting Journalism Departments in our colleges and universities nationwide.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is another threat that Dr. Horne maintains threatens jobs for reporters, lawyers, and computer code writers. In short, traditional media, including CNN and NPR, are at enormous risk. Traditional media also often align with neocons and neoliberals, for example, their its lack of support, if not actual collusion, against labor. Dr. Horne expresses that the mainstream press is clearly often about the "massaging of our consciousness" rather than reporting the actual news, citing news on Ukraine and Gaza. A lot to unpack here.

My connection to this in the current moment is a lack of attention in the press to the harmfulness of school and district takeovers by Education Management Organizations (EMOs) like Superintendent Mike Moses' The New Education System (NES)" in Houston, Texas. Takeovers are happening in and to various other Texas school districts amounting to a de-democratization of public education. There are some reports, but not enough in my view. Not quite hearing sufficient outcry other than a few select voices. Our communities are therefore at risk without local news, boots on the ground, and ethical reporting.

The lack of a free and honest press is abundantly consequential.

-Angela Valenzuela