Read on Twitter
"Our media ushered all this through the door, under the aegis of “balance” and “presenting both sides” — as if racism and white supremacy were theoretical ideas to be debated, not life-threatening forces to be defeated." writes @KarenAttiah https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/20/media-had-role-play-rise-trump-its-time-hold-ourselves-accountable/
I got in trouble at NYT for pointing this out on Twitter.
Now is a really good time to point out that if you're an NYT employee and you get in trouble for a tweet they record it in a database.
Now is a really good time to point out that if you're an NYT employee and you get in trouble for a tweet they record it in a database.
My other favorite NYT nugget of information is people will constantly say we should have this conversation over coffee, but that's because it's paranoid institution and they're afraid you're going to take screen caps over text and record phone calls.
Once my boss asked me if I was taking notes during a call where she clearly wanted me to acknowledge wrong doing I refused to acknowledge because I WAS NOT WRONG.
I wasn't but in my head I was like I'm in a single consent state I could be recording this (I wasn't)
I wasn't but in my head I was like I'm in a single consent state I could be recording this (I wasn't)
Also: the paranoia is warranted. Truly. People will take screen caps etc and use it against you.
I debate a LOT about whether or not to tweet this stuff but enough people have told me had they known they would not have taken jobs at NYT that I feel obligated to tweet.
I debate a LOT about whether or not to tweet this stuff but enough people have told me had they known they would not have taken jobs at NYT that I feel obligated to tweet.
All of these prestige newsrooms have slogans that are riffs off of Brandeis's "sunlight is the best disinfectant" and meanwhile they are actively stifling their reporters and settling discrimination lawsuits with NDAs while promoting the perpetrators.
I fucking love the practice of journalism, fucking love it. I love writing and digging. I came to journalism mid-career and greatly exceeded my "you will live on ramen expectations." But the whole reason I love journalism is why I'm also it's strongest critic: I have morals.
The shit I could tell you... I don’t think people understand that NYT, IMHO, is not just a classist and racist institution. It is those things. But it’s also just a horrifically cruel place. And it manifests in its journalism.
And the only reason I care is because it has a disproportionate impact on the field. People ASPIRE to work at the New York Times. And when they get there, regardless of the abuse that is levied at them, they feel like they can't leave.
This is an institution that missed the holocaust. It was wrong on the civil rights movement. It fucked up the war in iraq. And yet it still occupies this prestige niche. Maybe we should all be asking ourselves, why?
