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Noticed an unfamiliar "newspaper" recently pop up out of nowhere in Dallas.
It's called the Dallas Express.
I was immediately struck by suspicion, which proved to be well founded upon a little research.
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It's called the Dallas Express.
I was immediately struck by suspicion, which proved to be well founded upon a little research.
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The current iteration Dallas Express was started in 2021. It is using the same name as a historic but now defunct Black newspaper. This struck me as strange. So I looked into who the publisher is.
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The publisher of the Dallas Express, Monty Bennett, is an extremely wealthy Republican donor who spent hundreds of thousands to influence a water pipeline proposal in Tarrant county. His companies received more PPP funds than any other company.
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Dallas Express claims to present an objective perspective on Dallas news. This is then immediately contradicted by their statement of values, which are all based on highly conservative assumptions and beliefs.
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Bennett is also a board member of Texans for Education Reform which has been bankrolled by the likes of the Hunt family. This is all to say Dallas Express is the latest iteration of a local "news" publication funded by wealthy individuals who have clear political agendas.
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Bennett, who was accused of a "pay-to-play" scheme by Pete Simek of @DMagazine, complained in 2020 that @DMagazine itself was guilty of a "pay-to-play" scheme.
It seems Bennett has since decided to pay up to create his own news outlet.
(6/1) https://dallascitywire.com/stories/558285971-d-magazine-accused-of-pay-to-play-model-while-claiming-others-do-the-same
It seems Bennett has since decided to pay up to create his own news outlet.
(6/1) https://dallascitywire.com/stories/558285971-d-magazine-accused-of-pay-to-play-model-while-claiming-others-do-the-same
Hilariously, Bennett's complaints were published on a website that has been identified as a part of a large network of conservative "news" websites. It's sophisticated algorithmic astroturfing intermixed with occasional articles like the one above.
https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/hundreds-of-pink-slime-local-news-outlets-are-distributing-algorithmic-stories-conservative-talking-points.php
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https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/hundreds-of-pink-slime-local-news-outlets-are-distributing-algorithmic-stories-conservative-talking-points.php
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