In today’s Darwinian media environment, newspapers, magazines and online publications seem to be biting the dust every week—a depressing new normal. But the sudden death of Pacific Standard—a decade-old Santa Barbara-based online magazine covering environmental science, social justice, economics policy, official corruption and other substantive issues—has hit the journalism community especially hard. “Generally the loss of smart independent publications makes me cynical and deeply tired,” New Yorker contributor tweeted to Wednesday’s announcement of the shutdown, “but I gotta say, the...…In today’s Darwinian media environment, newspapers, magazines and online publications seem to be biting the dust every week—a depressing new normal. But the sudden death of Pacific Standard—a decade-old Santa Barbara-based online magazine covering environmental science, social justice, economics policy, official corruption and other substantive issues—has hit the journalism community especially hard. “Generally the loss of smart independent publications makes me cynical and deeply tired,” New Yorker contributor tweeted to Wednesday’s announcement of the shutdown, “but I gotta say, the...WW…

‘GRIFTERS, PLAIN AND SIMPLE’The duo behind the latest anti-Biden stunts have a long history of climate denial and corporate shilling. They’ve made many enemies, but in pro-Trump circles they’ve become stars.n one sense—although not in any sense that would endorse— and are a testament to the truism that immigrants get the job done.These married Irish provocateurs moved to the United States more than a decade ago, published a book about a criminal abortionist, made money, made movies and wrote plays to own the libs and terminate “cancel culture,” became celebrity-darlings of the American...…‘GRIFTERS, PLAIN AND SIMPLE’The duo behind the latest anti-Biden stunts have a long history of climate denial and corporate shilling. They’ve made many enemies, but in pro-Trump circles they’ve become stars.n one sense—although not in any sense that would endorse— and are a testament to the truism that immigrants get the job done.These married Irish provocateurs moved to the United States more than a decade ago, published a book about a criminal abortionist, made money, made movies and wrote plays to own the libs and terminate “cancel culture,” became celebrity-darlings of the American...WW…

An American president might no longer be branding working reporters “the enemy of the people,” but that doesn’t mean it’s suddenly safe to be a journalist.Seung Min Kim, a White House correspondent for The Washington Post, has spent the past day as the target of ugly online abuse—this time not from Donald Trump enthusiasts but instead from apparent supporters of Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s for budget director.Reached on Thursday by The Daily Beast, Tanden—following protocol that presidential nominees don’t speak publicly to reporters until confirmed—declined to comment for this...…An American president might no longer be branding working reporters “the enemy of the people,” but that doesn’t mean it’s suddenly safe to be a journalist.Seung Min Kim, a White House correspondent for The Washington Post, has spent the past day as the target of ugly online abuse—this time not from Donald Trump enthusiasts but instead from apparent supporters of Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s for budget director.Reached on Thursday by The Daily Beast, Tanden—following protocol that presidential nominees don’t speak publicly to reporters until confirmed—declined to comment for this...WW…

More than four years have passed since the right-wing, -friendly conspiracy machine—fueled by , WikiLeaks impresario, and ultimately by—began spreading toxic fantasies about the death of.The machine continues to chug away—as with ’s recent tumble down the Seth Rich rabbit hole—even as the 45th president’s political future is under threat from the results of next Tuesday’s election.Rich was the 27-year-old Democratic National Committee staffer who was shot and killed by unknown assailants during an apparently botched robbery on a Washington, D.C., sidewalk a block from his home in the wee...…More than four years have passed since the right-wing, -friendly conspiracy machine—fueled by , WikiLeaks impresario, and ultimately by—began spreading toxic fantasies about the death of.The machine continues to chug away—as with ’s recent tumble down the Seth Rich rabbit hole—even as the 45th president’s political future is under threat from the results of next Tuesday’s election.Rich was the 27-year-old Democratic National Committee staffer who was shot and killed by unknown assailants during an apparently botched robbery on a Washington, D.C., sidewalk a block from his home in the wee...WW…

After Joe Biden’s campaign announced a town hall with ABC News following President Donald Trump’s , the president and his team sensed an opportunity for another media spectacle.On Wednesday, . The network announced that it will hold a town hall with the president on Thursday at the same exact time that a town hall with former Vice President Joe Biden will air on ABC News. NBC’s programming decision, critics complained shortly after the network touted it, plays into Trump’s hands.According to multiple sources familiar with the president's thinking, Trump has told close associates that he...…After Joe Biden’s campaign announced a town hall with ABC News following President Donald Trump’s , the president and his team sensed an opportunity for another media spectacle.On Wednesday, . The network announced that it will hold a town hall with the president on Thursday at the same exact time that a town hall with former Vice President Joe Biden will air on ABC News. NBC’s programming decision, critics complained shortly after the network touted it, plays into Trump’s hands.According to multiple sources familiar with the president's thinking, Trump has told close associates that he...WW…

The painful occurred with just the sort of recrimination and negative PR that former Washington local news anchor and failed Democratic House candidate Kathleen Matthews, his wife of 40 years, and their adult children long hoped to avoid.According to sources at MSNBC, Kathleen had communicated concerns over the past several months to network chief Phil Griffin, Chris’s long-ago Hardball executive producer when the show aired on CNBC. She expressed worry that her husband’s on-air controversies would become more frequent, more embarrassing, and more damaging to his legacy.For months, it was...…The painful occurred with just the sort of recrimination and negative PR that former Washington local news anchor and failed Democratic House candidate Kathleen Matthews, his wife of 40 years, and their adult children long hoped to avoid.According to sources at MSNBC, Kathleen had communicated concerns over the past several months to network chief Phil Griffin, Chris’s long-ago Hardball executive producer when the show aired on CNBC. She expressed worry that her husband’s on-air controversies would become more frequent, more embarrassing, and more damaging to his legacy.For months, it was...WW…