Last week’s column by Betty Bean drew comments including one that called Bean a propagandist. Maybe that’s fair. Propaganda is defined as information used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. Bean’s KnoxTNToday opinion column fits. What she would dispute, I think, is the other piece of that definition, “Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature.”
Bean has a point of view, but she’s also ethical. She doesn’t lie.
But if you want to explore real propaganda, take a look at the social media exploits of U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. Burchett tends toward the political, while Jacobs produces feel-good self-promotion. I’m not suggesting either man lies, but it is undisputed that government resources are used in the production.
Burchett interviews guests on a podcast called Tennessee Talks. This is the description of the most recent show, straight from his congressional office: In this episode, Mike Howell, director of the Oversight Project at the Heritage Foundation, joins Rep. Burchett to discuss the Biden administration’s lack of transparency….
“The Biden administration’s awful policies are causing major problems for Americans every day, but White House officials would rather sweep the problems under the rug than fix them,” said Rep. Burchett. “Mike has been working tirelessly to ensure the Biden administration answers to the American people for its disastrous agenda, and I’m glad he was able to join me to share his expertise on this important topic.”
That, my friends, is propaganda.
Mayor Jacobs, on the other hand, has his “It’s Friday!” weekly update, his small business spotlight, his community spotlight, his weekly Eat & Greet, and Knox Narratives & Notables.
And he recently launched a four-part video series on Wednesdays recognizing “local teachers who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.”
This, my friends, is a feel-good two-fer.
Looking at media
Michael Reed, Gannett’s $7.7 million CEO, said “As the traditional revenue streams we largely relied on, such as print advertising and print subscriptions, continue to transition to digital, we are also adapting to new revenue opportunities.” That’s Reed-speak for “ad sales and subscriptions are tanking, so we’re looking for new ways to make money.”
And then he mentioned events, sports betting and Gannett’s consumer product website Reviewed.com/. Check it out. Pretend reporters “review” products. If you buy one, Gannett gets a cut. Ouch!
Meanwhile, NPR estimates that less than 1% of its 20 million weekly digital users give to their local stations. Leaders want to turn that around.
Oops, Alabama!
Alabama’s three largest newspapers will end print publication in February. Alexandra Bruell broke the story in the Nov. 3 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
Advance Publications, which owns 24 newspapers as well as the Condé Nast magazine-publishing empire, will end print for the Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times and Mobile’s Press-Register.
Their expected combined circulation of about 30,000 early next year is a fraction of the 260,000 the papers boasted just a decade ago, Bruell wrote. Content will be on AL.com which operates without a paywall.
Quotables
Zadie Smith, who wrote White Teeth (2001), said, “Novels are not about expressing yourself, they’re about something beautiful, funny, clever and organic. Self-expression? Go and ring a bell in the yard if you want to express yourself.”
Sylvia Plath wrote: “Everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today Inc.