Bad News about Media and Democracy

 

Media is going through a serious identity crisis for over a decade now, not only in the US, but all over the world. Journalists turned into a caste and media are becoming important stakeholders and even part of the political decision-making. They are serving audiences and evaluate their competencies based on how many clicks and comments their articles gathered. What about the public they are supposed to serve? Who are their readers they are expecting to pay for their articles.

Journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon analyses in her latest book Bad News. How Woke Media is Undermining Democracy the radical switch to the left of the American media catering for an educated and rich/middle-class audience. 

´We need a journalism that exposes the class divide in America rather than concealing it; whereby it continues to grow, and not because the working class is worthy of your pity or your compassion´. 

Based on interviews, facts, figures and personal observations, Ungar-Sargon outlines the evolution the journalism in America went through, from a lucrative endeavour aimed at informing a wide range of readers to a corporate enterprise whose survival depends on advertising for products affordable for middle to high-classes. Therefore, this kind of audience should be attracted with a content which is expected from this audience. ´Journalists today are an American elite, a caste that has abandoned the working class and the poor as it rose to the status of American elite´. Therefore conservative institutions as FOXNews made the switch serving the working-class and their agenda. ´Today´s meritocratic elites subscribe to the view that not only wealth but also political power should be the province of the highly educated´. 

The book, although offers an unique and documented overview of the historical evolution of journalism and its lack of diversity in terms of coverage and approaches, it does not consider a couple of elements inherent to the American society - at least, among which a general corporatist orientation which touches upon other professions as well, but also a professionalisation of many other domains, among which journalism as well. Being a journalist, as well as a real estate agent or a shop keeper may require a high degree of professional preparedness, which includes a high-education diploma. An important question would have been at what extent journalism schools do prepare the future journalists to deal with a variety of topics of interests, including adherence to certain ethics´ code. Relevant would have been also the positioning of different journalists´ associations on topics regarding professional standards and ethnic diversity. What about alternative publications and initiatives that may maintain - online particularly - a diverse list of approaches and reporting?

Is journalism completely dead? Can it be revived? 

Batya Ungar-Sargon predicts that ´We must begin to listen to each other again´ without delving too much into details.

I personally think that publications like NYT and other classical sources of information in America are, indeed, biased and not necessarily interested in informing the public opinion. However, I am hopeful that besides the algorithms who literally infested the media reception and the simplistic, copy-pasted like approach to race and ethnicity, there are individual voices that may revive the interest in information and would answer the need of the public opinion of being informed. After all, it is how democracy - no matter where - will survive. 

 

World War C by Dr. Sanjay Gupta

 

American surgeon and CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta outlines in World War C the further influence the pandemic may have on our everyday life. Is it too early to make predictions? In fact, the speed the world changed and adapted to the restrictions of the virus is tremendous and based on those observations only it is not too risky to assume at least a low level predictability of future trends and patterns.

When the first details of the virus were revealed, Dr. Gupta was having a glass of wine with Francis Ford Coppola assuming casually that an Apocalypse Now was still far from happening. As a reporter who covered the SARS outburst in Asia, he, as many others - including the humble writer of this book review who survived SARS in Asia in a very easygoing way - thought that the new Corona Virus outbreak is either an isolated or easy to contain phenomenon. But it was far from it.

This virus was and continue to be considered like no other pathogen ´the humanity ever seen´. Particularly its transmission pattern defy any other previous model, with a rather random-basis risk of transmission affecting severely affected immune systems. 

Relevant for the times of online conspiracies and anti-scientific feelings, there are extensive chapters dedicated to scientifically explaining the power of vaccines - any vaccines - and the opportunities open up by it for a medically safer realm.  

What I really appreciated in World War C, besides the relatively easy language appealing - hopefully - to many of those not yet sure about the advantages of vaccination - is the reference to the society impact and references. Thus, the recent Corona crisis is not only a medical crisis, but it displays the signs of a system struggle therefore the need of a comprehensive reconsideration of the state policies in this respect, but also a health crisis of the American public - among others - affected by unhealthy eating habits. It involves as well various economic, cultural, social and psychological aspects that may be taken into consideration for a better understanding of the mentality shift we are experiencing in the last year and a half, as well as its impact on our everyday life.

World War C by Dr. Sanjay Gupta is an useful book for students and readers interested in health policies and particularly the ways in which the Corona Virus crisis is challenging our daily lives. As the situation is further under development, this book is relevant for a specific moment in time and resumes intelligently reactions on both sides of the power spectrum in America and the future implications for the rest of the world. 

About Caste, in America

The first thing I´ve noticed from the first until the last page of Caste by Isabel Wilkerson is the beauty of the writing. It is not common sense to associate the fine choice of words and refined paragraphs with academic writing. Rather the opposite, as the point of nonfiction is, among others, to prove various points of views and analyse specific topics. The search for beautiful words though is the last priority of a nonfiction writer as the choice and use of neutral, simple words and clear sentences may serve the purpose of exposing and explaining a certain reality.

However, in this case, the beautiful writing makes the topic more approachable and easier to understand. Caste is a well documented book which uses the author´s personal observations as well as surveys and other academic articles and books on the topic, with a particular focus on India, Germany and the US.

Caste is not necessarily a comparative book but it uses comparison in order to outline the specificities of the American class and caste system. Although the references to the Indian - Hindu-oriented - caste system may provide useful information about how the caste system really works, particularly in issues regarding the main caste pillars, the frequent mention of Nazi Germany and the ostracization of its Jewish population, as compared to the situation of African-American, during and beyong the slavery is fortuitous. For a very simple reason: Nazi Germany wanted to make the Jews dissapear through systematic killing. The discrimination, the cruelty and terror, the purity laws all were aimed to lead, sooner or later, to the disappearance of Jews. An aim which was not endeavoured by the American political system.

´Just as DNA is the code of instructions for all development, caste is the operating system for economic, political and social interaction in the United States, from the time of its gestation´. The American caste system started in 1619, after the arrival of the first Africans to Virginia colony. One of the first decisions of the representatives of the colony was to decide who could be enslaved for life and who could not. Together with race, the caste system is the very basis of the American society: ´Caste is the bones, race is the skin´. Through caste power, resources, respect, authority and ´assumption of competence´ are reproduced on a daily basis. It creates social and political habits and the set the ground of further social and political stability. It combines elements pertaining to evolution and biological laws, but also to theology - the divine Will who designed the society and its members in certain ways - and professional choices. Its heritability enforces a system over and over again, particularly through a legal system which is race-based oriented.

Members of the lower caste - in this case the African-Americans - may end up behaving as they are expecting to: assuming the role assigned, avoiding conflict and delaying the moment when the system may be challenged. Actually, by keeping the members of this caste at a non-educated, uninformed, weak level. They are powerless because they were meant to be this way and even ended up assuming this status themselves.

Although I agree that the election of an African-American president was ´the greatest departure from the script of the American caste system´, only the election in itself did not change, Isabel Wilkerson fails to explain in detail the lack of a clear plan to empower the African-American community. The election of Trump was probably the counter-reaction of the caste system, but things would have been considerably smoothly with a different set of policies aimed to challenge the caste system. After all, Obama had eight full years to do it.

Caste is a fundamental book for understanding the historical and social basis of the caste system in America and its impact of other (non-white) communities, particularly the African-Americans.

BILD´s Lost Honour

 

BILD´s AXEL Springer whose yellow media tactics inspired in the 1970s Heinrich Böll to write a novel, The lost honour of Katharina Blum - turned into film as well - went at the beginning of this week through a turmoil, following an article published in the NYT disclosing the sexual misconduct and other misadventures of the then editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt. The stories surrounding the sex, drugs and money rolls in the Bild´s headquarters were well known for over a year, but the decision to suspend Reichelt was prompted by the latest disclosures in the English-speaking media. The fast answer prompted some bitter yet completely appropriate comments in the German-speaking social media saying that maybe in order for the local authorities to take decisions in sensitive cases - such as, the neo-Nazi networks among the Police and the military - international media should first report about it.

One day after Reichelt was put on leave, AXEL Springer put the dot on the acquisition of POLITICO, a major investment in the English (American) - speaking media. 

Bild´s modus operandi is well known long before Hamburg-born Reichelt - a former war correspondent in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon - whose both parents worked for Axel Springer was put in charge of the newspaper. The aggressive and sometimes misleading journalistic style, with a propension for disclosing personal information for purely sensationalist aims, was a main feature of the newspaper from the very beginning. This style that does not have anything to do with the journalistic ethics and the desire to inform the public was eventually translated to other media outlets the company purchased in Eastern Europe, promoting its brand of (non)journalism. 

In political terms, Bild - and Axel Springer in general - was a trouble maker with its own agenda. From sending balloons on the other (red) side of the Berlin Wall to its support for the state of Israel, and the open opposition to Putin they made many enemies. But when you are in such a sensitive constellation, being very careful with your internal ethics and the people representing you is more than an image move. It automatically connects with the values you assume to represent.

Mate Schönauer and Moritz Tschermak documented with journalistic attention to detail the emotional take on information that Bild started to play, particularly during Reichelt´s reign. Accusations of voyeurism and grotesque mishandling of data, use of personal information posted on Facebook for sensational aims. Selling emotions and feelings instead of information. While playing the game of sexual favors with the female employees, particularly young interns picked up based on their degree of ´fuckability´...(excuse my French, but journalists may be rough sometimes).

One of his many professional failures? Enjoying the power given by information. And I´ve seen it in the case of too many journalists that once being offered access to secrets of power they are dreaming of being power brokers, changing governments and eventually becoming part of a game that may end up in blackmail if the personal favors are not answered properly. In Bild´s case, the attitude regarding the state-imposed Corona restrictions are an example of an attempt of manipulation of the public opinion with serious health risks, both personal and at society level.

Some of the examples offered in the book, bringing the Bild very close to the AfD mainstream opinion, especially when it comes to immigration and the promotion of a very traditional image of Germany, but also the abusive and misleading public campaigns are nauseating and shameful. Reichelt´s dismisal will not change this line. Personally, I am very curious when and where the former editor-in-chief will reappear. And how long will it last until a new NYT article will warn about another German disgrace, everyone in Germany is well acquainted with.

´Inside Facebook´s Battle for Domination´

 

I often complain that there are so many non-fiction books, many of them dedicated to current phenomena, such as far right outburst and the wave of conspirationist theories. Many of them do have relevant information and share interesting details, probably less known to the wider public. However, what is unfortunately missing from many of those accounts is the courage of taking a stance, of reaching conclusions, of making clear statements. 

An Ugly Truth. Inside Facebook´s Battle for Domination by Sheera Frankel and Cecilia Kang, a NYT bestseller, is a poignant testimony about a project that outperformed even its most optimistic expectations. From a network aimed at connecting friends, it reached a country-like following and an equally impressive budget. The nation Facebook, which meanwhile added to its empire the very popular messenging system of WhatsApp and the predominantly photo app Instagram, has market dominance nowadays. 

Its dilemma, as outlined by the authors, both tech writers at NYT: connecting people while taking advantage of them. The costs of an expansion without limits are paid by the users whose information are often used for political purposes or for market researches without their will. Indeed, the users do have their dilemma too: of being out or in a popular social network, helping them to be in touch with relatives and friends while the network is abusing the information shared. 

From many respects, the Golem-esque Facebook redefined completely the social media landscape. If it haven´t existed someone should have need to invent it. Facebook redefined the way in which we connect, made possible a shift in terms of our relationship with the others as well as how we set up our story. However, it could not exist by itself, and the trade-oriented interests not only turned prevalent, but endangered values as democracy and freedom of speech.

Maybe Mark Zuckerberg was so naive to believe that by offering all the possible options on the table, people will rationally chose the best ones. Maybe he couldn´t care less. Maybe there is the millennial indifference of having it all without making any choice. Which is largely irresponsible and at least the episodes involving Facebook during Trump administrations were a counter-example strong enough to outline the dangers of this informational danger. ISIS recruitment projects and extreme right movements, alongside with charitable initiatives and cute cat photos. Hard to make a choice? Is it so hard to say ´no´ and simply ban those entities who should be out of public sight?

The book uses a lot of inside sources - to Sandberg and Zuckerberg´s horror - without getting lost into the sea of details and trivia. It follows a direction of research, therefore the information is organised along those lines. 

Indeed, truth can be ugly, but not openly declare it in its nakedness and uglyness is even uglier.

Book Review: Republic of Lies by Anna Merlan

 

Was Trump presidency the source of the recent wave of conspiracy theories? Or rather the high frequency of conspiracy theories was, in fact, a symptom of times of change and of deep societal fracture. Former Jezebel journalist, currently Motherboard (VICE) Anne Merlan spent hours talking with and in the company of conspirationists of all colours. 

Republic of Lies. American Conspiracy Theorists and Their Surprising Rise to Power is collecting and explaining the major obsessions of untruth, from UFO believers to Birthers and Pizzagate. They are politicians, simple people, opinion breakers and self investigators. There are even conspiracy entrepreneurs. Many of them anti-semitic, Holocaust deniers.

The advantage of having been directly in touch, as a participant to different meetings or through direct discussions with conspirationists´ of all colours, is that a wide range of issues and the complexity of the conspiracy theories as such is offered. The collection of data and the different takes on conspiracies is very useful for a full picture of the conspiracy landscape. It is a very useful selection, updated with the latest state support perpetrated through Trump´s latest presidency which gives a very clear perspective of the phenomenon, although mostly as seen in American - but with reverberations in other part of the world as well, where authoritarian phenomena are a political reality lately.  

However, despite the impressive accumulation of information, the critical approach is lacking. There is no stance - definitely, a journalist should not, but a book is more than a media report. But you have so many symptoms and there is no disease? No one asked for the medicine, anyway, but the disease is there and one should know what exactly is going on, at the big society level, in order to figure out how to preserve what is still left in a relatively healthiest state. 

Rating: 3 stars

Visiting Dictatorland(s)

 

Although it does not have an academic approach per se, Dictatorland. The Men who Stole Africa by award-winning journalist Paul Kenyon may offer to academic researchers a good basis for figuring out the stakes of the research.

As I am often more journalist than academic, I dare to say that good journalism always leads to outstanding academic research. However, even well written journalistic pieces of information are not enough for making it into a serious academic research. Mostly, because although journalism is supposed to use a variety of sources, it may lack the proper critical approach and tools. This is due to lack of time sometimes, but also because it is not that the mission of the journalist: to compare and analyse and refute. A journalist will just be sure that he/she checked all his/her sources properly and offers in the end a quality piece of information reflecting the variety of points of views and approaches. Instead, a good academic article has the voice of the academic represented, as its framework is represented by the critical apparatus and the choice of one or another theoretical approach.

Dictatorland is, from this perspective, rather a collection of direct interactions and personal accounts while touring various countries in Africa: Libya, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea among others. Mostly, there are countries recognized for their rich resources but curses with corrupt governments leaded by dictators with a taste of both cruelty and lack of any contempt for their people. They mostly use the generous resources for peacock themselves - sometimes, literally. As for now, there are many African countries who remain enslaved by their leaders. 

Part of this situation is due, as mentioned in several occasions in the book, to the colonial history, but also to the Cold War tribulations when US preferred to support some paws only because it was useful in the front against the expansion of the Soviet Union. Nowadays though, and those aspects are not so well portrayed in the book, there are many more interests at stake, China being only one of the many main actors involved in using and abusing local resources. 

Each and every one of the cases featured are explained in the smallest details, with many information regarding the cases of dissent as well as the international games at play. However, although there may be a pattern in various situations and taking overs, it is important to avoid making comparisons which risk erase the specificities of the cases. For instance, the comparisons with Middle East, particularly Iran and the Mossadegh case can be useful for having a full picture, but does not necessarily make sense for the logic of the comparisons in itself. 

Books like Dictatorland are reminders not only that there is so much we ignore to know about the African diversity, but also how much share the former colonial powers do have in the current state of dependency and corruption. The problem is that new colonialist, non-Western powers are ready to use this context and deepen further the crisis while stealing the reminder of the resources left.

Rating: 3 stars