cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/35638525
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- 1:02:53.500 - 1:03:00.381 Endcards/Credits
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Taibbi Defends Bari Weiss' CBS Deal: A Critical Analysis
This video analyzes Matt Taibbi's defense of Bari Weiss's deal with CBS, arguing that his stance is hypocritical and a "crime against journalism," particularly given Weiss's history and the context of the deal. The speakers express disappointment with Taibbi's recent work, especially his avoidance of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and dissect his arguments point by point.
Key Points:
- Disappointment with Taibbi's Recent Work: The speakers express disappointment with Matt Taibbi's recent journalistic choices, particularly his self-imposed rule not to cover Israel, rendering his reporting "useless" and "out of tune" with current events. They contrast this with the high regard they once held for his work, citing his book as a seminal text on media criticism.
- Taibbi's Defense of Weiss: The video focuses on Taibbi's defense of Bari Weiss's deal with CBS, where he criticizes those who complain about it as "jealous losers." The speakers argue this is a departure from his previous critiques of corporate media.
- Criticism of Weiss's Record: The speakers highlight Weiss's history of hypocrisy on free speech, alleging she supports it only when it aligns with anti-woke sentiments and has tried to suppress pro-Palestine speech. They also accuse her publication of being a platform for "atrocity denial."
- Taibbi's Refusal to Engage: It's mentioned that Taibbi declined an invitation to discuss the issue of Israel, underscoring his avoidance of the topic.
- Analysis of Taibbi's Arguments: The video dissects Taibbi's arguments, particularly his claim that Weiss's success with the Free Press justifies the CBS deal. They argue that the Free Press's viewership and engagement numbers are not impressive and that Taibbi is creating a false dichotomy between corporate media "ghouls" and Weiss as a "brilliant Randian entrepreneur."
- Financial Backing of The Free Press: The speakers reveal that The Free Press is backed by wealthy individuals, including hedge fund managers and oligarchs, who have a history of influencing media to push their agendas. They argue this makes Weiss's publication not meaningfully different from the corporate media Taibbi has criticized.
- The Core Issue: Israel and Zionism: The speakers emphasize that the central issue Taibbi avoids is the connection between the deal, the individuals involved, and the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. They argue that failing to address this context is a "grotesque crime against journalism."
- The Ellison-Paramount-CBS Connection: The video highlights that the second richest man on earth and number one private donor to the IDF is now, through a merger, taking over CBS and putting a "fanatical violent genocidal Zionist censor" in charge.
- Refaat Alareer Incident: The video details an incident where Bari Weiss publicly called out Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer for a joke he made about a debunked story involving babies and ovens. Alareer was later killed in Gaza, and some hold Weiss partially responsible.
Highlighted Information:
- Taibbi's self-imposed rule not to cover Israel is described as making his reporting "useless."
- Bari Weiss is accused of having a "decades-long record of being a total hypocrite on free speech."
- The Free Press is described as being backed by "a bunch of hedge fund managers and oligarchs."
- The acquisition of CBS by individuals with strong ties to the IDF and the appointment of Weiss is framed as a "grotesque crime against journalism" if the Israel-Palestine context is ignored.
- The video alleges that Barry Weiss "literally got a Palestinian poet killed."
About Channel:
the post-civilization left
Due Dissidence is a multimedia one-stop shop for left politics and gallows humor in written, audio, and video form.
Edit:
- Updated body, name corrected, Refaat Alareer
- Added name, Refaat Alareer, to edit