Thread by @ProudIdealist

Remember the 2019 Kentucky Derby? In the heat of excitement, media called the race for Maximum Security, deemed pre-race favorite…but disputes were submitted to the judges, who disqualified him & Country House is the horse that holds the 2019 title & wears the garland of roses.

https://twitter.com/MZHemingway/status/1327632823080120326

Media can “call” races all they want. It’s officials and judges who decide them. @realdonaldtrump and team are raising disputes in a public forum, yet media (mass & social) persist in circular confirmation to promote the narrative that #CoupPuppet Biden is the undisputed winner.

It’s a deliberate strategy typical of yellow journalism. But circular confirmations in journalism have existed in the US since at least the 1830s.

Basis for the claim rests in “tradition” in existence since 1848, that of Associated Press calling elections. Many traditions make no sense over time, so let’s look at the history. Digging thru newspaper ownership is like unraveling an elaborate shell game.

I’ll focus on key points that stood out to me.
Hist timeline notes: Lincoln/Amer Civil War 1861-1865, Rothschild US envoy for family interests August Belmont is head of DNC 1860-1872 & begins buying New York World (founded 1860) in 1862 to shape it into a Dem party newspaper.

The Associated Press (AP) was 1892 successor org to the NYAP, such started in 1846 by a consortium of newspapers looking to create cost efficiencies after costly reporting of Mexican -American War. In mid-1800s, newspaper business was growing w printing advances and advertising.

And the"penny press made news avail to masses and papers competed by sensationalizing news. In 1892 after a price fixing and monopoly dispute with Western AP, NYAP closed and WAP rebranded as The AP in NY. AP and other syndicates operate as nonprofits, so AP doesn't pay taxes...

...on the fees of 1300 member newspapers and broadcasters. AP 1st intl bureau in 1849 was Halifax, NS for shipping (incid where Titanic passengers were brought & where SwissAir 111 crashed).
Of the 5 papers initially in the consortium at least 2 focused on maritime shipping news.

(Transoceanic shipping became relevant after 1815 w steamships; btwn 1810-1860 3.5mi slaves were transported in Atlantic slave trade.)
Fast forward to 1890s, the Gilded Age of gross materialism and blatant political corruption...

News was being run less by inventors and more by wealthy media moguls, w growing power to reporting and also fabricating & twisting news to increase sales. Term "yellow journalism" started thru Hearst and Pulitzer and their manipulation of stories leading to Spanish-American War.

While Pulitzer is known more for his eponymous prize and Journo schools, he was an abrasive SOB who combined reporting w publicity stunts, self promotion, and sensationalism.
Which goes to show how media can repackage a negative image into a positive one. And vice versa.

Pulitzer bought NY World (recall Belmont ownership stakes) in 1883 massively increasing readership by entertaining w comics, sports, fashion, and illustrations, as well as informing.

In 1895 Hearst bought his 1st NY paper, NY Morning Journal from Joseph Pulitzer brother Albert via an intermediary sale to John McLean after whom McLean VA (ClA HQ) is named. More on Hearst and Pulitzer in this thread:

https://twitter.com/ProudIdealist/status/1326320557554536448?s=19

Gannett entered the business in 1906, w HQ in McLean VA.
Hearst died in 1951, w Hearst holdings controlled by a secret trust (Steven Swartz current Chair). Pulitzer had died in 1911, en route to his summer home at Jekyll island Club.

Pulitzer Inc was bought by Lee Enterprises of Davenport IA in 2005. Alfred W Lee started newspaper acquisitions in 1890 w purchase of Ottumwa Daily Courier in Muscatiine (which coincidentally XiCCP visited in 2005 and 2012), 1/2 hr from Davenport. More:

https://twitter.com/ProudIdealist/status/1313645783141494785?s=19

Lee Ent is publicly traded w instit investors as primary owners.
I ref'ed McLean a couple times but there are more name incidences: Washington Post started by Washington McLean, w John McLean then Edward McLean taking over. Macleans is a Canadian news service founded in 1905.

McLean is also a major name in land and sea shipping, with Malcom McLean initiating container cargo shipping in 1953.
Misc addl ClA media connex: Wm Casey (Reagan ClA head/Iran contra) ownership of CapCities which bought ABC in 1985 and was susequently acq by Disney in 1996.

In short, there are troubling connex between media and parties who have personal or political rather than public good in mind. Despite promoting itself as unbiased I expect The AP is the lipstick on the pig of smoke-filled backroom deals. Selections rather than elections.

I think it likely started as legitimate in 1846, but after Civil War was taken over by groups whose allegiance is family $ interests for whom Lincoln was a lesson never to repeat.
The AP...TAP...I wonder if @realDonaldTrump taps railings to troll?

Smoke filled back rooms...

Please unroll this thread (tho likely replete with regrettable typos) @threadreaderapp

Putting more together on AP, media(Pulitzer), Xi, Dem party, and a little city in Iowa.

https://twitter.com/ProudIdealist/status/1327924082898333700?s=19