Thursday, December 15, 2022

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle assail UK tabloid culture, news orgs ask judge for access to Donald Trump-related documents, The NYT goes inside Russia's propaganda machine, WaPo's Guild sees a boon, Meta warns of rise of AI-generated profile photos, and back to Pandora we go. But first, the A1.

THE A1

Musk Censors the Press

CNN Photo Illustration/Patrick Pleul/Pool/Reuters

Elon Musk is no free speech warrior.

The thin-skinned new Twitter owner on Thursday banned the accounts of several high-profile journalists from the nation's top news organizations, including: CNN's Donie O'Sullivan; The New York Times' Ryan Mac; and The Washington Post's Drew Harwell. Progressive journalist Aaron Rupar and pundit Keith Olbermann were also banned, as were others.

Musk did not return my email seeking comment. But he appeared to claim that the sanctioned accounts had violated his new "doxxing" policy and shared what he said amounted to "assassination coordinates" on him, even though none of the journalists had, of course, done such a thing. O'Sullivan, Mac, and Harwell had reported recently on the banning of @ElonJet, the account that posted real-time updates on the whereabouts of Musk's private jet. But that's far different than actually doxxing him. And Rupar told me he had not posted "anything @ElonJet related."

What the journalists all did have in common was their tenacity to report aggressively on the billionaire or criticize him in commentary — and to do so on Twitter. It's without question that these bans will serve to chill free speech, not only for those who report on Twitter, but also for those who report on Musk's other companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX.

The bans also raise a number of serious questions about the future of the free press on Twitter, a platform that has been referred to as a digital town square. Will news and media organizations remain on the platform, while Musk hastily bans their reporters without explanation? Will they pull their reporters? Their content? And what will major advertisers such as Apple and Amazon do?

As Nate Silver wrote, "News organizations like the NYT already had mixed feelings about their reporters using Twitter and if you can now be suspended from Twitter for doing fairly straightforward reporting, you have to wonder if that's the tipping point."

CNN said in a statement that its future on Twitter is up in the air. "The impulsive and unjustified suspension of a number of reporters, including CNN's Donie O'Sullivan, is concerning but not surprising," a spokesperson said. "Twitter's increasing instability and volatility should be of incredible concern for everyone who uses Twitter. We have asked Twitter for an explanation, and we will reevaluate our relationship based on that response."

The Times said in a separate statement of its own, "Tonight's suspension of the Twitter accounts of a number of prominent journalists, including The New York Times's Ryan Mac, is questionable and unfortunate. Neither The Times nor Ryan have received any explanation about why this occurred. We hope that all of the journalists' accounts are reinstated and that Twitter provides a satisfying explanation for this action."

And The Post's Executive Editor, Sally Buzbee, said: "The suspension of Drew Harwell's Twitter account directly undermines Elon Musk's claim that he intends to run Twitter as a platform dedicated to free speech. Harwell was banished from Twitter without warning, process or explanation, following the publication of his accurate reporting about Musk. Our journalist should be reinstated immediately."

The bans also shows Musk's failure to come even close to his claimed commitment to free speech. Musk has touted that he is a free speech maximalist and repeatedly said he would like to permit all legal speech. "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means," Musk once tweeted.

Those words ring very empty today. As Harwell told me, "Elon says he is a free speech champion and he is banning journalists for exercising free speech. I think that calls into question his commitment."

It will be interesting — and telling — to see whether some of Musk's supporters in right-wing media, who have cheered him on for his pro-free speech rhetoric, speak out against these bans.

After all, isn't Musk the censorship villain now?

——— BELOW THE FOLD ———

CNN Photo Illustration/Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Royal Ruckus: "Darling boy, you can't take on the media, the media will always be the media." That is what Prince Harry recalled his father, King Charles, once told him about the UK press. It is advice that Harry said he "fundamentally" disagreed with and which he has evidently chosen to ignore. In the much-anticipated second installment of the Netflix docuseries about Harry and Meghan Markle, which was released overnight, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched an extraordinary, open assault on the UK tabloid industry — a crescendo to the couple's multiyear war on the British press.

Harry and Meghan portray a depraved industry that showed no regard for the truth and was used as a vehicle for Buckingham Palace to launch ugly attacks on them, including those with racist undertones. "We are seeing an entire press culture being called out by Harry and Meghan," Carolyn Harris, a Royal historian and author, told me by phone Thursday. Harris noted that over the years there have been "individual moments" where members of the royal family have objected to the press, but said, "This stands out."

The docuseries has again surfaced to the public conversation the harm that can be inflicted on individuals from aggressive tabloid-style coverage and a relentless paparazzi following one's every move. Meghan reiterated in the docuseries that the constant cascade of negative coverage took a toll on her emotional health and fueled thoughts of self-harm. "I thought if I wasn't around anymore, this all stops," Meghan said.

In the new episodes, Meghan said that the headlines splashed across the UK tabloids initially did not bother her. "I had still been under the delusion that if it was in a tabloid no one believed it," Meghan said. "And then we had a walkabout in Liverpool, there was a group of women, and one of them said to me, 'What you're doing to your father is not right.' It was the first time that I went, 'Oh my God, people actually believe this stuff.' And then my entire center was rocked to its core."

By spotlighting such moments, the docuseries is forcing the public to confront the negative consequences of the tabloid press in a manner we have rarely seen. It is also forcing people to grapple with their own culpability, given that the public is a key component in the sickness they are diagnosing. Whether or not the series translates into any actual change remains to be seen. Harris, the royal historian I spoke to, noted that this isn't the first time such issues have been raised: "Certainly when Princess Diana died there was a wider discussion about the behavior of the paparazzi and supermarket tabloids."

To that point, there's been no indication of a mea culpa from the British press in light of the Netflix docuseries. And Buckingham Palace has — notably — remained silent when asked to comment on the series.

THE BUSINESS

CNN Photo Illustration/Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Media Coalition: "Sixteen media organizations — including CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS News, NBC News, and ABC News — have asked a federal judge to make public documents related to the Justice Department's recent attempts to enforce a subpoena for national security records still in Donald Trump's possession. The long-running stand-off between DOJ and Trump bubbled into a court hearing last Friday, where DOJ had asked to hold Trump in contempt. The judge, Chief Judge Beryl Howell of the DC District Court, declined to do so. The press coalition argues that the court, DOJ and Trump himself have all publicly acknowledged the May grand jury subpoena the DOJ was still trying to enforce, making it possible for more recent records to be public as well." — From CNN's Katelyn Polantz.

🔎 Zooming in: "It is ... beyond dispute that the public has a powerful interest in understanding the Government's rationale for making such an exceptional request, the former President's arguments in opposition, and the Court's process in adjudicating this weighty issue. Indeed, the matters occurring before this Court go to the very heart of the rule of law in our democracy," the media coalition's lawyers, from the law firm Ballard Spahr, wrote on Thursday.

First in Reliable | The Guild's Growth: The Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan's startling announcement of layoffs this week has backfired by galvanizing the newspaper's Guild. Thursday evening's bargaining session saw one of the highest rates of attendance since the two sides started negotiating. "More than 150 people signed on to observe today's bargaining session and seek answers to questions Fred Ryan refused to answer at Wednesday's town hall," Sarah Kaplin, chief steward of the Guild, told me in a statement. "I think the surge in Guild engagement is a testament to his lack of leadership and staff member's increasing recognition that collective action is our best way to hold him accountable. Contrary to what Fred might think, this newspaper doesn't exist without us." A spokesperson for The Post didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday evening.

First in Reliable | See You in 2023: Don't expect a deal to be stuck between The New York Times and the NewsGuild until next year. The last scheduled negotiating session between the two sides occurred earlier this week and — no shocker here — it did not move the needle. "No more full bargaining sessions are on the books this year," the NewsGuild informed its members after the session. We'll see whether the two sides can have better luck in 2023.

IN THE INDUSTRY

Netflix shares ended the day down about 9% after a Digiday report suggested weak ad demand. (THR)
Kara Swisher says she has successfully had an operation on her heart. "Hole in heart — larger than they thought — sealed tight and going home today. Science & medicine rocks." (Twitter)
Ana Cabrera has confirmed that she is departing CNN: "After nearly a decade at CNN, I'm making the personal decision to explore a new professional chapter." (Variety)
Jake Tapper's daughter, Alice, writes about how she "almost died last year from a medical problem that was entirely preventable." (CNN)
Podcast company Audio Up has raised $10 million more. (Variety)

MEDIA MOVES

The NYT announced on Thursday that Cliff Levy will become deputy publisher of Wirecutter and The Athletic.
The Obama's High Ground has hired Spotify exec Corinne Gilliard as its SVP of documentaries. (THR)

THE INFO WARS

CNN Photo Illustration/Jason Koerner/Getty Images

Inside Russia's Propaganda Machine: "Be sure to take Tucker." That is what one Russian news producer emailed a colleague, according to leaked documents published Thursday by The NYT's Paul Mozur, Adam Satariano, and Aaron Krolik. Relying on the leaked emails, the report provided a "rare glimpse into a propaganda machine that is perhaps Russia's greatest wartime success." And they showed how to spin up a narrative, "producers at the state media company cherry-picked from conservative Western media outlets like Fox News and the Daily Caller, as well as obscure social media accounts on Telegram and YouTube."

🔎 Zooming in: "Even as the country faces battlefield losses, mounting casualties, economic isolation and international condemnation, state-run television channels have spun a version of the war in which Russia is winning, Ukraine is in shambles and Western alliances are fraying," The NYT's trio of reporters wrote.

IN THE BATTLEFIELD

Speaking of Tucker Carlson: Philip Bump writes about how the Fox News host pushes "conspiracy theories wrapped in conspiracy theories" to his audience. (WaPo)
Matt Gertz writes about Ron DeSantis and "the triumph of the anti-vax right." (MMFA)
On "War Room," host Steve Bannon laced into Trump's NFT announcement, saying the staffers involved "oughta be fired." (Mediaite)

THE VALLEY

CNN Photo Illustration/Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images

Meta's Findings: Meta on Thursday published its annual threat report, which "provides insights into the growing threat posed by the global surveillance-for-hire industry which indiscriminately targets people — including journalists, activists and political opposition — to collect intelligence, manipulate and compromise their devices and accounts across the internet." The company said 2022 "marked a major milestone" in its "enforcement against covert influence operations," having now disrupted more than 200 cover influence operations. Details from Meta here.

► Also of note: Meta reported seeing a "rapid rise" in the number of "networks that used profile photos generated using artificial intelligence."

TOO MANY TABS

The FTC has written Twitter and asked the company how it will comply with its consent decree. (Bloomberg)
A federal judge has ruled Twitter must notify its laid off workers about a pending class action lawsuit. (Reuters)
What will happen to the bill that would ban TikTok on all federal government devices? It faces an "uncertain future," John McKinnon and Dustin Volz note. (WSJ)
Is using ChatGPT better than a Google search? Sofia Pitt swapped services for a day and found the AI bot was better on some fronts. (CNBC)
Hacked on Instagram? The platform has launched a handy new tool to help people regain access to their accounts. (The Verge)

CURTAIN CALL

CNN Photo Illustration/20th Century Studios

Back to Pandora: It's time. "Avatar: The Way of Water" is set to storm theaters across the country in just hours, with hopes that it will jolt the box office as the year comes to the end. So far, Disney has indicated the signs are good, saying that ticket sales have outpaced "Top Gun: Maverick." And it has already collected $15.8 million in 15 overseas markets. We'll, see how much staying power the movie has. Variety's Rebecca Rubin has more.

► Of note: "The Way of Water" is slowly slipping on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie now currently sits at 80%, down from earlier in the week and only 1% away from falling out of the 80s all together.

OFF STAGE

Trevor Noah will return to host the Grammys. (LAT)
Jane Fonda says her cancer is in remission: "I am feeling so blessed, so fortunate." (Deadline)
Showtime has renewed "Yellowjackets" for a third season, ahead of the mystery show's season two premiere. (TV Line)
HBO has renewed "Sort of" for a season three. (Deadline)
Apple TV+ is expanding the "Mythic Quest" universe with a new spinoff series called "Mere Mortals." (The Verge)
Sorry "The Witcher" fans! Even though he has exited the DC Universe, Henry Cavill is not going to return to the show. (Variety)

Thank you for reading! This newsletter was edited by Jon Passantino. Have feedback? Send us an email here. We will be back in your inbox next week.