2 ms·

The industry that awards the Joseph Pulitzer Prize has absolutely no legs to stand on. Insane hypocrisy to think that the owner of a newspaper doesn't have the

by nimish 2y ago

The industry that awards the Joseph Pulitzer Prize has absolutely no legs to stand on. Insane hypocrisy to think that the owner of a newspaper doesn't have the right and obligation to set its editorial direction. Business is business. He can start his own newspaper if he wants to.

layer8 2y ago
This is explicitly not about the editorial direction, but about op-eds, which are opinion pieces outside the editorial line. Of course a newspaper has largely the right to publish whatever it likes, but this new policy just increases the filter bubble and intellectual isolation, regardless of the editorial line. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed
jfengel 2y ago
He absolutely has the right. It destroys the credibility of the paper, but he bought it so he can break it. Generally, newspaper publishers leave editorial decisions to editors, i.e. people who have decades of experience rather than zero experience. So while it's not his obligation, it's definitely his right. And the former editor has the right to not help him destroy what little remains of the newspaper industry.
etchalon 2y ago
I think you're confusing "has the right to" with "has the right to without criticism or consequence."
- nimish 2y ago
  I'm not. I'm saying that the critics are hypocrites.
guelo 2y ago
Bezos didn't start the Washington Post. He used his insane wealth to steal an established institution. Same with Elon and Twitter. It is the unchecked power of insane wealth that is tearing this country apart.
- immibis 2y ago
  [flagged]
afavour 2y ago
Of course the owner has that right. Hell, Bezos has the right to fire all the editorial staff and fill the newspaper with AI selected Amazon product reviews if he wants. What you seem to be objecting to is any kind of reaction to Bezos using that right. Of course people have feelings about his choice, of course they have a right to air them and to judge Bezos by his actions.
insane_dreamer 2y ago
Bezos has the right to do so. We have the right to criticize him for doing so and for pointing out the damaging effects on a free press.

by nimish 2y ago

layer8 2y ago

This is explicitly not about the editorial direction, but about op-eds, which are opinion pieces outside the editorial line. Of course a newspaper has largely the right to publish whatever it likes, but this new policy just increases the filter bubble and intellectual isolation, regardless of the editorial line. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed

jfengel 2y ago

He absolutely has the right. It destroys the credibility of the paper, but he bought it so he can break it. Generally, newspaper publishers leave editorial decisions to editors, i.e. people who have decades of experience rather than zero experience. So while it's not his obligation, it's definitely his right. And the former editor has the right to not help him destroy what little remains of the newspaper industry.

etchalon 2y ago

I think you're confusing "has the right to" with "has the right to without criticism or consequence."

nimish 2y ago
I'm not. I'm saying that the critics are hypocrites.

guelo 2y ago

Bezos didn't start the Washington Post. He used his insane wealth to steal an established institution. Same with Elon and Twitter. It is the unchecked power of insane wealth that is tearing this country apart.

immibis 2y ago
[flagged]

afavour 2y ago

Of course the owner has that right. Hell, Bezos has the right to fire all the editorial staff and fill the newspaper with AI selected Amazon product reviews if he wants. What you seem to be objecting to is any kind of reaction to Bezos using that right. Of course people have feelings about his choice, of course they have a right to air them and to judge Bezos by his actions.

insane_dreamer 2y ago

Bezos has the right to do so. We have the right to criticize him for doing so and for pointing out the damaging effects on a free press.