Komunitas
news.abolish.capital
Journalist Scott Pelley speaks onstage at the International Rescue Committee’s annual Freedom Award benefit on Nov. 7, 2012, in New York City. Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for IRC The battle over “60 Minutes” can teach us a lot about how someone like CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss can wreak havoc on our media ecosystem. What has gotten a lot less attention, however, is the way the fight shows us how ill-equipped our media institutions already were when it comes to covering the Trump administration and MAGA-era politics. The strife at the famous magazine television news program reached a fever pitch last week, when, during a staff meeting, longtime correspondent Scott Pelley unloaded on Nick Bilton, Weiss’s pick to run the show. Pelley was fired and took to the media to defend himself. In a long interview with the New York Times over the weekend, Pelley talked about how Weiss had injected herself into the show’s editorial process. The most revealing part of the discussion centered on Pelley’s own “60 Minutes” coverage of President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement officers into Minneapolis, the uprising against the invasion, and the subsequent crackdown that led to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents. Weiss’s role in the story was clearly toxic, but Pelley’s description of his own editorial process before Weiss got involved should also raise eyebrows. “I felt it was very important to identify that the protesters themselves were being very aggressive.” “I felt it was very important to identify that the protesters themselves were being very aggressive and that they were half of these confrontations, and so I instructed my producers to find images in which we see the protesters acting aggressively,” Pelley said. “I thought we’d done a really good job with this.” Pelley said they found evidence of protesters chest-bumping officers and hitting them with snowballs. The Minnesotans screamed at federal agents, Pelley said, and Pretti himself could be seen in one picture kicking out a police car taillight. Striving for “Balance” It’s a striking passage because it shows a revered journalist searching for a balanced narrative where there simply wasn’t one. If, after scouring hours and hours video to find evidence of “aggressive” protesters, all you can find is a chest bump and a thrown snowball, perhaps that’s a sign that your narrative that both sides were aggressive isn’t all that accurate. [ Related Amy Goodman on the Media’s “Access of Evil”](https://theintercept.com/2026/04/14/amy-goodman-democracy-now-independent-media/) The truth is that the Minneapolis protesters were remarkably restrained in the face of egregious state violence and brutality. Yes, they were angry, loud, persistent, and rude. Demonstrators yelled insults at officers, blew whistles, and recorded with their cellphones. Yet that is all First Amendment-protected activity, no matter how many times Stephen Miller or Kristi Noem try to call it “terrorism.” There’s a reason why the criminal charges against protesters have rarely held up in court: There was never any merit to them. Over and over, when it came time to present actual evidence, the government backed down, was reprimanded by a judge, or was rejected by a grand jury. Likewise, Pretti’s confrontation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement days before he was killed has nothing to do with whether immigration officers were justified in killing him. Videos of the killing show that Pretti did nothing to justify being confronted, beaten, and shot 10 times. Pelley’s remarks, by themselves, offer a lesson in the pitfalls of striving for “balance” under an administration that lies by default, lies when it doesn’t need to, and lies as a demonstration of its power. Enter Weiss Weiss, her billionaire Paramount bosses David and Larry Ellison, and the other tech billionaires who fund her publication the Free Press are all of the belief that the legacy media is overwhelmingly left of center. They’re correct in a very broad sense. Generally, journalists who work for legacy outlets have personal politics that skew liberal, but it’s more complicated than that. Legacy media journalists also tend to be institutionalists and deferential to authority. That can make them defensive of power and often skeptical of those who challenge it. Even the most revered journalistic institutions aren’t equipped to sort through the firehose of lies and propaganda pouring out of Trump’s far-right movement. As Pelley’s Minneapolis story shows, these journalists also want to be seen as fair, which can drive them to seek balance even when there is no credible “other side.” Contrary to Weiss and the MAGA world’s claims that legacy media is hopelessly blinkered, the more urgent problem right now is that even the most revered journalistic institutions aren’t equipped to sort through the firehose of lies and propaganda pouring out of Trump’s far-right movement. [ Related Bari Weiss Is Doing Exactly What She Was Installed at CBS to Do](https://theintercept.com/2025/12/22/bari-weiss-cbs-60-minutes/) Weiss’s role at both the Free Press and now at CBS News has been to make that task even more even more difficult. Her editorial feedback for Pelley, for instance, only served to muddy the waters. “About four hours after our deadline,” Pelley told the New York Times, “Bari Weiss sends an email to my boss, Tanya Simon. Two of the things in the email include — can we make the protesters look more violent? Now, I’m paraphrasing. I don’t have the quote, but that’s what was communicated to me. And the other thing: Renee Good’s car. You need to describe her as driving toward the officer.” Weiss’s editorial advice to Pelley wasn’t about clearer or fairer or more contextual journalism. She was asking for propaganda. Weiss’s editorial advice to Pelley wasn’t about clearer or fairer journalism. She was asking for propaganda. If Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer who shot Good, reasonably feared for his life, he was legally justified in killing Good. And if Good was driving toward him, that bolsters his claim to have reasonably feared for his life. The problem is that there’s no evidence that she was. In fact, CBS News did its own analysis of the video footage, which clearly demonstrated that Good’s wheels were pointed away from Ross — as did several other outlets. As television producer Tim Carvell pointed out, however, CBS’s analysis never aired on the network; it was relegated to YouTube. Weiss’s alleged directive also glosses over how Ross and his fellow agents also created the very volatility they claimed justified his use of lethal force. And it ignores how the agents violated multiple Department of Homeland Security policies during the encounter — for example, by putting themselves in front of Good’s car, and by rushing toward her door. At the time of Good’s death, the administration and its supporters had also been pushing a much more destructive and conspiratorial narrative: that a cabal of far-left donors had been training protesters and ICE watchers to weaponize their cars against immigration officers. Not only was there zero evidence for this, it provided cover for what the agents themselves were doing. Video and witness accounts repeatedly showed agents ramming and boxing people in with their vehicles, then falsely claiming they were the victims who had been rammed. Slandering Good just reinforced the narrative. If Weiss had really wanted to provide relevant context for Good’s death, there were plenty of places to look. Perhaps Good feared for her safety because immigration officers surging into liberal cities were pulling people out of their cars and beating them. Or maybe it was relevant that Border Patrol officers have a long history of improperly placing themselves in front of moving vehicles, then using that as justification to fire at those vehicles. Weiss didn’t demand any of that. For her, balance and nuance meant telling Pelley to make his story more palatable to MAGA. Crisis of Disinformation We now live in an era in which one of the two major parties has given itself over to wild conspiracy theorists, white nationalists, and the whims and biases of a disturbed billionaire. [ Related Another Assassination Attempt, More Fertilizer for Conspiracy Theories](https://theintercept.com/2026/05/01/white-house-correspondents-dinner-conspiracy-theories/) The mere fact that Trump leads that party means the airwaves are already polluted with nonsense like whether windmills cause cancer, whether immigrants are eating neighborhood pets, and whether developing countries are “emptying their insane asylums” into the U.S. The fact that half the Congress, about 40 percent of the public, and the entire executive branch now subscribe to anti-vaccine bullshit, election denialism, and “great replacement theory” doesn’t make any of those claims legitimate. So long as a good portion of the country is in the throes of MAGA, however, there will be ongoing pressure to platform even the looniest claims out of a sense of fairness and representation. Weiss isn’t the cause of all of this, but she is an accelerant. Pelley told the New York Times that he refused to make Weiss’s changes, and that his piece aired without them. That may be encouraging, except that not everyone has the institutional stature of Scott Pelley to insulate themselves from reprisals — not even Scott Pelley, it turns out. [ Related Kash Patel Is Using MAGA’s Favorite Tool to Muzzle the Free Press](https://theintercept.com/2026/04/23/kash-patel-atlantic-lawsuit/) The request itself, however, testifies to a disinformation crisis that’s only going to get worse, particularly as Weiss starts replacing departed staff with her own people and Trump keeps leaning on media outlets. Another way it could get worse is if media honchos like those who own CBS keep gaining clout. Weiss’s own bosses, for example, have now set their sights on CNN — with Weiss reportedly expected to lead editorial at both news operations. The post Scott Pelley Shows How Legacy Media Got It Wrong — Before Bari Weiss Made It Worse appeared first on The Intercept. From The Intercept via This RSS Feed.
Komunitas
news.abolish.capital
The year was 1930 and in Montevideo, Uruguay, the rain showed no signs of abating. Then, in an instant, the dreariness waned when young Frenchman Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in World Cup history . It was the start of a tournament, a ritual, and a sporting mania spanning continents and oceans. When Mexico and South Africa walk out at the Azteca Stadium today, they won’t simply be kicking off another World Cup. Instead, they will be writing the latest chapter in a 100-year-old story. Since the opening France–Mexico match at the inaugural 1930 World Cup, audiences have learned that in those 90 minutes, part of the magic is that anything can happen. Across the 22 opening matches played in World Cup history, 60 goals have been scored. This is an average of 2.7 goals per match. Often, these games feature attacking moments and palpable pressure. It’s clear the world cup always brings anticipation and drama. Opening the tournament For decades, the privilege of opening the tournament went to the defending champions. Argentina stepped onto the pitch first in 1982, Germany in 1994, Brazil in 1998, and France in 2002. But in 2006, FIFA changed the rules — from then on, the host nation would take centre stage. Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, Qatar, and now Mexico have carried the torch, welcoming the world to the first match. Upsets and iconic moments Opening matches have often defied expectations. In 1990, reigning champions Argentina were stunned 1–0 by Cameroon. Twelve years later, France, fresh off their 1998 triumph, fell 1–0 to Senegal in the first game of 2002. Even hosts have stumbled. In 2022, World Cup Host Qatar became the first host nation to lose an opening match. They fell 2–0 to Ecuador. Some matches, like South Africa’s 1–1 draw with Mexico in 2010, remain memorable for sheer energy and hope rather than shock. In the world cup, every opener has its surprises. Goals that last Lucien Laurent’s strike in 1930 may have been the first, but it set the tone. Decades later, in 2010, Siphiwe Tshabalala’s thunderous goal against Mexico became one of the most iconic opening goals in World Cup history, a reminder that the tournament’s first moments echo far beyond the scoreline. Azteca Stadium makes history Today, the Azteca Stadium becomes the first venue to host a World Cup opener for a third time, having done so in 1970 and 1986. And as Mexico and South Africa prepare to take the field, the pattern feels familiar: new players, new teams, new stories—but the same truth remains. The first whistle always carries promise, and the opening match always has the power to shape a tournament. The stadium’s connection to world cup tradition is truly remarkable. From Uruguay to Mexico, across 96 years of history, World Cup openers have never been simple introductions. They are statements—sometimes shocking, sometimes symbolic, always unforgettable. Indeed, the world cup has become woven into the fabric of sports worldwide. Featured image via Hulton Archive / Getty Images By Alaa Shamali From Canary via This RSS Feed.
Komunitas
lemmy.sdf.org
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/54504338 Archived In our human rights work on China’s black jails, it has been extremely difficult to obtain photos or video of the facilities. These are secret places. No phones, no lawyer, no journalists, no family are allowed inside. Even the locations are kept hidden—typically a bag is placed over a prisoner’s head when they are moved in or out. So far, we have relied on first person testimony to understand what these black jails are like. But then we searched Douyin, China’s Tiktok (both developed by Beijing-based ByteDance) and we found something very surprising. B2B companies that make equipment for China’s security services are advertising their suicide-proofed apparatus on the platform. For the first time, we can see up close what a brand-new Liuzhi cell probably looks like. We searched for the terms “留置” (Liuzhi, one of CCP’s two types of secret jail) and words related to suicide-proofing, such as”软包墙面” (ruanbao qiangmian, padded walls). What we saw was just as horrifying as we’ve been told. Welcome to the insane asylum We found videos by three companies on Douyin showcasing their suicide-padded furniture and fittings, such as tables, chairs and walls, marketed specifically for Liuzhi. The images produce an unsettling sense of being in an insane asylum. The scripts are chilling; they seem to take delight in point out the capacity for torture their products offer. And, ironically, they do a much better job of describing Liuzhi than we ever could. The basic facts of inhumane treatment we have heard about are confirmed in the videos: the isolation, the 24-hour surveillance by two guards, the always on lights, and, the need to ask for permission for everything, even the slightest movement. The videos’ voiceovers describe how: Liuzhi cells are “heavy with the suffocating air of confinement,” the prisoner feels “forgotten by the world” Their padded furniture and walls prevent “accidental injuries during interrogation sessions,” hinting at physical torture Prisoners’ screams are simply swallowed up by the room One video boasts: “Not many people can survive a place like this without losing it.” […] What black jails does China run? In recent years, China has legalized two black jail systems: (1) Liuzhi or retention in custody, which is focused on CCP members and state workers, and (2) Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL) for everyone else (many human rights activists and rights lawyers are locked up here). Prisoners are kept for months or more, in complete isolation, subjected to extended interrogations and watched 24-hours by two guards. Any windows are blacked out. It’s constant, unending strip lighting. The psychological torture these conditions produce drive some to try to kill themselves. The authorities know this—it’s intentional to coerce a confession—so they suicide-proof the cells. […]
Komunitas
lemmy.sdf.org
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/54504338 Archived In our human rights work on China’s black jails, it has been extremely difficult to obtain photos or video of the facilities. These are secret places. No phones, no lawyer, no journalists, no family are allowed inside. Even the locations are kept hidden—typically a bag is placed over a prisoner’s head when they are moved in or out. So far, we have relied on first person testimony to understand what these black jails are like. But then we searched Douyin, China’s Tiktok (both developed by Beijing-based ByteDance) and we found something very surprising. B2B companies that make equipment for China’s security services are advertising their suicide-proofed apparatus on the platform. For the first time, we can see up close what a brand-new Liuzhi cell probably looks like. We searched for the terms “留置” (Liuzhi, one of CCP’s two types of secret jail) and words related to suicide-proofing, such as”软包墙面” (ruanbao qiangmian, padded walls). What we saw was just as horrifying as we’ve been told. Welcome to the insane asylum We found videos by three companies on Douyin showcasing their suicide-padded furniture and fittings, such as tables, chairs and walls, marketed specifically for Liuzhi. The images produce an unsettling sense of being in an insane asylum. The scripts are chilling; they seem to take delight in point out the capacity for torture their products offer. And, ironically, they do a much better job of describing Liuzhi than we ever could. The basic facts of inhumane treatment we have heard about are confirmed in the videos: the isolation, the 24-hour surveillance by two guards, the always on lights, and, the need to ask for permission for everything, even the slightest movement. The videos’ voiceovers describe how: Liuzhi cells are “heavy with the suffocating air of confinement,” the prisoner feels “forgotten by the world” Their padded furniture and walls prevent “accidental injuries during interrogation sessions,” hinting at physical torture Prisoners’ screams are simply swallowed up by the room One video boasts: “Not many people can survive a place like this without losing it.” […] What black jails does China run? In recent years, China has legalized two black jail systems: (1) Liuzhi or retention in custody, which is focused on CCP members and state workers, and (2) Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL) for everyone else (many human rights activists and rights lawyers are locked up here). Prisoners are kept for months or more, in complete isolation, subjected to extended interrogations and watched 24-hours by two guards. Any windows are blacked out. It’s constant, unending strip lighting. The psychological torture these conditions produce drive some to try to kill themselves. The authorities know this—it’s intentional to coerce a confession—so they suicide-proof the cells. […]
Komunitas
lemmy.sdf.org
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/54504338 Archived In our human rights work on China’s black jails, it has been extremely difficult to obtain photos or video of the facilities. These are secret places. No phones, no lawyer, no journalists, no family are allowed inside. Even the locations are kept hidden—typically a bag is placed over a prisoner’s head when they are moved in or out. So far, we have relied on first person testimony to understand what these black jails are like. But then we searched Douyin, China’s Tiktok (both developed by Beijing-based ByteDance) and we found something very surprising. B2B companies that make equipment for China’s security services are advertising their suicide-proofed apparatus on the platform. For the first time, we can see up close what a brand-new Liuzhi cell probably looks like. We searched for the terms “留置” (Liuzhi, one of CCP’s two types of secret jail) and words related to suicide-proofing, such as”软包墙面” (ruanbao qiangmian, padded walls). What we saw was just as horrifying as we’ve been told. Welcome to the insane asylum We found videos by three companies on Douyin showcasing their suicide-padded furniture and fittings, such as tables, chairs and walls, marketed specifically for Liuzhi. The images produce an unsettling sense of being in an insane asylum. The scripts are chilling; they seem to take delight in point out the capacity for torture their products offer. And, ironically, they do a much better job of describing Liuzhi than we ever could. The basic facts of inhumane treatment we have heard about are confirmed in the videos: the isolation, the 24-hour surveillance by two guards, the always on lights, and, the need to ask for permission for everything, even the slightest movement. The videos’ voiceovers describe how: Liuzhi cells are “heavy with the suffocating air of confinement,” the prisoner feels “forgotten by the world” Their padded furniture and walls prevent “accidental injuries during interrogation sessions,” hinting at physical torture Prisoners’ screams are simply swallowed up by the room One video boasts: “Not many people can survive a place like this without losing it.” […] What black jails does China run? In recent years, China has legalized two black jail systems: (1) Liuzhi or retention in custody, which is focused on CCP members and state workers, and (2) Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL) for everyone else (many human rights activists and rights lawyers are locked up here). Prisoners are kept for months or more, in complete isolation, subjected to extended interrogations and watched 24-hours by two guards. Any windows are blacked out. It’s constant, unending strip lighting. The psychological torture these conditions produce drive some to try to kill themselves. The authorities know this—it’s intentional to coerce a confession—so they suicide-proof the cells. […]
Komunitas
lemmy.sdf.org
Archived In our human rights work on China’s black jails, it has been extremely difficult to obtain photos or video of the facilities. These are secret places. No phones, no lawyer, no journalists, no family are allowed inside. Even the locations are kept hidden—typically a bag is placed over a prisoner’s head when they are moved in or out. So far, we have relied on first person testimony to understand what these black jails are like. But then we searched Douyin, China’s Tiktok (both developed by Beijing-based ByteDance) and we found something very surprising. B2B companies that make equipment for China’s security services are advertising their suicide-proofed apparatus on the platform. For the first time, we can see up close what a brand-new Liuzhi cell probably looks like. We searched for the terms “留置” (Liuzhi, one of CCP’s two types of secret jail) and words related to suicide-proofing, such as”软包墙面” (ruanbao qiangmian, padded walls). What we saw was just as horrifying as we’ve been told. Welcome to the insane asylum We found videos by three companies on Douyin showcasing their suicide-padded furniture and fittings, such as tables, chairs and walls, marketed specifically for Liuzhi. The images produce an unsettling sense of being in an insane asylum. The scripts are chilling; they seem to take delight in point out the capacity for torture their products offer. And, ironically, they do a much better job of describing Liuzhi than we ever could. The basic facts of inhumane treatment we have heard about are confirmed in the videos: the isolation, the 24-hour surveillance by two guards, the always on lights, and, the need to ask for permission for everything, even the slightest movement. The videos’ voiceovers describe how: Liuzhi cells are “heavy with the suffocating air of confinement,” the prisoner feels “forgotten by the world” Their padded furniture and walls prevent “accidental injuries during interrogation sessions,” hinting at physical torture Prisoners’ screams are simply swallowed up by the room One video boasts: “Not many people can survive a place like this without losing it.” […] What black jails does China run? In recent years, China has legalized two black jail systems: (1) Liuzhi or retention in custody, which is focused on CCP members and state workers, and (2) Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL) for everyone else (many human rights activists and rights lawyers are locked up here). Prisoners are kept for months or more, in complete isolation, subjected to extended interrogations and watched 24-hours by two guards. Any windows are blacked out. It’s constant, unending strip lighting. The psychological torture these conditions produce drive some to try to kill themselves. The authorities know this—it’s intentional to coerce a confession—so they suicide-proof the cells. […]
Komunitas
sh.itjust.works
(TikTok screenshot)
Komunitas
news.abolish.capital
Israel fanatic Bari Weiss is set to take over the running of CNN’s editorial operations when Paramount Skydance’s planned purchase of Warner Bros Discovery is approved as expected. Weiss was imposed on CBS’s news operation in 2025 by its new, Zionist owners, despite no newsroom experience — with a naked pro-Israel agenda. The move has ruined the reputation of CBS as a serious news organisation, lost it some of its best-known faces and seen them replaced by pro-Israel mouthpieces. Weiss — spreading the plague Although the $110bn deal is not yet signed, both Paramount and CNN have [said](http://though/ both companies have said they expect the roughly $110 billion deal to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and any legal challenges.) they expect it to go through in late summer to autumn of 2026. While a number of other names are said to be in line to run commercial operations, Weiss is favourite for news and editorial. When your ideology is murderous racism, buy the media The move is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Zionist ultras of media and social media platforms that have exposed Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The main figure in these buy-outs – helped ruinously in the case of TikTok by US government manoeuvres to force the sale — is Oracle founder Larry Ellison. Ellison and his family also control Paramount Skydance. The billions spent on buying information channels to prevent the public hearing about Israel’s crimes are a clear indication that Israel and its lobbyists know their racist ideology has nothing to recommend it. That means that control of what people hear is their only hope of minimising the damage Israel’s mass murder and endless crimes against humanity continues to do to its global standing. Regardless, the terror state must be made a pariah. Instead, politicians bought up like news stations continue to collude in genocide, racist land-theft and war. Featured image via Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images By Skwawkbox From Canary via This RSS Feed.
Komunitas
piefed.zip
TikTok @Iheartgelato_
Komunitas
news.abolish.capital
DoorDash has patented a system that lets companies offer promotional deals based on how stressed you are. States are passing bans against surveillance pricing, and Big Tech is spending big to crush them. We uncovered the $13K wine-and-dine that defanged Maryland’s ban. Producer: Alec Opperman Editor: Addison Post Videographers: Evan Carter, Norberto Peña-Rios, Laura Bustillos Jáquez, Jack Davis, Rob Jackson. Supervising Producer: Sam Quigley Video Production Manager: Isabel Atalya Video Production Coordinator: Jodi Clemens Video Production Fellow: Astrid Dong Student Agitators: Morgan Garrow Zachary Scorielli Zac Task Additional Research: Sludge More Perfect Union is an Emmy-winning, nonprofit newsroom whose mission is to build power for working people. Here’s what that means: We report on the real struggles and challenges of the working class from a working-class perspective. We attempt to connect those problems to potential solutions. We report on the abuses and wrongdoing of corporate power. And we seek to hold accountable the ultra-rich who have too much power over America’s political and economic systems. To support our independent journalism, subscribe, donate, and follow our other pages through the links below: Help fund our reporting: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mpu-splash Substack: https://substack.perfectunion.us/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moreperfectunion Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorePerfectUS Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/moreperfectunion.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorePerfectUS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perfectunion/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@perfectunion Website: https://www.perfectunion.us/ From More Perfect Union via This RSS Feed.