fayfreethinkers.com

We are poorly served by our media. Too often, we get misinformation and extreme partisanship instead of responsibility and journalistic integrity. I am starting this blog after another frustrating experience with our beloved monopoly paper, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The Gazette’s opinion page is dominated by political extremists who publish irresponsible propaganda pieces while refusing to be held accountable. After pointing out a massive factual inaccuracy in an editorial and taking the time to look up verifiable documentation, I asked the editors whether they would publish a correction. The editors never responded to that and also refused to provide appropriate space for a critical letter. Opinion writers exert a lot of power but there is no accountability whatsoever.

A recent case that I would like to share is a column of Mike Masterson's where he jumps to the defense of Big Oil, claiming falsely that the oil industry profits hardly make a difference ("around a nickel on each gallon of gas"). What is so troubling about the ADG propaganda machine is that there is no accountability whatsoever. People like Masterson can write whatever they want, they can make up whatever lies they want, there is no fact check, no accountability, and no appropriate space allowed to critics who would challenge the misinformation.

Read the details at http://arkansasmediawatch.wordpress.com/.

I encourage everybody to share their own experiences with Arkansas media.

Excellent points in my opinion. I'll go by and check out your blog. Feel free to post here as well.

I have been rather unimpressed with Masterson's reportage whenever I've come across it (which hasn't been much). I remember years ago Doug and I were in the Barnes and Noble and Masterson was conducting some kind of book review/discussion on a book regarding some standard kind of New Age claptrap. During the questions I made a point and walked over, right beside where he was standing and grabbed the present issue of Skeptical Inquirer (perhaps it was Skeptic magazine) and pointed out that the current months issue had a nice debunk of their topic (which I don't remember).

I have been posting quite a bit on NWAonline lately (Fayfreethinker). Someone made a reference to an article by Masterson and I would have gladly unpacked it but couldn't find it. Could you post a link to where his material is typically found online?

If someone wants help spanking Masterson, send me a link. I'll be there.

D.

Mike Masterson is a total jackass who can KMA. I can't even believe they print some of the garbage he writes, which only serves to inflate his gigantic ego even further. He thinks all Muslims are terrorists, supports banning books that he doesn't approve of and that Obama is a Socialist. He is one of the reasons I stopped subscribing to the paper.

Masterson's columns are typically behind a paywall, which in a sense is a good thing but it makes it impossible to link directly in an effort to debunk. I might put up some more material over at the blog.

Yes Betsy he may be a jackass but he is the face of the opinion page so to speak. It is pretty shocking that somebody with views as extremely partisan and divisive is not only offered an editorial slot - but is the one who decides what other opinions can be published in the ADG! That is creepy. Needless to say, there is no liberal equivalent to Masterson (or Greenberg for that matter). When you look at the few liberal-ish fig leaves that are from time to time on display at ADG or in the NWA Times (Brummett, Lyons, of course our Art Hobson), they are tame and moderate, make a point of quoting sources, citing documentation, write politely and reasonably. No such conventions exist for right-wing pundits.

At arktimes.com, you get a few links when entering Mike Masterson in the search box. Especially this one announcing his takeover at the opinion page:
http://www.arktimes.com/StreetJazz/arch ... at-gazette

Btw how do I insert links on this comment board?

http://arkansasmediawatch.wordpress.com/

arkansasmediawatch wrote: Btw how do I insert links on this comment board?
http://arkansasmediawatch.wordpress.com/

I think after three posts you will automatically be able to do that. You're almost there.

I pay $10 per month to get NWAonline. Does that get me access to the Masterson, ADG stuff?

Try the story links at http://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/mike-masterson/


Edited by Savonarola on 20110526 1548: added URL tag

Yep, they want money. I'm not going to pay money just to kick Masterson's bum.

He's so myopic he wouldn't learn anything from your roasting, anyway.

Darrel, my mom subscribes to the paper and I'll give you her password if you want to stop giving them your $10 a month. Also, a subscription costs only $7 a month, so you're being ripped off.

p.s. love the arkansas times, and your website is top notch. Keep it up, guys.

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I pay $10 per month to get NWAonline. Does that get me access to the Masterson, ADG stuff?

The short answer, yes. However, you get the NWA version of the paper, not the Little Rock edition of ADG. There's
no difference in the editorial pages between NWA edition and LR edition. Local ads, sports, classifieds are different.
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There was a merger between Stephens Media and WEHCO (Walter E. Hussman Companies) a few years go.
The NW edition of ADG, Springdale's Morning News, Benton County Daily Record, NW Ark Times are now
wrapped into one paper, NW Arkansas Newspapers, LLC. I think there are a few more small dailies wrapped into the deal.

Their format/ arrangements are undergoing continual change. The internal arrangement called for Stephens Media
to maintain editorial control over its existing papers while WEHCO retains business control.

If you were subscribed to the print edition of any of the papers mentioned above you still get a "wrapper" with that paper
on the front few sections. However, all editions contain the same stories,same editorials and same columns.

WARNING: If you're considering reproducing entire columns from any of the papers mentioned above please be informed
that either media company has a policy of suing for unauthorized reproduction of their content. If it's a wire story, like AP, you
can google and find the same story elsewhere. They have backed off on the practice a little bit. The Mothership paper of Stephens
Media is Las Vegas Review-Journal. The entire list of Stephens Media Newspapers is reached by clicking here.

Note: both media companies are owned/controlled by very wealthy people/families. Stephens CEO is Warren Stephens who inherited his empire from his father and uncle. They are also Ark's largest financial instruments dealers- bonds, investments (Stephens Investments) and gas production/exploration companies (ARKLA).
Very, very Conservative. Hussman inherited his newspaper empire from his parents. He too is very conservative and wealthy. Hussman is a big player in privatizing public education in Arkansas and elsewhere.

From Masterson's "Riding a bronco" column of May 14, 11...link here

"Some reporters had been at that paper a long while. Most were older than I. So things seemed a bit awkward at first. But at our first staff meeting, I promised to fight to have their desperately low salaries elevated if they’d agree to join me in lighting a fire in the newsroom bright enough to shed light on the truths of what was happening in town.

Hussman agreed that their salaries were too low compared with other papers our size and they were raised across the board.

Thankfully, Hussman was always supportive in every way. The staff responded to my challenge to unearth truth and follow its trail wherever it led."

What bunk.

Here's what I was told after I fwd this story to a woman, Masterson's age, who worked at the Hot Springs paper when Masterson says he asked for and received better salaries:
She had a degree in journalism, she was earning $85 week at the Hussman paper in the 1970s when Masterson was installed as chief. After his "fight" to have salaries increased she received FIVE CENTS an HOUR raise. For a 40 hr week that amounted to $2,or a 2.3% increase.

Take it from there. He didn't lie but he didn't tell the whole truth either.
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"An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought."
Simon Cameron, US financier & politician (1799 - 1889)

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Interesting story L Wood! Feel free to comment at http://arkansasmediawatch.wordpress.com/.

Today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette editorial is hilarious, but only if you have the right sense of humor. It won't make it into the finals of the silliest attack on science contest but it's a worthy try.

http://arkansasmediawatch.wordpress.com ... stallment/

Btw do you now have to pay to post comments at the Ark Dem-Gaz?

There is a clause in the constitution which protects me from having to read Paul Greenberg columns. See the reference to:

"Cruel and unusual punishment."

Won't do it. It's inhumane.

Please check this out. It's hard to top: http://arkansasmediawatch.wordpress.com ... dley-gitz/

I would hope that I'm not the only one to hold ADG etc. to account. I am sure most self-respecting journalists working for the newspaper are as disgusted as we are. What is missing is public pressure on the newspaper editors to demand at least a minimum of professional accountability. This is not about opinions and disagreements. It's about systematic lying. Editors cannot hide behind freedom of speech when they knowingly publish factual lies. They should be held to professional standards just like the rest of us are (ironically, these are the same people who clamor for more pressure on school teachers while their own jobs are protected by their political boss, Walter Hussman (whussman[AT]arkansasonline.com)). Importantly, these editors have a lot of power. ADG is a monopoly paper for the state. The Greenbergs, Mastersons, Gitzes exert more power than most politicians in the state are doing. Americans seem to have a blind spot with respect to that power and its systematic abuses. If they (we) don't demand accountability, they (we) won't get it.

Good stuff arkmediawatch. And great posts too. I'll repost here my remarks on your site:

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Wow, very well done. Here are a few more bits that come to mind:

2. Factoid: Interest rates were considerably higher during Reagan's first year, than any year during Carter.

http://www.wsjprimerate.us/wall_street_ ... istory.htm

5. Reagan spending, see what you think of this:

"Contrary to Republican claims, "The Democratic Congress" did not bust Reagan's budgets. In fact, for the first six years, Congress was not Democratic, it was half and half,...

But none of this matters because over Reagan's 8 years, Congress approved smaller budgets than he requested on average, and the deviation from what he requested averaged less than half a percent. He raised the debt by $1,860 billion and Congress reduced his budgets by $16 billion. Otherwise he would have raised the debt by $1,876 billion. So why do Republicans repeat this lie so often? [about Congress outspending Reagan]" http://zfacts.com/p/57.html

9. What Obama inherited... The Bush recession lost more jobs than the previous three recessions *combined.*

See the WSJ: http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/01/ ... on-record/

Bush has the worst job creation record in recorded history with four millions jobs being lost in the 14 months before Obama, who was handed a situation where 800k were being lost per month.

Feel free to incorporate any of this into your above. And do make sure you send your rebuttal to Gitz. Is there a comment thread where his article can be responded to directly?