WHAT’S DRIVING THE SUNSHINE STATE MEDIA TO IGNORE CERTAIN STORIES?
Having had their way with television sets, newspapers and websites in South Carolina, the 2012 “Republican” presidential candidates are now carpet bombing their cliches on the voters of Florida.
Lucky them, right?
In fact we were about to refer to those Florida voters as “poor” and “unsuspecting ..” but then we remembered we live in South Carolina.
Anyway, as Sunshine State residents prepare to make their presidential preference known, is there a major story that’s being missed by the state’s mainstream media? According to Brian E. Crowley of The Columbia Journalism Review, “yes.”
In a piece worth reading, Crowley notes that Florida’s mainstream press is largely ignoring the story of Sheldon Adelson – a 78-year-old casino mogul who currently ranks as the eight-richest man in America. Earlier this month, Adelson pumped $5 million into Winning Our Future – the SuperPAC that’s supporting the presidential candidacy of former U.S. Speaker Newt Gingrich. Obviously that money did a lot of good for Gingrich – helping him win a landslide victory over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in South Carolina’s presidential primary.
Four days ago Adelson’s wife, Miriam, pumped another $5 million into Winning Our Future – money which will be spent on the Florida primary. In fact a day after Adelson’s gift, Winning Our Future announced a $6 million Florida advertising campaign.
What do the Adelsons want?
“He knows I’m very pro-Israel,” Gingrich recently told Ted Koppell. “And that’s the central value of his life. I mean, he’s very worried that Israel is going to not survive.”
That’s fine by us. Obviously this website has made no secret of its contempt for campaign finance laws – or the current administration’s policies toward Israel.
Of course we haven’t made a secret of our contempt for Gingrich, either.
But Crowley isn’t questioning Adelson’s motivations – he’s offering a commentary on the current state of the media.
“There hasn’t yet been evidence of the sustained, serious digging, and explaining to readers, that this story merits,” Crowley writes. “The easy explanations for this state of affairs have become clichés—after deep cuts, newsrooms no longer have the staff to do in-depth reporting; or news reporters are busy tweeting, Facebooking, filling the news organization’s website and newspaper, and they simply can’t do it all.”
Crowley isn’t buying those excuses, though … arguing that it’s not a question of a lack of resources, but poor resource allocation.
Either way, he says, Florida voters are getting the short-shrift.
“By giving little attention to super PACs—their on-air handiwork in Florida, and the people bankrolling them—Florida newspapers are doing their readers a disservice,” he concludes.
We agree – of course the real culprit isn’t necessarily poor resource allocation, it’s the fact that these advertisements are filling the coffers of these media organizations. Seriously … you don’t think $6 million buys a sizable chuck of goodwill? Not to mention a little “move along, nothing to see here?”
As we’ve said before, there’s no real difference between the new media and the legacy press when it comes to money influencing coverage. It happens … all the time. Unlike others, though, we make it clear from the outset that we’re “Unfair, Imbalanced.” Oh, and broke … very, very broke.
Which reminds us (editor’s note: shameless plug alert), if you want to support what we’re doing … just click the donate tab at the bottom of this article!
Pic: Brevard Times
By spiderswebb January 26, 2012 at 4:51 pm
I didn’t think anyone called them television sets anymore, except for my granddad.
By fitsnews January 26, 2012 at 6:45 pm
Mood we were in …
http://www.fitsnews.com/2012/01/26/todays-tunage-once-upon-a-time/
By Moise January 26, 2012 at 5:11 pm
“Several people with knowledge of Mr. Adelson’s decision to donate to Winning Our Future said that it was born out of a two-decade friendship with Mr. Gingrich, his advocacy on behalf of Israel and his turbulent months as a presidential candidate.”
NY Times, Jan. 9, 2012
Gingrich and Adelson have been using each other … er, I mean friends … for YEARS.
By Mr. Dixie January 26, 2012 at 5:27 pm
I wonder what Mrs. Nancy has on old Newt. I bet she has a picture of him in a small pasture in Georgia. He has his pants down and has a goat hemmed up in a corner. I bet old Newt will say he was taking a leak and the goat just jumped in front of him.
By No! No! January 26, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Poor goat. Newt gives it to everyone up the ass.
By eggaday January 26, 2012 at 7:41 pm
I always just “see” a goat when I look at Newt. Part of it is the name, the other part is a scowl that produces some funny little lines over his eyes. He’s usually squinting too…. I sometimes want to tell ya I hear that goat noise, neah… neah… neah…
hahahahahah good one Mr. Dixie!
By SCBlues January 27, 2012 at 11:32 am
Y’all are funny – thanks for the chuckle!
By CriticalMass January 28, 2012 at 2:39 am
This is your version of others’ use of “LIKE,” right?
That’s what I thought.
You’ve met Mister Kettle, I assume.
LOL!!!!!!
By SCBlues January 28, 2012 at 10:13 am
Critical Dumbass = Internet TROLL
* Please don’t feed the TROLL! *
By CriticalMass January 28, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Evidently, you are ashamed of yourself.
That’s a start. :-)
By SCBlues January 28, 2012 at 4:29 pm
—-Critical DumbAss = Internet TROLL —-
Please don’t feed the TROLL!
By snodgrass January 26, 2012 at 5:51 pm
So, you might as well say that one family donated ten million dollars to the “Stop Ron Paul at any cost” fund.
Sort of muddy’s up that whole “unelectable” thing, don’t it.
By Mike at the Beach January 26, 2012 at 7:30 pm
C’mon man…is that the theory now? All those Newt votes came from potential RP folks? Not even close…
By snodgrass January 26, 2012 at 8:04 pm
Mike, the “typical” voter is a clueless idiot that would vote for a light pole if Cable News or Talk Radio convinced them that all their friends would be voting that way.
By Mike at the Beach January 27, 2012 at 12:01 am
Now you’ve said something we can agree on! Had to happen eventually, right?
Just add HuffPost and NPR to cover the left and we’re golden…
By Biology Teacher January 26, 2012 at 6:36 pm
A newt is a reptile.
By TontoBubbaGoldstein January 26, 2012 at 10:11 pm
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you are an SC PUBLIC school biology teacher. A newt is an amphibian.
By SCBlues January 27, 2012 at 11:32 am
This particular Newt is a creep.
By Dr. Pierce January 26, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Ok, where is Candy and those massive mammary glands? Even hot lips is starting to look good. And that is scary. I’m not doing sloppy seconds after Frank Burns. I am just not going there.
By Dr. Burns January 26, 2012 at 6:50 pm
What’s the matter, afraid you can’t fill the gap?
Pingback: Pay Attention, Florida | SCHotline
By RAS January 26, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Yes, Gingrich is just itching to fight Israel’s wars. He’s made that clear. But Romney has made some pretty clear statements in search of the same donors, so I’m not sure why the Adelman’s are jumping in with both feet now. They should wait. Obama is the one that has to be defeated. He’s the one with the more objective, balanced view of the Middle East. Got to get him out of there!
By Todd January 26, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Won’t vote Newt solely because of the obesity.
By disgusted January 27, 2012 at 8:03 pm
Callista looks like Pinnochio with a plastic wig.
By Bogart January 26, 2012 at 8:43 pm
Pretty sure he’ll be able to see Israel from the moon.
By ceilidh10 January 27, 2012 at 8:27 am
The big super PACS and the money they control are what you Republicans wanted and now you got it, Sic ! It is disingenuous for you to be seen complaining about this state of affairs. The Supreme Court ruled these super PACs were not illegal two years ago.
These big monied interests will dominate politics for both Dems and Republicans. They will control the dialogue. They will control your mind and your thinking. Have you ever read George Orwell?
By ceilidh10 January 27, 2012 at 9:17 am
I do not like Catholic politicians because their true loyalties are to Rome and the papal work view, which views humans as worthless sinful slaves, but dang-it, Callista is a pretty lady. Sic, she sings at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, so why don’t you get a utube clip of her singing and put it on this site. We know how much you love Newt….
By Just saying January 27, 2012 at 9:21 am
This is the lead story on MSNBC today. So, it seems it isnt being ignored after all.
By Nolff January 27, 2012 at 10:00 am
If Newt wins the nomination, you can bet Obama will win.
By Richard Gozyna January 27, 2012 at 10:16 am
The story appeared on the AP this week. I think it is a case of “reader driven content.” The story ran, nobody in Florida cared, so the story died. The tragedy of an ignorant electorate.
By Earl Butz January 27, 2012 at 10:43 am
Newt is an asshole. Thank you South Carolina – you have given us Sanford, Haley, Clyburn, Andre, Eckstrom, and now Newt.
By south mauldin January 27, 2012 at 10:48 am
+1
By RAS January 27, 2012 at 10:52 am
And never forget George W. Bush. Except for the voters of South Carolina, he would have been history in 2000.
By ? January 27, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Yes, but SC has also given us collards, shrimp & grits, Steven Colbert, and late night monologue jokes.
Can’t we call it even?
By TontoBubbaGoldstein January 28, 2012 at 11:41 pm
It might be close to even, except Earl Butz forgot to include the Palmetto Princess, Miss Lindsey Graham. Ain’ nothing going to make up for that.
By dirtbogger January 27, 2012 at 11:20 am
America first, fuck Isreal– they are an invented people!
By 350ZLADY January 27, 2012 at 3:50 pm
America is only 236 years old… The garden of Eden is said to be in Isreal… how long has that been around. Isreal is God’s choosen people.
By ? January 27, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Israel?
By Common Sense January 28, 2012 at 11:34 am
somebody apparently forgot her meds today.
By TontoBubbaGoldstein January 28, 2012 at 11:52 pm
The Garden of Eden is generally thought to have been in what was modern day Iraq. Of course some elders of Zionism would argue that Israel should stretch from the Nile to the Euphrates. Current US foriegn policy makes ….from the shores of Tripoli to the Hindu Kush seem more likely….
By 350ZLADY January 29, 2012 at 1:12 pm
to ? – yes Israel – and no did not forget meds… called being in a hurry and not double checking. And yes, The Garden of Eden probably was somewhere around Iraq / Iran, however, If Israel was not God’s choosen people, they would not still be around and as strong as they are now. This country has backed them for years, this is NOT the time to quit… all I am saying. My opinion only. Jesus was a Jew, but also the FIRST Christian. Go figure.
By RAS January 29, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Yes, and John the Baptist was the First Baptist. And we learned that at christian school.
By A Humble Nobody January 30, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Even the Holy Trinity won’t be able to save you from your own government soon. Why worry about what they’re doing to others?
By norman January 27, 2012 at 11:38 am
Balloom head looks like he should be running a mobile home lot in south GA hooked with a divorce lawyer operating in a back room.
By TontoBubbaGoldstein January 28, 2012 at 11:45 pm
She looks like Jimmy Johnson after about 6 months of serious nutrisystem dieting.
By Mr. Dixie January 27, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Does anyone know why he was never offered tenure when he was a history professor? That is why he went into politics. Some at the college must have thought he was an ass hole too.
By dirtbogger January 30, 2012 at 10:51 am
350ZLADY
Revalations 2:9, John 7:1, John 8:44.
If Christians could wrap their heads around the fact that Jews do not think any more of you than a Jack ass here on this Earth solely to plow their field. A Gentile’s life is of no value in their eyes, By the way lots of people do not understand that Palistianians are the modern day decendants of Jesus. The Jews of Modern Isreal are Askenazis that converted to Judaism. Also a large portion of the population of Palistian are Christian but I guess CNN forgot to tell you didn’t they.
By the way who would Jesus Bomb? The answer is no one He was a pacifist I beleave in his teachings but the old Testament is not even an accurate history book.
By 350ZLADY January 31, 2012 at 3:58 pm
I’m sorry – you know this because you are Jewish?
By dirtbogger February 1, 2012 at 12:18 pm
by reading their lititure you will learn a lot, don’t worry i was once hood winked as well. Go study up on the USS Liberty! And thank god that I am Gentile and know the differance in right and wrong!