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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 02/09/2026

California Attorney General Rob Bonta posted this on multiple social platforms today, but he doesn't have a personal account on Bluesky so I'm putting it here for a slightly different audience. Quite the gauntlet thrown at Paramount over the attempted Warner […] [Original post on journa.host]

Mock Monopoly board from (California) Attorney General Rob Bonta calling out Paramount. "Stop Playing Games"

Twitter screenshot:
@RobBonta
Paramount wants to play games in the court of public opinion, but we’re
here to enforce the rules in the court of law.
Instead of engaging in confidential, good-faith negotiations, they chose
to roll the dice with the truth through leaks, lies, delays, and threats.
Those tactics won’t derail our case.
Until Paramount stops playing games and takes the allegations in our
complaint seriously, the board says: GO DIRECTLY TO COURT.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 04/06/2026

@mad_democracy@bird.makeup joins call for student press independence. We join the Student Press Law Center, @freedomofpress, @SPJ_national, Reporters Committee and others calling for Indiana U to commit to respect student press independence #PressFreedom #Journalism

MAD joins call for student press independence.
We join the Student Press Law Center, Freedom of the Press Foundation and others calling for Indiana U to commit to respect student press independence

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 03/05/2026

‪🏛️ The film Democracy Under Siege features brilliant Ann Telnaes Elie Mystal Heather Cox Richardson & others. Free screening will be followed by an empowering panel discussion *how to fight back* Director Laura Nix, Gigi Sohn and Marjan Safina […] [Original post on journa.host]

Democracy Under Siege
A film by Laura Nix In Collaboration with Ann Telnaes.

CELEBRATING WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY,
FREE ONLINE SCREENING & LIVE CONVERSATION

May 5 at 7 PM ET

DEMOCRACYUNDERSIEGEDOC. ORG

https://Tiny.cc/undersiege

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 05/03/2026

Newrooms collaborating with prediction markets will further degrade quality and trust in journalism. So far engaging are: - Murdoch’s Dow Jones #TheWSJ @CNNNetwork @substack @wsj 2/4

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Banner

Headline:
Who Could Trump Pick as the Next Fed Chair?

Picture of candidates and odds from Polymarket

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 03/03/2026

Gambling as Journalism—Shall We Gamify the News? mediaanddemocracyproject.substack.c… It is particularly grotesque when the betting is on matters of life and death, but any use of these markets central to […] [Original post on journa.host]

Masthead of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

With a headline: Traders Bet on the U.S.s Next Airstrike Target

Subhead: Polymarket offers prediction-market contracts on whether the U.S. will strike Cuba, Colombia or Somalia

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 02/02/2026

Join us on TONIGHT: NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists) is hosting a Not On Our Watch: A National Town Hall On Press Freedom hosted by NABJ and in partnership with Black Star Network. Streaming LIVE on NABJ Youtube and Facebook @BlackNAndV #DonLemon #GeorgiaFort #Journalism

Event flyer that reads:

JOIN NABJ

NOT ON OUR WATCH
A National Town Hall
ON PRESS FREEDOM

Hosted by The National Association of Black Journalists
In Partnership with Black Star
February 2, 2026 6 - 8 pm ET

STREAMING ON NABJ YouTube
More Details Coming Soon!

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 29/01/2026

Should one of the TV-conglomerates that pressured Disney to take #JimmyKimmel off the air be allowed to get bigger & *more* powerful? We think no! We’re against the broadcast-industry merger of Nexstar-TEGNA. See the letter to the FCC we’ve signed w/allies opposed to this merger. #NoNexstarMerger

Formal letter filed with FCC in support of a petition calling on them not to approve a merger between local TV conglomerate Nexstar and Tegna that would violate the 39% cap on ownership of TV Stations.

Media and Democracy Project along with Communications Workers of America, Free Press, and several other press freedom and media reform groups have jointed this effort.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 20/01/2026

Media and Democracy Heroes are the reporters and advocates who refuse to normalize lies. Join the Media and Democracy Project’s 2025 Review & Celebration to honor them and look ahead to 2026. Special guests, announcements, more… Thurs Jan 22 - Zoom - 8pm ET / […] [Original post on journa.host]

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 14/06/2025

The Marines and National Guard shouldn't be deployed to protests in LA, Texas or anywhere else. But since they are, the Freedom of the Press Foundation and other press freedom groups wrote a letter to them explaining the basics of journalists' rights when […] [Original post on journa.host]

Letter to General Eric Smith, Commandant of the Marine Corps and General Steven Nordhaus, Chief of the National Guard Bureau from the Freedom of the Press Foundation and several other press freedom groups.

The full letter can be found here:
http://tiny.cc/99ym001

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 29/05/2025

TONIGHT: Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes discusses The Power of Editorial Cartoonists for Democracy! Ann Telnaes resigned from WaPo when this cartoon was rejected. She wrote, “...My job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. For the […] [Original post on journa.host]

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 27/05/2025

Ann Telnaes resigned from WaPo when this cartoon was rejected. She wrote, “...My job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job.” Join us May 29th via Zoom for a conversation with her. Sign up: tiny.cc/Telnaes

Ann Telnaes cartoon which the Washington Post would not print.

Shows Post owner, Jeff Bezos, and other billionaires and Mickey Mouse bowing before a statue of Trump

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 03/05/2025

Today is #WorldPressFreedomDay Listen to Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Ressa on how important community support was for the survival of Rappler under attack from a dictator. Lessons we should take to heart. bsky.app/profile/jaysenwaller.bsky.… #FreePress #Journalism

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 11/04/2025

🧵 Local outlets captured the protests much more accurately and gave it priority coverage. Covering the pro-democracy movement is not partisan. Here are is one example. There are many, many more in our blog post […] [Original post on journa.host]

Good coverage of protest by the Journal Gazette & Times-Courier

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 11/04/2025

Local outlets captured the event much more accurately and gave it priority coverage. Covering the pro-democracy movement is not partisan. Here is one example. See our blog post for many, many, more. mediaanddemocracyproject.substack.c… 4/

Prominent coverage of local protest from the Journal Gazette & TImes-Courier.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 11/04/2025

Editors at Jeff Bezos’s @washingtonpost were even more dismissive of the #handsoff pro-democracy movement on 4/6. More than 1 million Americans expressing their concerns got a tiny box. The next day, WaPo editors chose to devote half the #FrontPage to a […] [Original post on journa.host]

Contrasting Washington Post front pages.

A tiny box at the bottom on 1 million Americans expressing their outrage, Huge, prominent coverage of a Russian setting an NHL record.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 11/04/2025

🧵 1 million people, 1,400+ events… in support of civil society, decency and democracy. @nytimes.com give it a below-the-fold, wide-angle-photo of one event in NC, no headline, directs to single article on A18. NYT Publisher is a sixth generation media oligarch […] [Original post on journa.host]

Front page of NY Times on April 6, 2025.

Small picture of protests outlined.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 09/02/2025

🏛️ Where is the future audience for FOX? #Tubi is ad-revenue & a long term strategy Millennials and Gen Zers are overwhelmingly “cord-nevers” who don’t watch cable TV. They favor streaming platforms and follow YouTube and a slew of podcasts, but they won’t […] [Original post on journa.host]

Cartoon of a fire labeled Fox News sending off Hate, Facism and Bigotry.

Rupert Murdoch is fueling the fire from a container labeled Tubi

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 09/02/2025

🏛️ Streaming the #SuperBowl has tremendous value for FOX/Murdochs. FOX uses "the Big Game" to multiply its return-on-investment it paid for the rights to broadcast it -cable, TV & streaming on #Tubi. See details in our blog of the value of #Tubi to FOX's long […] [Original post on journa.host]

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 24/01/2025

Last week, the FCC dismissed our Petition to Deny the broadcast license of a Murdoch-owned Fox affiliate. Our petition argued the Murdochs and senior management lacked the character required of a broadcast licensee after they lied about the 2020 election to […] [Original post on journa.host]

The Media and Democracy Project and Preston Padden have released the following joint statement:

We look forward to presenting on appeal the multiple court decisions that raise serious questions about the Murdochs' and Fox’s character qualifications to remain broadcast licensees. As renowned First Amendment scholar Floyd Abrams stated in his filing with the Commission, the First Amendment is no bar to Commission action given the facts of this case. Our petition is based on character and clearly distinct from the other politically motivated complaints.

Full statement available at Url: MediaAndDemocracyProject.org

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 16/01/2025

Today, the FCC dismissed our Petition to Deny the broadcast license of a Murdoch-owned Fox affiliate. Our petition argued the Murdochs and senior management lacked the character required of a broadcast licensee after they lied about the 2020 election to protect […] [Original post on journa.host]

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 12/01/2025

This is ominous: the weaponization of the federal government has begun. Trump FCC Chair #BrendanCarr wielding the power of *our* FCC (on behalf of Trump) against the corporate parent of CBS News should disturb all Americans. This is a threat to #PressFreedom […] [Original post on journa.host]

Screenshot of NY Post article excerpt:

"Skydance had hoped to close the deal during the first quarter of this year; incoming Federal Communication Commission chair Brendan Carr has signaled that's not likely to happen, these people add. He won't rubber-stamp the $8 billion tie-up because he believes there's evidence that Paramount's TV- subsidiary, CBS News, plays fast and loose with basic FCC fairness rules all networks (as opposed to cable) must meet to air programming over the public airwaves. "

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 06/01/2025

Advice from Sherrylin Ifill: This Is It: Facing Trump 2.0 open.substack.com/pub/sherrilyn/p/t… Note particularly the advice to the #media in the paragraph below and two more in the blog post. #Press #Journalism

For my friends in media, many of you are already failing this preliminary moment. Tighten up your language. Stop conceding the rationality of things that are fundamentally irrational and the legality of things that are illegal. Musk and Ramaswamy are leading at best a “project on government accountability.” Maybe and “ad hoc committee” or study group. It is not a “Department” which is a legal term for federal agencies. The creation of federal departments requires an Act of Congress, not the mere whim of a president-elect and his benefactor. Think “Department of Homeland Security.” There is no “Department of Government Efficiency.” And if giving legal imprimatur to this ad hoc initiative is not reason enough to refrain from referring to it as DOGE, engaging in cost-free advertising for Elon Musk’s cryptocurrency (called DOGE) should be reason enough.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 18/12/2024

Corporate media ownership *always* has an agenda of its own. Democracy is never the prime directive: Disney-ABC News Comcast-NBC News Paramount-CBS News Time-Warner-CNN Murdoch-Fox - Smith-Sinclair Murdoch-WSJ Bezos-WaPo AGSulzberger-NYT Soon-Shiong-LATimes Refer to news orgs by their *OWNERSHIP*

Major Media/Entertainment Organizations dominate the informing of Americans

Walt Disney-ABC News
Paramount-CBS News
NBC-Universal-NBC News
WARNER BROS-CNN
Murdoch-NewsCorp-Fox
Sulzberger-NY Times
Murdoch-Wall Street Journal
Bezos-WWashington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 17/12/2024

This is not hypothetical but happened during first Trump regime. (same article as above) "Mr. Trump opposed AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner during his first term, a stance many attributed to his frustrations with CNN. " Coincidence, perhaps, but CNN has […] [Original post on journa.host]

And some antitrust experts say that Ms. Slater and Mr. Ferguson could apply greater scrutiny to media companies that they believe to have a liberal bias. Trump opposed AT&T’s acquisition of Time | TNt HeUSMA federal judge ultimately overruled the Justice Department’s opposition to the deal.

“The reality is that under a Trump administration,” said David Schwartz, a partner at the law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, “deals that are disfavored politically are likely to see significantly heavier scrutiny.”

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 10/12/2024

Find a great local outlet and subscribe or support today. Use our directory to find outlets worth reading and supporting. www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/jo… Many nonprofits will match donations through year-end. #LocalNews @Rebuildlocalnews 2/2

Support Local Journalism

What local journalism DOES
- Connects you to your community
- Lifts marginalized voices
- Shines a light on injustice

MEDIA and DEMOCRACY PROJECT

We created a directory to help you find local news outlets in your area worth reading and supporting.

url: tiny.cc/localdirectory

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 10/12/2024

The Senate needs to advance the PRESS Act ASAP to protect journalist-source confidentiality against retaliatory government surveillance. Tell your senator that you support the PRESS Act today. More info here […] [Original post on journa.host]

PROTECT JOURNALISTS!
Pass the PRESS Act now!

Protects the free press! The president-elect has called the people who keep us informed the enemy of the people and has threatened journalists with violence if they don't give up their sources.

Call your senators and say:
‘| want my senator to do everything in their power to get the PRESS ACT passed. They need to get it to a vote and vote yes.”

Call both of your senators right now: 202-224-3121 or write with Democracy.io

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 09/12/2024

PRESS Act now! www.youtube.com/shorts/EwHKcVFF75g This has been in the works for years. It is near to passing but needs a push to be sure it gets done. See: wapo.st/4gmj46a Please call Sen. Schumer (202-224-6542) and your own senators #PRESS #PressAct #Journalism

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 27/11/2024

Strategies like that of Rappler are mission critical to a free press in service of democracy & an informed electorate. We’re living in-and part of-an information revolution with “necessity being mother of…” -the rush to @bsky.app -growth of Substack […] [Original post on journa.host]

"What’s clear is that journalism won’t survive if we don’t build our own tech. "

-- Maria Ressa

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 27/11/2024

News orgs need to plan ahead anticipating not only $ challenges, but information ecosystems & threats. It would be shortsighted to design distribution & engagement strategies that collide with & are susceptible to malign actors. e.g. How could the anticipated […] [Original post on journa.host]

What Rappler did We decided to build our own technology, connecting a chat app directly to our news feed. We built it on the Matrix protocol, open source, secure, decentralized — and used by countries which value data privacy like Germany and France.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 27/11/2024

Read the whole piece and read this twice. Gospel and prescience from @mariaressa.bsky.social “...without facts, you can't have truth; without truth, you can't have trust. Without these, we have *no shared reality*, no democracy, and it becomes impossible to […] [Original post on journa.host]

Extract of article by Maria Ressa

The race is to be able to bring our community together before the ability to trawl social media and the referral traffic from search ends. As generative Al deluges the internet with deepfakes (or synthetic media) and low-quality content, public distrust and cynicism will increase because of the lack of information integrity. That will have an impact on the behavior of people and society, and the types of governments we elect. I’ve long said: without facts, you can’t have truth; without truth, you can’t have trust.
Without these it becomes impossible to deal with the existential problems of our times like climate change.

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 11/11/2024

SPECIAL EVENT: Trump’s re-election was facilitated by the media oligarchs Rupert Murdoch and Elon Musk. Zoom Wed. 11/20 at 8pm ET: “How media moguls abuse their power, manipulate the truth and distort democracy” To respond to this perilous moment we need to […] [Original post on journa.host]

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 22/10/2024

WARNING: Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership Weaponizes the First Amendment open.substack.com/pub/mediaanddemoc… We've just published a study on how Project 2025 abuses the First Amendment. #Democracy #Journalism #FreePress #FreeSpeech

Cartoon:
Two people in modern dress but confined in revolutionary-era stocks. One is saying to the other: "Yeah, I also wish I read more about Project 2025 before the election ..."

Cartoon credit: Clay Jones / Copyright 2024 Claytoonz

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 17/10/2024

News desks need to forcefully denounce fascist lies while standing up for democratic values. The Media and Democracy Project has created comprehensive guidelines for pro-democracy election coverage. This post explains why we consider them essential for news […] [Original post on journa.host]

Journalists can defend democracy.

Make threats to democracy clear!
• Inform voters of the freedoms they will lose if the MAGA movement wins.
• Abandon false equivalence between traditional and fascistic candidates.
• Expose candidates who foment political violence.
• Call out lies and bad behavior in every piece of reporting.
• Prominently cover the Big Lie-fueled attack on election legitimacy and voting rights.

We're demanding that newsrooms improve their 2024 election coverage!

url: tiny.cc/prodemocracy2024

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2024

SPECIAL EVENT: Rupert Murdoch’s Global War on Democracy and Climate Join us on Wednesday, October 16 at 8 pm ET for a lively conversation and Q&A with Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia […] [Original post on journa.host]

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2024

The Media and Democracy Project is hosting former PM Malcolm Turnbull to discuss “Rupert Murdoch’s Global War on Democracy and Climate” Wed. 10/6 at 8pm ET (US) Sign up here: www.mobilize.us/mediademocracyproje… #Journalism #Press #Climate #ClimateChange #Democracy

Rupert Murdoch’s Global War on Democracy and Climate

A conversation and Q&A with Malcolm Turnbull, former Prime Minister of Australia

Wednesday October 16, 8pm ET (US)

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 14/09/2024

The Center for Cooperative Media has organized Democracy Day to encourage pro-democracy #journalism Find out more about #DemocracyDayUS2024 here: collaborativejournalism.org/democra…

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 30/08/2024

Press claims that being indicted twice for the crime of attempting a coup is a big problem .. for your political opponent who didn’t attempt a coup. mediaanddemocracyproject.substack.c… The public sees through them. #Press #journalism

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 27/08/2024

It’s time for newsrooms to cover elections like they matter more than sports scores. With 18 recommendations ranging from substantive issues coverage to reporting on threats to our system, our new pro-democracy guidelines are a much-needed newsroom reset […] [Original post on journa.host]

HERE’S HOW NEWS MEDIA’S ELECTION COVERAGE CAN
DEFEND AND UPLIFT DEMOCRACY

Three panels with heading and subpoints:

1) COVER ELECTIONS MAKE THREATS TO PROTECT LIKE THEY MATTER DEMOCRACY CLEAR AMERICANS FROM MORE THAN SPORTS DISINFORMATION * Prioritize issues that matter to voters' lives
* Make headlines accurate and informative, not clickbait
* Stop making meaningless predictions

2) MAKE THREATS TO DEMOCRACY CLEAR
* Inform voters of freedoms they'll lose if Project 2025 wins
* Expose candidates who foment political violence
* Cover Big Lie fueled attacks on election legitimacy
* Abandon false equivalence between traditional and fascistic candidates

3) PROTECT AMERICANS FROM DISINFORMATION
* Explain that disinformation by MAGA is a strategy
* Don't platform liars or uncritically repeat election lies
* Include a public figure's history of election lies when quoting them
* Have a plan for managing deep fakes

Follow us on Twitter: @FixMediaNow and @MAD_Democracy

Guidelines at: tiny.cc/prodemocracy2024

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 24/08/2024

Election lies have dangerous consequences. That’s why, along with 3,000+ individuals, we’re asking newsrooms for a reset - drop the horse race coverage and prioritize substantive coverage of the issues. Read our full release: tiny.cc/prodemocracy2024

HERE’S HOW NEWS MEDIA’S ELECTION COVERAGE CAN
DEFEND AND UPLIFT DEMOCRACY

Three panels with subpoints:

1) COVER ELECTIONS MAKE THREATS TO PROTECT LIKE THEY MATTER DEMOCRACY CLEAR AMERICANS FROM MORE THAN SPORTS DISINFORMATION * Prioritize issues that matter to voters' lives
* Make headlines accurate and informative, not clickbait
* Stop making meaningless predictions

2) MAKE THREATS TO DEMOCRACY CLEAR
* Inform voters of freedoms they'll lose if Project 2025 wins
* Expose candidates who foment political violence
* Cover Big Lie fueled attacks on election legitimacy
* Abandon false equivalence between traditional and fascistic candidates

3) PROTECT AMERICANS FROM DISINFORMATION
* Explain that disinformation by MAGA is a strategy
* Don't platform liars or uncritically repeat election lies
* Include a public figure's history of election lies when quoting them
* Have a plan for managing deep fakes

Follow us on Mastodon: @MAD_Democracy

Guidelines at: tiny.cc/prodemocracy2024

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 20/08/2024

Journalists Make Choices We recommend that they adopt pro-truth, pro-democracy practices Part 3: Protect Americans from disinformation Sign our open letter here: www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/20… #Journalism #Democracy #Press 3/4

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The Media & Democracy Project @mad-democracy.journa.host.ap.brid.gy · 20/08/2024

Media and Democracy Project guidelines: Part 2: Treat elections like they matter more than sports scores Full Guidelines here: www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/20… #Journalism #Democracy #Press 2/4

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