“Culture jamming” is the process through which a familiar media image or concept is co-opted, deconstructed, demystified and turned against itself. I recently read four articles dealing with various aspects of supposedly “fake news” shows such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (TDS) and The Colbert Report. Both are hugely popular satirical TV news […]
The guiding principles behind ‘Net Neutrality’ are currently under attack. Last Wednesday, hundreds of major tech firms and internet advocacy groups staged an online protest of the Federal Communication Commission’s recent proposals which will allow internet service providers (ISPs) to charge customers more money for faster online service. These rules run contrary to the concept […]
The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel is a landmark publication which elucidates the core principles and practices of Journalism. The authors describe some of the ways in which the profession has changed in our society over the years. They decry the failure […]
The late comedian Bill Hicks and I had lot in common. Among other things, we both shared a morbid fascination with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. One of Bill’s funniest stand-up routines dealt with the reactions he used to get whenever he brought up the subject: “I love talking about the Kennedy assassination, […]
Roger Waters, founding member of the legendary rock band Pink Floyd, has been a harsh critic of the Israeli government for many years. Last week, the creative force behind such classic songs as “Money,” “Pigs,” “Welcome to the Machine” and “The Wall” released a statement decrying the “moral perversity of the U.S. position” taken during […]
Part 1 Pulitzer-Prize winning Journalist Alex S. Jones – not to be confused with that other Alex Jones – warns readers in his seminal book, ‘Losing the News,’ of the dangers which news organizations face in regards to accountability and public trust. He worries that the core values of journalism are under serious threat and […]
Part 2 Scholars such as Lance deHaven-Smith and Mark Fenster have advanced the study of conspiracy theories by revealing the ways in which valid questions about activities of the power elites in the US have been abrogated by simply applying the term ‘conspiracy theory.’ The pejorative use of the term dates back to a CIA memorandum […]
The human race stands on the brink of a profound transformation, one that could signify the end of civilization as we know it. We are fast approaching a time when computers will be more intelligent than human beings. The “singularity” is a hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence will finally surpass that of humans. […]
Some thoughts on ‘Losing the News’ by Alex S. Jones In ‘Losing the News’ by Pulitzer-Prize winning Journalist Alex S. Jones, he warns of the dangers that news organizations face in regards to accountability and public trust, and he worries that the core values of journalism are under serious threat. I would have to agree with […]
Mainstream news organizations in America are nothing more than propaganda outlets for the One Percent. The US is currently ranked a lowly 46th on press freedoms in the most recent ‘Press Freedom Index‘ according to the organization Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres). RSF is the world’s most respected press freedom organization. Their mission is […]
Jason Darensburg's Blog-o-rama 