The Best Conversation About News, Opinion and Censorship You've Ever Heard - Richard Miniter

The discussion, featuring Richard Miner, explores the evolution of news from ancient Rome's attempts to control rumors to the emergence of free speech and journalism in the 1400s along the Rhine River. The conversation highlights the historical conflict between state-controlled news and free, independent journalism, tracing its roots to Protestant movements and the printing press. The narrative extends to modern times, examining the impact of technology and social media on news dissemination and censorship. The dialogue underscores the ongoing battle between controlled narratives and independent, truth-seeking journalism, with implications for how reality will be perceived in the future.

• News has its roots in ancient Rome with the Acta Diurna, which were daily public acts displayed to inform the public and control rumors.
• These early forms of news included gossip, politics, economics, and foreign affairs, but were controlled by the government without public accountability.
• The Romans initiated this to manage wild rumors and conspiracy theories, aiming for a common set of facts to maintain social peace.

"News sort of starts to begin proto news emerges I contend in ancient Rome with the Acta Diurna which you can translate as the daily acts or the public acts."

• The Acta Diurna is considered the beginning of news as it was presented to the general public to control rumors and speculation.

"As bad as we think the internet is, ancient Rome was far worse, right? People making up all sorts of wild stories, people thinking the conspiracy theories of the internet. Ancient Rome had this times 10."

• Ancient Rome faced rampant rumors and conspiracy theories, much like the modern internet, necessitating a controlled dissemination of facts.

• The concept of free speech as essential for social peace emerged along the Rhine River in the 1400s, amidst Protestant movements.
• This period saw the rise of printing, with Gutenberg's press enabling the spread of religious tracts and other writings, fostering a marketplace of ideas.
• The Protestant idea of a personal relationship with God paralleled the development of capitalism and free speech, influencing political and economic systems.

"In this great these religious wars and this desire for social peace... is this idea that free speech is necessary for social peace."

• Free speech was seen as crucial for social peace, allowing diverse ideas to be expressed and debated openly.

"And remember in medieval times, all political ideas are really offshoots of religious ideas."

• Political ideas were deeply intertwined with religious beliefs, influencing the development of free speech and news.

• Newspapers began as "news books" in Germany and the Netherlands, evolving into independent entities accountable to their readers rather than the state.
• The Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (modern-day New York) inherited these ideas, fostering a free market of ideas and opinions.
• The trial of John Peter Zenger in the 1730s established the principle that truth is a defense against libel, a revolutionary concept that allowed journalists to hold the powerful accountable.

"The Dutch ideas of the Ry River tolerance come here. And New York has been a decidedly wide-open and free market of ideas, opinions, and businesses for centuries as a result of the Dutch foundations of this city."

• New York's foundation in Dutch tolerance created an enduring culture of free expression and diverse ideas.

"Truth is an absolute defense in this country against libel. And that case could only have happened in New York where Jilly settled as New Amsterdam with the Dutch sense and the Quaker sense of which comes from the Pennsylvanians who argued this in court."

• The Zenger trial set a precedent for truth as a defense against libel, empowering journalists to report on the powerful without fear of retribution.

• The transition from hand-printed news to mass production with the factory model revolutionized news distribution, leading to the penny press in the 1830s, which offered extensive news coverage at low cost.
• The concept of correspondents emerged as individuals who traveled and reported back to their communities, initially through letters, which were then printed in newspapers.
• The telegraph was a pivotal innovation, akin to the internet of the 19th century, allowing rapid transmission of information over long distances, influencing modern news gathering.
• Julius Reutder capitalized on telegraph gaps using carrier pigeons, eventually establishing a newswire service that became influential worldwide.

"By the 1830s, you have the penny press, an entire broad sheet... all available for a penny in the US."

• The penny press made news accessible and affordable, revolutionizing public access to information.

"The telegraph is the closest thing to the internet that the 19th century has... Stock prices can move from London to New York across the Atlantic."

• The telegraph enabled near-instantaneous communication, transforming how news and information were shared globally.

• News agencies like Reuters, the Associated Press, and others formed in the 19th century, with English-speaking agencies operating as for-profit ventures accountable to their customers.
• In contrast, European news agencies often had government ties, influencing the nature and freedom of the news reported.
• The competition among news agencies fostered an environment of accountability and trust, essential for their credibility and success.

"In the English-speaking world, these are for-profit ventures that are accountable to their customers."

• Accountability to customers ensured that news agencies maintained credibility and trustworthiness.

• In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, progressives sought to reform journalism, criticizing its entertainment focus and advocating for a more structured, value-driven approach.
• The introduction of journalism schools and awards like the Pulitzer Prize aimed to professionalize journalism, creating a distinct class of journalists with specific training and ideologies.
• This shift led to a departure from the diverse, blue-collar backgrounds of earlier journalists, impacting the nature and diversity of news reporting.

"They wanted to design a German-French model in which what the media reported and what the governing class wanted was the same."

• Progressives aimed to align media reporting with governmental and elite interests, reducing the independence of journalism.

"In 1908 they formed the first journalism school in the United States which is in Missouri."

• The establishment of journalism schools marked a significant shift towards professionalization and standardization in journalism.

• Efforts to unionize journalists faced resistance, with many journalists valuing their independence and freedom of expression.
• Despite initial setbacks, by the 1930s, major newspapers, radio, and television were unionized, creating a more controlled and less diverse journalistic environment.
• Unionization led to a focus on stability and predictability, driving out more unconventional and innovative journalists.

"With unionization comes resistance to change and certain habits of mind which don't like dissent."

• Unionization fostered a more homogeneous and less dynamic journalistic culture, resistant to change and dissent.

• The push for public ownership of media in the mid-20th century aimed to provide a model for how media should operate, influencing private media practices.
• The emergence of media critics further constrained journalistic freedom, pressuring journalists to adhere to established norms and avoid dissenting views.
• This created a media landscape focused on maintaining orthodoxy and suppressing diverse perspectives.

"They start to push for public ownership... and it's like let me show you guys how it should be done."

• Public ownership was intended to set a standard for media operations, influencing the broader media landscape.

"Journalists live in fear of being criticized by the media critic."

• Media critics exerted significant influence, discouraging journalists from exploring controversial or dissenting topics.

• Two competing ideas of news persist: an official, establishment view and a more curious, independent approach.
• The establishment view seeks to maintain control and orthodoxy, while the independent approach values curiosity, complexity, and accountability to the public.
• The outcome of this ongoing struggle will shape the future of journalism and how reality is perceived and reported.

"There are two different ideas of news... an official establishment view... or a form of news that is constantly curious."

• The conflict between establishment and independent journalism reflects broader societal debates about truth, accountability, and freedom of expression.

• Discussion about the funding model of media and its impact on content.
• The role of advertisers in shaping the narrative of news channels.
• The demographic targeting of advertisements based on the audience's age.

"The entire business model at this point is dependent on the advertisers who dictate to them what they ought to believe."

• Advertisements heavily influence the content due to financial dependency.

"If you were selling things that were of interest to young people, it would not be a good investment because there's virtually no one under 40 watching those programs."

• Media content and advertisements are tailored to the predominant age group of the audience.

• Censorship has been a tool for controlling narratives since the Gutenberg era.
• The translation of religious texts into vernacular languages challenged authority and led to severe consequences.
• The societal and religious implications of censorship during historical periods.

"The moment the Gutenberg press started to be used, the moment it was used to challenge authority was the moment the authorities basically crown and church went I think we need to take a hold of this."

• Censorship began as a reaction to the spread of ideas that challenged established authority.

"The more that society, the state tried to stamp down on them, the more people who didn't share their views developed some sympathy for them."

• Attempts at censorship often led to increased sympathy and support for those being censored.

• Historical examples of censorship leading to unintended consequences.
• The Weimar Republic's censorship laws ultimately empowered the Nazis.
• Censorship often backfires and is used indiscriminately against everyone.

"Censorship always fails in the long run. What's tempting about it is it seems to work in the short run."

• Censorship may seem effective initially but often leads to greater issues over time.

"Hitler ends up as chancellor of Germany and takes all those censorship laws and applies them to the people who put them in place in the first place."

• Censorship laws can be turned against those who originally implemented them.

• Challenges faced by digital platforms like YouTube in moderating content.
• The balance between preventing harm and allowing free speech.
• The use of copyright strikes as a tool for censorship.

"There are people the audience for censorship is quite large and well educated and wellplaced."

• Censorship is often supported by influential and educated groups.

"They use copyright strikes to take down unpopular people or their claim that they have stolen intellectual property."

• Copyright strikes are frequently used to censor content under the guise of intellectual property protection.

• The importance of historical legal precedents in shaping modern free speech laws.
• The need for common sense application of existing laws to digital platforms.
• The distinction between harmful speech and the right to speculate and express opinions.

"We don't have to reinvent this. The English common law has been looking at this problem for roughly a thousand years."

• Historical legal frameworks provide guidance for modern free speech issues.

"In my heart, yes. But if you are saying this is a ridiculous state of affairs, we clearly need a better ruling class."

• The speaker supports the right to express dissatisfaction with the ruling class, even if it involves extreme rhetoric.

• The impact of perceived betrayal by media on public trust.
• The role of independent journalism in providing a complete picture of the news.
• The balance between acknowledging past achievements and current failures of media institutions.

"I kind of feel like I've been in a relationship with somebody and I've just realized they've been lying to me."

• Public trust in media is akin to trust in personal relationships, where betrayal can lead to skepticism.

"The official version is part of the news, but the rest of the news is the tenacious, independent-minded investigation."

• The official narrative is only one aspect of the news; independent journalism is crucial for a comprehensive understanding.

• The relationship between media brands and their audience is heavily reliant on trust, which has been eroded over time.
• Legacy media brands need to restore trust to maintain their relevance and relationship with their audience.
• The shift in media consumption habits, especially among younger audiences, challenges traditional media, as they often turn to alternative sources for news.

"The so-called great brands, the legacy brands cannot continue in the way they have been doing without restoring the relationship of trust."

• This quote emphasizes the critical need for legacy media brands to rebuild trust to survive and remain relevant in the media landscape.

• After losing trust in established media, audiences may turn to unreliable or sensational sources, a phenomenon akin to "rebounding" in relationships.
• Technological advancements are reshaping how news is consumed, especially among younger audiences who prefer platforms that differ from traditional media.
• The evolution of news consumption requires media companies to adapt and create content that resonates with the preferences of younger demographics.

"When you've been betrayed in a relationship and you leave that relationship, it is very tempting to go... on the rebound."

• This highlights the risk of audiences turning to less credible sources after losing trust in established media, similar to rebounding in personal relationships.

• The internet and artificial intelligence present opportunities to transform how news is gathered, verified, and delivered.
• The future of news may involve more creators and verification systems to ensure the authenticity of content.
• The landscape of news delivery is expected to change significantly in the next 5 to 10 years, with a focus on technology-driven solutions.

"The internet and artificial intelligence presents an enormous opportunity to reinvent how information... is delivered, how it is gathered, how it is processed and verified."

• This quote underscores the potential for technology to revolutionize the news industry, making information delivery more efficient and reliable.

• The spread of conspiracy theories is often incentivized by financial gains rather than truth, posing a challenge to factual reporting.
• Foreign entities, including state-sponsored bots, play a role in disseminating divisive content to destabilize societies.
• Addressing the influence of foreign actors is crucial to maintaining the integrity of information consumed by the public.

"The incentives become not to tell the truth... but to spread conspiracy theories because that's where the money is."

• This highlights the financial motivations behind the spread of conspiracy theories, which can undermine truthful reporting.

• Investigative journalism is crucial for exposing corruption and holding powerful entities accountable.
• The decline of mainstream media threatens the capacity for in-depth investigative reporting, which requires resources and skilled journalists.
• Maintaining a culture of accountability in journalism is essential for a transparent and informed society.

"Spotlight was a useful thing... the church should be investigated like every public institution."

• This emphasizes the importance of investigative journalism in uncovering systemic issues and holding institutions accountable, as exemplified by the Boston Globe's investigation into the Catholic Church.