Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · 2d

Enjoyed being on the show today. Watch it here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykAv...

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · 18d

Workers should not lose jobs merely because in off hours they have controversial things to say on social media or in other public settings, and elected officials should not be egging on this witch hunt. My latest column up today at @tennesseelookout.com.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/09/23/t...
.

Tennessee employers could use more restraint, less impulse in First Amendment matters • Tennessee Lookout

Since the murder of Charlie Kirk, employers have been violating the First Amendment by firing employees, writes Bruce Barry.

tennesseelookout.com

1 2 8

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · 19d

Fun as always doing Nashville in Focus with host Scott Couch and panel. For the few who weren't up Sunday at 6:30 am to watch it live stream here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Xc...

Nashville in Focus: President Trump sending troops to Memphis, comments on Charlie Kirk's death

YouTube video by FOX NASHVILLE

www.youtube.com

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · 22d

CD 7 Adwatch: FCC filings show first Dem up on TV is Darden Copeland on Ch 2, 4, 5. A modest buy: ~$30K total through 9/22, $14K of it a one-shot splurge on 30 seconds during Titans Colts on Sunday. Meanwhile Vincent Dixie hits radio with spots on 92Q.

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · 26d

With some public universities and agencies letting themselves be pressured into firing staff for political expression, worth having a look at this very good @volokhc.bsky.social summary of the state of the law on free speech and employment in the public sector.

reason.com/volokh/2025/...

Firing Public Employees Who Publicly Praise Violent Criminal Attacks

Some have been calling for the firing of people who publicly praised the murder of Charlie Kirk, or at least...

reason.com

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · 29d

CD7 Adwatch: @nashvillebanner.bsky.social reports today that Vincent Dixie "is the first Democrat to launch on TV" but no FCC filings (yet) for a buy by Dixie or any other Dem. With early voting for primary days away appears Dems mostly avoiding TV, unlike Repubs who are all over it.

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Sep 11

Tell me this line of Matt Van Epps's TV spot, "I know what to do to terrorists, so these woke wannabes in Washington better take cover," is not a call for violence against political foes. (Or does he believe that one debates policy with terrorists?) Jarring cluelessness especially after yesterday.

2

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Sep 11

Update: Van Epps adds cable buy (Fox + ESPN) and pro-Van Epps PAC with begins airing on ch 2, 4, 5 plus cable (Fox + Newsmax). The PAC buy includes a spot during each of next two Titans game, each costing a cool 21 large.

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Sep 11

Thanks @axios.com for adding a link to the full document to the story.

www.axios.com/local/nashvi...

1

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Sep 9

Hey @axios.com Nashville if you have obtained this document why doesn't your story link to it? Reporting on it is short form and sketchy. Let's see the full document.

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Sep 9

Not yet. First pre-primary FEC filing deadline is 9/25 (close of books 9/17) so we'll have data in a couple of weeks.

1

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Sep 9

CD7 ad watch: FCC filings show GOPers Reeves and Van Epps airing 30 sec spots on Ch 2, 4, 5. Bulso doing Fox and Newsmax on cable in Williamson. Reeves and Bulso buying 99.7 radio. Dem filings: zilch. Mitchell email-blasted a 30-sec spot today but no buy yet.

1

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Aug 26

Not sure the Dolly musical, workshopping at Belmont to a pretty good amount of local plaudits, is getting the sort of advance buzz in the NY theater press that it might have wished for.

nypost.com/2025/08/23/e...

nypost.com

Reposted by Bruce Barry

Liz McGeachy @lizmcgeachy.bsky.social · Aug 26

Gerrymandering has got to stop. You can see how it has completely f@#ked up politics in TN. Here's a good commentary from @tennesseelookout.com

How the Texas-California redistricting brawl relates to Tennessee • Tennessee Lookout

A gerrymandered 7th Congressional District in Tennessee has opened the door for 18 candidates and Democrats hope to pick up a seat.

tennesseelookout.com

5 5

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Aug 26

The Texas-California rhubarb over redistricting has me pondering our own congressional gerrymandered madness here in Nashville, and the upcoming CD-7 special election. My latest column up today at @tennesseelookout.com.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/08/26/h...

How the Texas-California redistricting brawl relates to Tennessee • Tennessee Lookout

A gerrymandered 7th Congressional District in Tennessee has opened the door for 18 candidates and Democrats hope to pick up a seat.

tennesseelookout.com

1 3 8

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Jul 11

Nashville needs to decide what it wants to be when it grows up. My latest column up today at @tennesseelookout.com.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/07/11/n...

Nashville is a city on the move but running in place • Tennessee Lookout

Columnist Bruce Barry writes that Nashville appears to be growing by some measures, but feels stagnant for locals.

tennesseelookout.com

2 4 17

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Jul 2

Big haul for @tennesseelookout.com in Tennessee Press Association awards. Happy to be a small piece...

tennesseelookout.com/briefs/tenne...

Tennessee Lookout claims 14 awards in Tennessee Press Association contest • Tennessee Lookout

The Tennessee Lookout took home 14 awards in the 2025 University of Tennessee - Tennessee Press Association contest.

tennesseelookout.com

1 10

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Jun 30

"Ryan was abandoned by the same people who were supposed to protect the university." A sad and disappointing outcome for my alma mater UVa, whose Board of Visitors compromised principle in favor of capitulation. Color me one disgusted wahoo.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/30/o...

Opinion | What the University of Virginia Should Have Done

www.nytimes.com

1

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Jun 6

"Top headline" @thetennesean.bsky.social feeds is an advance preview of something that happened yesterday. Some days I can't believe I pay actual money to subscribe to this stupefying level of incompetence. Come to think of it most days.

1

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · May 30

Outrage at ICE operations on Nashville streets is understandable, but Dems wishing to return to power must also say what they would do differently to abate unauthorized immigration (which voters are clearly demanding). My latest column at @tennesseelookout.com.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/05/29/m...

Moving beyond moral indignation on Tennessee immigration enforcement • Tennessee Lookout

Columnist Bruce Barry writes that moral indignation over President Donald Trump's immigration policies isn't enough, as solutions are needed.

tennesseelookout.com

1 3

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · May 29

Moving beyond moral indignation on Tennessee immigration enforcement: my latest column at @tennesseelookout.com up today.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/05/29/m...

Moving beyond moral indignation on Tennessee immigration enforcement • Tennessee Lookout

Columnist Bruce Barry writes that moral indignation over President Donald Trump's immigration policies isn't enough, as solutions are needed.

tennesseelookout.com

1 4 8

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · May 20

Startling to see these WSJ stories - two cities not so long ago the object of much urban growth + vibe envy, both now bleeding talent and mojo. There's a cautionary tale in here for Nashville no doubt...

1

Reposted by Bruce Barry

Holly McCall @jhollymc.bsky.social · Apr 30

I wish I could take credit for this headline but like the rest of the column, it's all @brucebarry.bsky.social.

Don’t fear the reefer • Tennessee Lookout

Tennessee is among a few states where marijuana is illegal for any use, against the wishes of voters, according to polling.

tennesseelookout.com

7 12 83

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Apr 30

On the subject of regulating cannabis, TN's feckless legislature in the session just ended once again chose nanny-state provincialism over giving the people what they want. My latest column up today at @tennesseelookout.com.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/04/30/d...

Don’t fear the reefer • Tennessee Lookout

Tennessee is among a few states where marijuana is illegal for any use, against the wishes of voters, according to polling.

tennesseelookout.com

1 7 21

Bruce Barry @brucebarry.bsky.social · Apr 23

Don't have to be a business school professor to surmise that this is a harebrained small business idea. Wish them the best but putting the over/under at six months.

www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ap...

‘Death to streamers!’: can a New York video store start a revolution?

Despite the ongoing Netflix era, Brooklyn’s Night Owl Video hopes formats such as VHS, DVD and Blu-ray will see a vinyl-like revival

www.theguardian.com

1