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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr
@timkarr.bsky.social
6.7K followers 850 following 1.8K posts
A crash-scene investigation at the crossroads of new media & public policy. Against media concentration; for robust local journalism & digital democracy. Still attempting to master the cold take. www.freepress.net
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · Aug 4
Learn more about our plans to continually update the Media Capitulation Index and 'award' more chickens to the cowering conglomerates and stars to those with more courage.

www.freepress.net/who-owns-media
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 1h
In a desperate bid to snuff out speculation about right-wing violence, Fox News jumps to a conclusion about Judge Goldstein's house fire that distorts what arson investigators actually said.

They've not "ruled out" arson, but have thus far found "no evidence the fire was caused by an explosion."
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 1h
"When someone talks about the importance of supporting a 'free press,' don’t confuse the sentiment with the billionaire-controlled media outfit that likes to wrap itself in the rhetoric of press freedom to serve the interests of an autocrat."

Talking truth about Bari Weiss:
What's in a Name: This Free Press Isn't 'The' Free Press
While Bari Weiss borrowed our name, our two organizations could not be more different. Here’s why.
www.freepress.net
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Reposted by Tim Karr
amykristinsanders.bsky.social
Amy Kristin Sanders @amykristinsanders.bsky.social · 1h
Six federal circuits—the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th—all agree that the First Amendment protects the right to record police performing their duties in public.

Taught my students last week that they have a First Amendment right to record in Pennsylvania. So do folks in Chicago and Portland.
walterolson.bsky.social
Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 3h
New from me at The Dispatch: DHS says it's illegal to videotape ICE agents. That's not what the courts say. @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social
DHS Says Videotaping ICE Agents Is Illegal. Federal Courts Disagree.
Filming law enforcement serves important goals central to a free republic.
thedispatch.com
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 2h
The central figure in Trump's push to silence Kimmel et al is now in full damage control, trying to rewrite the history of what just happened, while offloading onto Democrats blame for his unconstitutional campaign of censorship.

Free Press' @mattfieldwood.bsky.social exposes all of Carr's lies:
Another Carr Wreck
How the current FCC chairman is ignoring the truth about free speech
pressingissues.org
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 16h
Read Matt's complete disassembly of Carr's spin at Pressing Issues:

pressingissues.org
Pressing Issues
The future of media and tech. And what you can do about it.
pressingissues.org
timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 16h
Wood breaks down Carr's evasive answers to good questions posed by The Guardian's Jeremy Barr, Bloomberg's @kelcee.bsky.social, and Deadline's @tedstew.bsky.social.

Watch Carr's nervous and evasive response to Johnson's (Deadline) questions about Carr's censorship doublespeak:
September 2025 Open Commission Meeting
YouTube video by Federal Communications Commission
youtu.be
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 16h
... "Carr knows his main mission is to serve Donald Trump’s ego," writes Wood. "So he’s trying to recast broadcasters’ duty to serve the 'public interest' into an unconstitutional shield for the fragile president’s feelings, making the FCC into the satire cops in the process."
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 16h
Last week Trump lackey Brendan Carr, went into full damage control before a panel of disbelieving journalists.

But no amount of dodging and dishonesty could save Carr from the truth, or salvage his reputation as Trump's go-to censor at the FCC.

@mattfieldwood.bsky.social has the receipts:
Another Carr Wreck
How the current FCC chairman is ignoring the truth about free speech
pressingissues.org
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 18h
Since I occasionally get called out for working for Bari Weiss (hint: I don't), I took the time to clear up any lingering confusion between @freepress.bsky.social and 'THE' Free Press.

www.freepress.net/blog/this-fr...
What's in a Name: This Free Press Isn't 'The' Free Press
While Bari Weiss borrowed our name, our two organizations could not be more different. Here’s why.
www.freepress.net
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Reposted by Tim Karr
willbunch.bsky.social
Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 22h
Someone saying "Let's do the fucking news" is the ultimate sign that person has never, ever worked in a real newsroom (the fantasyland of the NYT Opinion section doesn't count)
maxtani.bsky.social
max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 1d
Bari Weiss introduced herself to CBS News staff today on the network's 9AM call, saying she wants to "win," which requires restoring trust to CBS. She also said she was excited for staff to get to know the Free Press, and ended her remarks by saying: "Let's do the fucking news."
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 1d
To be clear: I work for Free Press—which actually takes the notion of a free, independent & adversarial media seriously. THE Free Press, on the other hand, is a beast of a different order—one that is now part of the billionaire-controlled media establishment that is capitulating to an authoritarian.
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 1d
Past is prologue:

Bari Weiss wrote CBS News staff that she was dedicated to producing “fair” & “factual” journalism.

A @popular.info editorial review of THE Free Press reveals that the publication "repeatedly distorted the truth to conform to its right-wing ideological agenda."
The devolution of CBS News
A network once revered for fact-based reporting is embracing right-wing pseudo-journalism
popular.info
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 1d
The NYT (unwittingly perhaps) answers its own question.
mehdirhasan.bsky.social
Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 1d
“Yet as a public figure, it appeared her newest allies were mostly billionaires”
How Bari Weiss Won
www.nytimes.com
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 1d
“The willingness to acquiesce to a public official’s editorial demands and have conversations with her about the direction of our coverage is a betrayal not just of the journalists who work for Carpenter Media, but of the company’s integrity as a purveyor of news.”

#MediaCapitulation
Journalists at 3 Newspapers Quit Over Edits to a Charlie Kirk Story
www.nytimes.com
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Reposted by Tim Karr
kyledcheney.bsky.social
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 2d
JUST IN: Chicago journalistsa re suing DHS and ICE over force used against reporters:

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
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Reposted by Tim Karr
mattfieldwood.bsky.social
Matt Wood @mattfieldwood.bsky.social · 1d
With Paramount buying THE Free Press and putting it in charge of an erstwhile real news organization at CBS, I think we need a new name for the network by combining the two prior names:

The Free BS

The nakedly partisan grievance culture of so many fake defenders of free speech on full display.
timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 6d
Don't be fooled for a second, THE Free Press is not defending A free press here, but engaging in the same sort of whataboutism & false equivalence that the Trump administration & Brendan Carr are pushing to contain the severe damage they're suffering in the wake of their massive Kimmel overreach.
Hollywood Discovers the Virtue of Free Speech
Hollywood finally discovers the virtue of free speech, our editors write. Now that the celebs have defended Jimmy Kimmel, how about Alex Berenson?
www.thefp.com
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 2d
This sort of coverage reminds me of those film critics who praised the cinematographic techniques of Leni Riefenstahl while ignoring the underlying message:

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
The Debate Style That Propelled Charlie Kirk’s Movement
A close read of some of Mr. Kirk’s most viral exchanges shows an approach that was polished and skillful — if not always fair.
www.nytimes.com
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Reposted by Tim Karr
davidgilbert.bsky.social
David Gilbert @davidgilbert.bsky.social · 2d
Over the weekend, Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller repeatedly attacked judges, calling them part of an "organized terrorist attack" on the US government....

On Saturday, the home of a judge who ruled against Trump, went up in flames

time.com/7323442/sout...
House of South Carolina Judge Criticized by Trump Administration Set Ablaze
Authorities are investigating a fire at the home of a South Carolina judge who had reportedly received death threats in what could be the latest incident of political violence across the country.
time.com
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Reposted by Tim Karr
globalvoices.org
Global Voices @globalvoices.org · 2d
In a world of disinformation, local journalism is a lifeline.
Help us translate, publish, and protect it.
Support Global Voices today.
globalvoices.org/donate/
#KeepGVStrong
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Reposted by Tim Karr
ruddock.bsky.social
jenna ruddock @ruddock.bsky.social · 4d
the Trump admin just deported an award-winning journalist known for his reporting on ICE and got Apple to block ICE-spotter apps — all while churning out highly-produced social media content from violent ICE raids in Chicago. it’s their media or no media. www.techpolicy.press/amidst-viole...
Amidst Violent Immigration Raids, DHS Turns to Big Tech to Silence Dissent | TechPolicy.Press
Free Press advocacy director Jenna Ruddock says the Trump administration is targeting anyone monitoring its expanding immigration enforcement operations.
www.techpolicy.press
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 5d
58% said govt threatening to revoke licenses of a TV network that criticizes it is “definitely” a violation of free speech principles; another 19% called it “probably” a violation.

Carr ran into a brick wall of public opinion & is now desperately trying to distance himself from his actions. /ends
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 5d
68% of respondents called such government action “unacceptable.” Only 13% said it was acceptable.

But 88% of Democrats & 74% of Independents said such pressure is unacceptable, compared with 42% of Republicans.

30% of Republicans said government pressure on broadcasters is acceptable.

4/5
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 5d
A separate YouGov survey asked Americans whether it is acceptable for the government to pressure broadcasters to remove shows that include speech it disagrees with.

(See: Carr/FCC efforts to silence Kimmel/ABC)

3/5
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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 5d
The too far restricting sentiment is strongest among Democrats (88%) and Independents (86%). Republicans were more split: 64% said speech is being restricted too much, while nearly one-third (31%) said the U.S. has gone too far in expanding it.

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timkarr.bsky.social
Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 5d
The GOP ran in 2024 as the free speech party. Recent polling says otherwise:

Marist found nearly 8 in 10 adults say the country has gone too far restricting free speech, compared with just 19% who believe it has gone too far expanding it.

But things get dicey when you factor by party ...

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Polls Reveal Public Concern on Government’s TV Influence | Radio & Television Business Report
The fight over who gets to decide what Americans watch on broadcast television has escalated from regulatory theory to Congressional showdown, and three new national surveys reveal sharp divides in ho...
rbr.com
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