After seeing this tweet posted by the account Free Public Media in the weeks before Georgia’s close elections, I emailed Gov. Kemp’s spokesman and several other state officials, including Republican and Democratic leaders in the state legislature, asking for comment. About the tweet itself and related scandals at GPB.
More than most NPR or PBS affiliates, GPB receives over 40% of its funding from state appropriations. Moreover, its oversight Commission members are appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate.
None of the state officials I emailed replied.
That may be understandable given my lack of press credentials…
Steve Bannon-allied radio host John Fredericks announced on his program this morning that he is purchasing Atlanta station AM1690 WMLB.
He said his takeover begins March 1st.
Ironically, WMLB AM1690 was an Air America affiliate from Sept. 2004 until its purchase by eccentric radio owner and host Joe Weber in 2006.
During its Air America era, the station carried progressive hosts and personalities including Al Franken, Rachel Maddow, Marc Maron, Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder.
Fredericks’ network of stations in Virginia currently airs his own morning program, Steve Bannon’s War Room, and hosts Michael Savage, Mark Levin, and Dan Bongino.
…
After a tumultuous year in which Georgia played an outsized role in national politics, and after years of political interference, conflicts of interest, and cronyism at its state-run public broadcaster, NPR’s Public Editor finally wrote something about GPB.
But instead of forthrightly tackling its ethical lapses, the column praises one reporter’s access journalism scoop and uses it to promote NPR’s regional news hubs.
Never mind that no such hub exists in Georgia and in fact a wasteful, petty turf battle between GPB and Public Broadcasting Atlanta has been ongoing for over five years.
Before joining Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, my namesake but no relation Steve Bannon famously made Breitbart News a “platform for the alt right.”
He is now active in fostering an alternative right-wing local media infrastructure in Georgia. One encompassing new digital websites, podcasts, and cross-platform video and radio streams that openly challenge both the state’s mainstream media and its legacy talk radio stations.
Like Newsmax and One America News now challenging Fox News from the right, this MAGA media challenge to Georgia’s established conservative outlets echoes a civil war within the Republican Party.
While Fox News and talk radio helped…
Extensive cross-promotion agreements and joint TV specials by Georgia Public Broadcasting and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reveal deepening ties between the two media organizations.
Added to an ongoing radio relationship, the arrangement between a public broadcaster, whose oversight body is politically appointed, and a legacy regional newspaper, owned by the state’s richest family, amounts to a public-private media conglomerate.
One that is rife with conflicts of interest and antitrust concerns but that has consistently dodged any serious outside scrutiny.
A Trade in Advertising
Underwriting agreements obtained through an Open Records Request, show a lengthy trade agreement in which state-run Georgia Public Broadcasting received weekly print…
On this date 100 years ago, Ohio Gov. and newspaper publisher James M. Cox gave his formal acceptance of the Democratic Party nomination for President.
“26 Big Screens of Data Visualizations!
Picture-in-Picture Co-Morbidities!
Two-for-one Sliders: order a Medium, receive one Rare and one Well Done.
WiFi and Covid Hotspots
Exponential topping options.”
Today’s meeting of the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission, the state oversight body that governs GPB, was canceled.
Not abruptly, this notice was posted two weeks ago, but while other state commissions and governmental bodies have managed to meet via streaming or teleconference.
Even Commissions without Telecommunications in their name.
GPB was already facing financial struggles before the pandemic and recession.
It lost $5 Million LAST year. And $10 Million on its radio operations.
To see how Public Broadcasting Atlanta was faring, I recently asked via webpage for copies of its own board minutes and FY2019 audit. …
It took a Congressional hearing and reporting led by national media outlets to finally resolve a Georgia election story from 2018.
What does that say about the relationships between state officials and the local press?
Last Monday, Georgia’s Attorney General announced the close of an investigation launched by then Secretary of State Brian Kemp into his political opponents two days before a close election.
Kemp had accused Democrats of trying to hack the state’s voter registration systems. No charges were filed and the Democratic party called the investigation “a sham from the start.”
One local opinion columnist and numerous posters…
Not All Public Radio Is Equal
On Monday the New York Times had an article about NPR in the Trump era.
It followed up on fallout from a recent interview by All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly with Sect. of State Mike Pompeo that caused him to blow up.
The State Dept. later retaliated against the network by barring a reporter from a press pool and President Trump retweeted conservative talk radio host Mark Levin’s questioning why NPR still exists.
Last week the Trump administration released its annual budget blueprint that again called for ending funding to the Corporation…
Brian Bannon
Atlanta writer and comedian. Occasional citizen journalist. Diagnosed with Asperger’s at age 40. No relation to Steve.
