"Denuding politics of meaning and treating it as if it were all a matter of insider expertise (akin to sports-talk) has been among the most insidious aspects of legacy media coverage; a convenient dodge for avoiding the task of calling out Republicans for lying or prejudice."
I'm a subscriber, but most, if not all, of their articles are free to read. If you're not a subscriber, you will see ads asking you to subscribe, but those ads can be closed and the Guardian does not keep pestering you as you read articles.
Which is good for those who cannot afford it, but if you can, supporting good journalism in this day and age is critical. And that means paying. They don’t do this for free.
I’ve opted to pay $5 per month. I like to compare my impressions of Guardian headlines with NYTimes headlines. The Guardian communicates that there’s real trouble in the world. The NYTimes vibe tends to be, “fair weather,” though there are things for us to be concerned about.
The lead set of stories in The Guardian now is all about the election, from the perspective of exposing rising authoritarianism. For example, title and subtitle from the Guardian:
‘Page one of repressive playbook’: critics warn of Trump’s conspiratorial attacks
President’s outlandish and extensive conspiracy theories endanger US freedoms, health and science, experts say
The Times is focusing on polls and individuals running for office, as if this is just another election in a healthy democracy.
Personally I despair of the eventual improvement of legacy media. The major TV & cable outlets have become complicit in or eager to help with the Trumpist project. Many news stories are now being held hostage behind a paywall and one still must endure constant advertising bombardment. Video reports and commentary pieces by "independent" reporters and "new" media (Contrarian, Bulwark, MediasTouch, Jason Jay Smart, Jake Broe, Professor Gerdes, etc) has overtaken the likes of CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, etc. I will not grieve for the billionaire-operated channels when they are gone.
Thanks for this valuable information, Jen. To sugarcoat the news is essentially lying to the consumers of media. I totally agree call it out for what it is. If Trump or any other officeholder cannot answer straightforward questions, then they’re lying. The media should never be victims to any of their shenanigans.
All the big players in the media, government and corporations that have carried water for trump are sure of the fact that we will forget all of this once trump is gone. Our short attention span in the past has allowed this to go on. Accountability is the only way to prevent another trump.
Sadly, you're probably right. The American public has all the attention span of a speed-addicted gnat. I don't know that it's that much better anywhere else-- maybe it is and maybe it isn't. But at least in the US of A, it's bad and getting worse.
Republican-fascist party understands one thing greed. Every move is based on money. So it is simple turn off any news from cbs,fox,and NBC. Watch your news on PBS NEWS HOUR AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL REPORTS. Uninstall x and Facebook. The advertising money will dry up and they will fail. Bonus you get to clear all the chaos and racial hate from impacting your mind. You can do this I have. Legacy news is never going to be what it was so shut it off. The Ellisons and the Oligarchs will never change, so turn them off totally and find your news by researching independent media and getting Democracy Docket with Marc Elias and The Contrarian with Jen Rubin and Midas news for a few.
Like Jennifer, Margaret Sullivan is a brilliant and dedicated journalist. When they both wrote for the Post, I actually found Jennifer to be a bit too right of center for me at times. However, they are dedicated to conscientious journalism and they are perfectly aligned today. Thank you both!!
We don't have time for the legacy media to correct its failures. We need the growth of free, fact-based local news outlets that will be watched/read by the audiences who are susceptible to special interests' lies and who vote against their own and the national interest. Courier Newsroom products (https://couriernewsroom.com/about) won't appeal to you, a reader of The Contrarian, but this pathbreaking news outlet deserves your support! Think of your donation as buying a reality-based news subscription on behalf of the many people who will never pay for news content.
These are laudable ideas and actions presented, however, editors have proven to be responding to the will of publishers and their oligarch owners. Profit before truth, and the taint of sanewashing and soft-pedaling has been around for long enough there is doubt that outsiders (we) can improve or even want to bother. What we have done is retire our subscriptions and redirect the funds to truly independent journalists, many who reside on Substack. If "legacy media" wants to redeem itself as an honest and honorable Fourth Estate, it will have to change from the inside.
I hope this list makes its way into schools of journalism. Grateful for The Contrarian as well as other independent essayists and journalists. This development may be one of the silver linings in this dark time. Finally Americans who would act as engaged citizens must get smart and more capable of critical thought. Shutting off screens may be a helpful first step.
I’m a sportswriter by trade, which means I get to cover an ever-changing landscape. No two games are ever the same. Political coverage, on the other hand is the same old, same old, done by rote and, it seems, fear of getting credentials revoked. It makes you wonder how smart, or at least how observant some of these journalists are, because it’s not been hard to see these last 10 years or so how much of an ignorant clown and utter failure Trump has been. The truth is, that would describe his entire life. The legacy media has done the country a great disservice by not being more diligent in pointing that out. I know it won’t miss little old me, but I’ll never return to it. I get my news from clear-eyed, fair-minded sources like The Contrarian.
Glad to see these guidelines and sad that legacy journalism has stooped to a level that the guidelines are needed. Abstract out the central themes and you get what we try to instill in elementary school students (e.g. don’t support bullies, be truthful, words have descriptive meanings, etc.)
I support these guidelines and have signed on. Thanks for the heads up.
One thing missing in them, though, is the nuance of where facts are reported even within a single story. For instance, for a long time the NY Times (to pick on an obvious example) would report on Trump’s claims of voter fraud and dutifully mention that no such fraud exists, which fits these guidelines. Unfortunately, that disclaimer would not appear until late in the article, which only idiots would still be reading. Since Trump has been slipping, I’ve noticed the Times’ standard voter fraud disclaimer timidly migrating closer to the start of the story. Great.
Where it rarely appears, though, is the headline, which is what most people read. How hard would it be to include the entirely accurate word “false” in front of the phrase “claims of voter fraud?” And why does the NY Times’ increasing intrepidness seem to correlate with Trump’s growing weakness? How is burying salient facts more balanced than reporting them up front?
An Trump 2024 campaign ad returns, now paid for by taxpayers in flagrant violation of federal laws.
Trump self enrichment, emoluments violations & institutionalization of kleptocracy.
How much grifting & fraud is too much?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/27/us/politics/trump-ad-government-campaign.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ElE.3uHE.KMn7WTDw0UmT&smid=url-share
Please, #VoteBlue
"Denuding politics of meaning and treating it as if it were all a matter of insider expertise (akin to sports-talk) has been among the most insidious aspects of legacy media coverage; a convenient dodge for avoiding the task of calling out Republicans for lying or prejudice."
I signed the letter.
It's time to Make Lying Wrong Again.
It's never been an American value.
The Guardian appears to be better than most legacy media outlets in already adhering to the guidelines.
Agree, people should get a subscription to the Guardian, and it’s not too expensive. In fact, I think you can get it free in some modest version.
I'm a subscriber, but most, if not all, of their articles are free to read. If you're not a subscriber, you will see ads asking you to subscribe, but those ads can be closed and the Guardian does not keep pestering you as you read articles.
Which is good for those who cannot afford it, but if you can, supporting good journalism in this day and age is critical. And that means paying. They don’t do this for free.
I’ve opted to pay $5 per month. I like to compare my impressions of Guardian headlines with NYTimes headlines. The Guardian communicates that there’s real trouble in the world. The NYTimes vibe tends to be, “fair weather,” though there are things for us to be concerned about.
The lead set of stories in The Guardian now is all about the election, from the perspective of exposing rising authoritarianism. For example, title and subtitle from the Guardian:
‘Page one of repressive playbook’: critics warn of Trump’s conspiratorial attacks
President’s outlandish and extensive conspiracy theories endanger US freedoms, health and science, experts say
The Times is focusing on polls and individuals running for office, as if this is just another election in a healthy democracy.
Personally I despair of the eventual improvement of legacy media. The major TV & cable outlets have become complicit in or eager to help with the Trumpist project. Many news stories are now being held hostage behind a paywall and one still must endure constant advertising bombardment. Video reports and commentary pieces by "independent" reporters and "new" media (Contrarian, Bulwark, MediasTouch, Jason Jay Smart, Jake Broe, Professor Gerdes, etc) has overtaken the likes of CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, etc. I will not grieve for the billionaire-operated channels when they are gone.
Thanks for this valuable information, Jen. To sugarcoat the news is essentially lying to the consumers of media. I totally agree call it out for what it is. If Trump or any other officeholder cannot answer straightforward questions, then they’re lying. The media should never be victims to any of their shenanigans.
All the big players in the media, government and corporations that have carried water for trump are sure of the fact that we will forget all of this once trump is gone. Our short attention span in the past has allowed this to go on. Accountability is the only way to prevent another trump.
Sadly, you're probably right. The American public has all the attention span of a speed-addicted gnat. I don't know that it's that much better anywhere else-- maybe it is and maybe it isn't. But at least in the US of A, it's bad and getting worse.
Republican-fascist party understands one thing greed. Every move is based on money. So it is simple turn off any news from cbs,fox,and NBC. Watch your news on PBS NEWS HOUR AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL REPORTS. Uninstall x and Facebook. The advertising money will dry up and they will fail. Bonus you get to clear all the chaos and racial hate from impacting your mind. You can do this I have. Legacy news is never going to be what it was so shut it off. The Ellisons and the Oligarchs will never change, so turn them off totally and find your news by researching independent media and getting Democracy Docket with Marc Elias and The Contrarian with Jen Rubin and Midas news for a few.
Like Jennifer, Margaret Sullivan is a brilliant and dedicated journalist. When they both wrote for the Post, I actually found Jennifer to be a bit too right of center for me at times. However, they are dedicated to conscientious journalism and they are perfectly aligned today. Thank you both!!
We don't have time for the legacy media to correct its failures. We need the growth of free, fact-based local news outlets that will be watched/read by the audiences who are susceptible to special interests' lies and who vote against their own and the national interest. Courier Newsroom products (https://couriernewsroom.com/about) won't appeal to you, a reader of The Contrarian, but this pathbreaking news outlet deserves your support! Think of your donation as buying a reality-based news subscription on behalf of the many people who will never pay for news content.
These are laudable ideas and actions presented, however, editors have proven to be responding to the will of publishers and their oligarch owners. Profit before truth, and the taint of sanewashing and soft-pedaling has been around for long enough there is doubt that outsiders (we) can improve or even want to bother. What we have done is retire our subscriptions and redirect the funds to truly independent journalists, many who reside on Substack. If "legacy media" wants to redeem itself as an honest and honorable Fourth Estate, it will have to change from the inside.
I hope this list makes its way into schools of journalism. Grateful for The Contrarian as well as other independent essayists and journalists. This development may be one of the silver linings in this dark time. Finally Americans who would act as engaged citizens must get smart and more capable of critical thought. Shutting off screens may be a helpful first step.
Everyone please sign it now and spread the word.
I’m a sportswriter by trade, which means I get to cover an ever-changing landscape. No two games are ever the same. Political coverage, on the other hand is the same old, same old, done by rote and, it seems, fear of getting credentials revoked. It makes you wonder how smart, or at least how observant some of these journalists are, because it’s not been hard to see these last 10 years or so how much of an ignorant clown and utter failure Trump has been. The truth is, that would describe his entire life. The legacy media has done the country a great disservice by not being more diligent in pointing that out. I know it won’t miss little old me, but I’ll never return to it. I get my news from clear-eyed, fair-minded sources like The Contrarian.
Had read M Sullivan’s Substack on this, now have added my name - thanks for the boost!
Glad to see these guidelines and sad that legacy journalism has stooped to a level that the guidelines are needed. Abstract out the central themes and you get what we try to instill in elementary school students (e.g. don’t support bullies, be truthful, words have descriptive meanings, etc.)
I support these guidelines and have signed on. Thanks for the heads up.
One thing missing in them, though, is the nuance of where facts are reported even within a single story. For instance, for a long time the NY Times (to pick on an obvious example) would report on Trump’s claims of voter fraud and dutifully mention that no such fraud exists, which fits these guidelines. Unfortunately, that disclaimer would not appear until late in the article, which only idiots would still be reading. Since Trump has been slipping, I’ve noticed the Times’ standard voter fraud disclaimer timidly migrating closer to the start of the story. Great.
Where it rarely appears, though, is the headline, which is what most people read. How hard would it be to include the entirely accurate word “false” in front of the phrase “claims of voter fraud?” And why does the NY Times’ increasing intrepidness seem to correlate with Trump’s growing weakness? How is burying salient facts more balanced than reporting them up front?
"Don’t platform liars or act as a stenographer for those who repeatedly lie.". This. A thousand times this.