A large network of prominent regional newspapers have posted thousands of low-quality articles promoting gambling and prediction markets — and pretending it’s journalism.
They have essentially turned gambling into the newest (so far, unfettered) growth industry. Gambling. I believe that this will be a problem for sports and politics when the corruption that gambling always produces will make trust in everything suspect.
Great reporting Judd on a subject that is seldom addressed in the national news media. This topic is on track to reach high school’s where betting on outcomes will be the norm. Right now….
46 states allow high school athletes to sell their images.
Betting on games will follow.
Grade school on the horizon?
If this is capitalism it’s not regulated by caring adults.
This is great reporting on an important story. Judd Legum & Pop Info keep demonstrating journalism that makes the NYT & other big boys look lacking and unserious.
It's sad that local journalism used to be so important and even reliable, and theoretically still could be. But I'm sure they are all desperate for money, making them ripe for the picking by gambling interests looking to wash their reputations.
There is so much going on here it is difficult to begin. The death of journalism by a thousand cuts comes first. The cuts, of course, are all those "citizen journalists" that the internet created where opinion became news or fact. The next is gambling addiction as normal. Dad, where's your paycheck? The third is that we are all at fault, in a way, and except for the stalwarts, like Judd, and presumably his readers, the country is too passive and stupid to understand what is being done to them. What a terrible conclusion and I am sure that there are mothers and teachers screaming bloody murder over these articles - but screaming where? Into the Facebook void - where their experience watching families lose everything goes to be debated, and die.
But stop for a minute and think about how much garbage influences our lives every day. We read, listen and watch our siloed news sources and hope we don't miss the important stuff and that our trusted journalists are reporting the truth. But let's face it, except for mainstream journalists and some outliers like Judd, much of what we read, hear or watch is opinion based on other sources. I will never give up my local Berkshire paper which fights hard for its integrity. I will never ever give up on the New York Times until a billionaire buys it. I still rely on and trust the Boston Globe although it is not quite as hard hitting as it once was.
As for television, I watch some version of news shows on NBC that swings from war stories without meat to stories of bears and monkeys being alternately frightening or desperately cute. And I listen to an NPR station here in Massachusetts that I trust.
Otherwise, I know that when I watch IHIP, or any of the other left wing, democracy-first, anti-Twump YouTube content providers, I take what they say with a grain of salt. They make me laugh and they keep my blood at a level of boil that doesn't kill me, but too often their talk is filled with conjecture or missed guesses on facts.
I think we see the widespread societal results for Americans when their nightly TV news and their "printed" news, such as it exists, are spooning pablum as news. This is not new but it is dangerous because just like promoting smoking, drinking and porn, the gambling stuff is addictive and destructive beyond help.
They've sold their credibility. Now, they're rankings will gradually disintegrate. I guess they bargained that they would pull a profit from the death of search engines.
If I produce this slop, could I be considered a journalist? My mom would be so proud. </sarcasm>
They have essentially turned gambling into the newest (so far, unfettered) growth industry. Gambling. I believe that this will be a problem for sports and politics when the corruption that gambling always produces will make trust in everything suspect.
Time will tell.
Great reporting Judd on a subject that is seldom addressed in the national news media. This topic is on track to reach high school’s where betting on outcomes will be the norm. Right now….
46 states allow high school athletes to sell their images.
Betting on games will follow.
Grade school on the horizon?
If this is capitalism it’s not regulated by caring adults.
Teaching greed is not an option!
This is great reporting on an important story. Judd Legum & Pop Info keep demonstrating journalism that makes the NYT & other big boys look lacking and unserious.
Love you guys, Judd. Thanks for all you do.
Thank you, Judd. As if we did not already enable addicts of every stripe!
It's sad that local journalism used to be so important and even reliable, and theoretically still could be. But I'm sure they are all desperate for money, making them ripe for the picking by gambling interests looking to wash their reputations.
Really sad that respected journalists would stoop to this new low. Thank you for pointing it out.
There is so much going on here it is difficult to begin. The death of journalism by a thousand cuts comes first. The cuts, of course, are all those "citizen journalists" that the internet created where opinion became news or fact. The next is gambling addiction as normal. Dad, where's your paycheck? The third is that we are all at fault, in a way, and except for the stalwarts, like Judd, and presumably his readers, the country is too passive and stupid to understand what is being done to them. What a terrible conclusion and I am sure that there are mothers and teachers screaming bloody murder over these articles - but screaming where? Into the Facebook void - where their experience watching families lose everything goes to be debated, and die.
But stop for a minute and think about how much garbage influences our lives every day. We read, listen and watch our siloed news sources and hope we don't miss the important stuff and that our trusted journalists are reporting the truth. But let's face it, except for mainstream journalists and some outliers like Judd, much of what we read, hear or watch is opinion based on other sources. I will never give up my local Berkshire paper which fights hard for its integrity. I will never ever give up on the New York Times until a billionaire buys it. I still rely on and trust the Boston Globe although it is not quite as hard hitting as it once was.
As for television, I watch some version of news shows on NBC that swings from war stories without meat to stories of bears and monkeys being alternately frightening or desperately cute. And I listen to an NPR station here in Massachusetts that I trust.
Otherwise, I know that when I watch IHIP, or any of the other left wing, democracy-first, anti-Twump YouTube content providers, I take what they say with a grain of salt. They make me laugh and they keep my blood at a level of boil that doesn't kill me, but too often their talk is filled with conjecture or missed guesses on facts.
I think we see the widespread societal results for Americans when their nightly TV news and their "printed" news, such as it exists, are spooning pablum as news. This is not new but it is dangerous because just like promoting smoking, drinking and porn, the gambling stuff is addictive and destructive beyond help.
You really are the best.... thank you
They've sold their credibility. Now, they're rankings will gradually disintegrate. I guess they bargained that they would pull a profit from the death of search engines.