Rushfield at The Ankler is writing a ‘field guide’ to the various species that inhabit Hollywood. Actors, agents, producers. Today he covers reporters.
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At the root of the reporters condition, always remember that they are the survivors of a nearly dead profession, even if the trade variety here still ambles on. The ones who are still working have seen almost their entire peer group wiped away, and are reminded daily that their continued employment is generally dependent on the whims of some billionaire owner or another. If your billionaire sneezes — or more likely, realizes that they really, really don’t like losing even a little money — your career will be gone with the wind.
= = = = = END RUSHFIELD.
I don’t feel the slightest sympathy. Journalists and entertainers have been ripping up their own foundations for decades. Both deserve their fate. Back when Hollywood was the cultural arbiter of the Western world, reporters were the arbiters of the arbiters. Louella got instant obedience and sycophancy from every actor and agent who wanted to survive. Winchell could make or break, and always did.
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This reminded me of the item about a 2016 Nieman Lab survey at the time when journalists were SHOCKED that anyone could fail to worship Goddess Hillary. They asked 100 different journalists to write about the loss of trust. Only one, Matt Waite, got it right. Just for fun I looked at the Nieman website to see if they had learned anything in 8 years. Of course not. They’re still complaining that nobody trusts them, and still taking steps to make the situation worse. More “climate”! More diversity! More RUSSIAN_AGGRESSION! Enrich Wall Street! Smash Main Street! Destroy all peasants!
Polistra's Mill 