ACORN Story Shows How Internet Reporting Is Beating the New York Times

US News & World Report ^ | September 28, 2009 | Doug Heye

[2ndDivisionVet]

In a meeting of New York conservative activists earlier this month, Andrew Breitbart received a raucous standing ovation for doing something many conservatives never dreamed possible. He beat The New York Times.

As video upon video were released showing ACORN employees eagerly helping two conservatives (Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe) set up prostitution as a legitimate business, file false tax statements and engage in the trafficking of underage illegal immigrants, much of the major media remained silent.

For conservatives, the rationale was simple: the major media were uninterested in exposing an organization linked with President Barack Obama.

There may have been something else at play—snobbery. Large media organizations look down upon opinion news sites and blogs that are not their own, painting most conservative sites and talk shows with a broad brush as amateurish and full of crazy people with crazier ideas (read: dangerous). To an august newspaper as The New York Times, some You Tube videos on BigGovernment.com were not newsworthy and certainly not credible.

Thus the Times remained silent as the evidence of ACORN corruption continued to grow. Fifteen years ago, that would have been the end of the ACORN story. Smoking gun video, or not, if major media outlets ignored a story, it never happened.

Things have changed.

The creation of the Fox News Channel gave conservatives somewhere else to go other than the stone wall they faced at the three major networks, CNN, the Washington Post and New York Times. The "launch mentality" Roger Ailes has maintained at Fox, combined with sky-high ratings, means stories ignored in the past see the light of day.

The explosion of Internet reporting means that no story will necessarily be ignored even when a major news organization, at its own peril, does so.

Clark Boyd, Times public editor, said as much by writing in his column "Tuning In Too Late," that "The Times stood still," and "needs to be alert to [stories such as the ACORN story] or wind up looking clueless or, worse, partisan itself." This was further confirmed by the Times announcement of a new opinion media editor charged with focusing on cable news shows, political blogs, etc.

Breitbart's efforts—and the work of Giles and O'Keefe—in pushing the ACORN story as aggressively as most major media outlets ignored it, demonstrated both how the cards in a newsroom can be stacked and how the explosion of political blogs, opinion sites, viral video and even Facebook status updates and Tweets (be they from the Left or the Right) has shuffled the deck.

[2ndDivisionVet]

In a fair world the two youngsters would be up for a Pulitzer prize.

[Jet Jaguar]

ACORN Ping!

FReep mail me if you want on/off the list.

[chris37]

Meanwhile, The New York Times deceptively second guesses itself for being slow to report the ACORN story while at the same time it purposefully blacks out and ignores the NEA story, which is actually an even bigger story. I’m not buying it, NYT, you are done.

[This_far]

There’s been no mention of the ACORN story here (print/tv).

The local United Way drive is on. The local site has no information as to where the funds go, but they say it all stays local.

[paudio]

Clark Boyd, Times public editor

I'm quite sure his name is Clark Hoyt. This is from US News & World Report? No wonder they are also in danger...

[freedumb2003]

The Internet exposed the following DESPITE the best attempts of the MSM to spike the stories (just a few off the top of my head):
* Monica Lewinsky’s dress
* Dan Rather TANG
* stopping whoopie goldberg as a spokesperson for Slim-Fast
* relegating the anti-Reagan hit piece to the cable hinterlands
* Van Jones’ midnight resignation
* acorn’s corruption

I am sure there are others, but it is late and I am tired...

[Gondring]

>>Clark Boyd, Times public editor, said as much by writing in his column "Tuning In Too Late," that "The Times stood still," and "needs to be alert to [stories such as the ACORN story] or wind up looking clueless or, worse, partisan itself." This was further confirmed by the Times announcement of a new opinion media editor charged with focusing on cable news shows, political blogs, etc.

>I'm quite sure his name is Clark Hoyt.

Yes, Clark Hoyt.

And as was pointed out by James Taranto in the WSJ, The New York Times was quite aware of the story...they just chose not to run it.

[Timocrat]

The Times stood still," and "needs to be alert to [stories such as the ACORN story] or wind up looking clueless or, worse, partisan itself."

Or possibly both ! Well, wouldn't want the Times to be Partisan ! I assume this was written tongue in cheek.

[D-fendr]

Good list, however...

All of those required the MSM to pick it up to get legs. Even Rev. Wright required MSM to break open (just took one appearance on Good Morning America) after months of Hannity’s harping on it.

Van Jones was the first time a story began and ended completely without MSM attention.

Dawn of a new day.

[kabumpo]

No one with any morals would accept a Pulitzer after one was given to Walter Duranty of the NYT for denying the Ukranian famine that killed more than five million.

[Prole]

Pour it on, FRiends.

The communists and other democrats in the damn MSM cannot keep up with us forever!

We Conservative Americans will prevail, and we will spread the truth about Obama's LIES, DECEPTIONS AND FRAUD!!!

[Yaelle]

Clark Boyd, Times public editor, said as much by writing in his column "Tuning In Too Late," that "The Times stood still," and "needs to be alert to [stories such as the ACORN story] or wind up looking clueless or, worse, partisan itself."

Partisan?? The NYT?? Say it aint so!

[SkyPilot]

The NY Times refused to comment on this story.

[abb]

This is where we - as a conservative movement - need to go. Forget about whining that the NY Times, CBS, et al don’t treat us fairly. They never have and never will.

We should just go over them and grind them underfoot.

[Hardastarboard]

the Times announcement of a new opinion media editor charged with focusing on cable news shows, political blogs, etc.

I'm sure this editor's primary mission will be "debunking" most of these "radical right wing" internet sites' stories (e.g. Dan Rather, ACORN, etc).

[Grampa Dave]

I never had sex with that ACORN!

[Liz]

Here's an item you won't see in the NY Times.

Tax-exempt Clinton Foundation donated $250,000 to ACORN

Clinton pictured above with ACORN founder Wade Rathke (pic found by tina07).

The tax-exempt Clinton Foundation had just donated $250,000 to ACORN.

The tax-exempt Clinton Foundation provided $275,000 in grants for ACORNS’S "Katrina Benefits Access project" and ACORN'S "Operation Hope Project; Restore Hope."

The tax-exempt Clinton Foundation also helped secure private sector commitments for ACORN.

NOTE Wade's brother Dale stole $1 million from ACORN--no charges were filed.

===============================================

REFERENCE The IRS has pinpointed tax-exempt "foundations and charities" as the locus classicus for tax evasion and money laundering. The BIGGEST tax-exempt fraud --- a tax-exempt foundation writing checks to a tax-exempt charity (that's the way crooks look "altruistic" as they siphon off tax-free money for personal uses).

===================================================

IRS TOLL-FREE 1-800-829-0433----you may remain anonymous.

EMAIL .......OAAG.Tax@tax.USDOJ.gov

REPORT POSSIBLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY : Conspiracy, collusion, government fraud; mishandling public property, falsifying official records, tax fraud, computer trespass, US Postal and electronic fraud.

FBI TIP PAGE http://tips.fbi.gov/ (you may remain anonymous)

Toll-free Capitol switchboard: 800-965-4701----800-828-0498------- 877-762-8762

[UCANSEE2]

United Way sends funds to ACORN.