Everyday the Washington Post’s “democracy dies in darkness” grows evermore ironic and detached from the reality of what the publication—and legacy media as a whole—has become. In the latest clash between independent and mainstream press, one of the country’s largest remaining newspapers accused—and then retracted—a claim that The Grayzone had received payments from the Iranian media.
The Grayzone editor-in-chief, Max Blumenthal, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence to discuss the attack on the publication and its dark implications for the future of media.
Blumenthal explains how publications like the Post produce articles like this in response to the factual yet inconvenient reporting of outlets like The Grayzone:
“This is what passes for journalism in the Washington Post. That in itself should be a scandal but what has happened is everyone who hates us, who wants to take us down because of our factual journalism, especially Zionists, the pro-Israel lobby, has taken this article and declared matter of factly without any evidence that The Grayzone is funded by Iran and Russia.“
With the surge in intelligence officials populating corporate media shows and frequently serving as anonymous sources in reports of global events such as the war in Gaza, the war in Ukraine and other affairs, it comes as no surprise that attacks like this latest one on The Grayzone happen.
Blumenthal reflects on the media’s self awareness of their downfall, noting that their audience is thinning and independent media rightly and honorably serves as a threat. “They have put a target on my back. They can't control me, they can't control so many independent outlets I can think of and at the same time, their own audience is bleeding.”