Episode 16: The Blacklisting of Independent Media Feat. Kyle Kulinski

If you want to support the show and receive access to bonus content, subscribe on our Patreon page for as little as $5 a month. On this episode of Around The Empire, Dan and Joanne interview progressive journalist and activist Kyle Kulinski (Secular Talk) about media concentration and the seemingly coordinated strategy to weaken, undermine, and destroy independent media. The discussion focuses on "ProporNot" blacklist and other "fake news" claims that establishment media has used to call for a crackdown on platforms such as Facebook, which has now agreed to begin blacklisting unapproved content. A similar crackdown has occurred against independent media on YouTube known as the "Adpocalypse," which has demonetized numerous independent media content under the guise of preventing advertisers from being in front of "extremist content." The crippling demonetization of Kyle and others' news and politics shows comes as YouTube begins to launch YouTube TV with establishment media companies. The blacklisting and demonetization are occurring on both platforms as independent media is increasingly taking market share and relevance from legacy outlets. The dangers of "fake news" and "extremist content" appear more and more to be pretexts for anti-competitive practices to protect established media monopolies. Follow Kyle on Twitter @KyleKulinski