The Voice of Dexistan

The **Voice of Dexistan** is a Dexistan-based daily newspaper and media conglomerate founded in February 2020 by Saul Goodman, a journalist and entrepreneur. It is the second most popular newspaper on the Realm in a close second with the New Rawabi Times due to its policy of "mass distribution" where it is sold at a heavy discount in foreign countries in order to expand readership. On an average weekday, it has a readership of over five million. The highest it had ever been was during the Second Great Realm War when it peaked at over 80 million purchases spanning four countries. Initially headquartered in New New Jersey, it also has offices in New Rawabi and Livonia.

The main sections include Current Events, Politics, Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology, Advice Column, and Crossword Puzzle. It is also has a TV network available only in Dexistan that broadcasts 24 hours a day. Although not officially state-affiliated, the government of Dexistan owns a significant amount of stock in the company and the paper itself is often criticized for its nationalistic and pro-government stances on many issues. It employs over fifty people including interns and the Chief Editor and founder, Saul Goodman.

## History

Saul Goodman was previously a war correspondent and foreign reporter for the New Rawabi Times from 1990 to 2003 where he was renowned for his bravery and accurate reporting in the field of battle. In a highly publicized investigation at the time, he followed the Royal Army of New Free Derry on their campaign in the colony of Old Slavia where a rebellion of tribal leaders had broken out. He recorded several pitched battles and in one skirmish, was shot in the arm by a Slavic guerilla fighter while he kneeled behind a rock. His footage was often displayed and credited to him on news media throughout the Realm. This elevated him into a Realm-wide figure and he was rapidly promoted through the New Rawabi Times.

In 2003, he covered unrest in Tibet after the democratic government planned to eliminate the ceremonial position of King which angered many traditional elements of society. During the unrest, he was attacked by an angry mob of Aland clan members who perceived him as a government spy. They assaulted him during a night of rioting and proceeded to severely injure him. After he was released the hospital, he was blind in his left eye and required a permanent leg brace, making him incapable of field reporting. After several months of writing opinion pieces and op-eds, he became dissatisfied with his work and resigned from the New Rawabi Times. He received a massive severance package and invested his saved millions in stocks and his new men's clothing business. He became a successful business owner with his company, Saul's Suits, becoming a Fortune500 company by 2009.

Being of ethnically Solician origin, he was heartbroken by the crisis his homeland was facing in 2018 and 2019 and was a frequent critic of the government there. In addition, he began being reinvigorated to engage in journalism and news media again, he soon found an opportune time after the coup executed by Dex Moonfire and the establishment of a new country in Solicia. Although not a socialist by any means, he was inspired by the nationalistic and expansionist stance Moonfire was taking the country, describing it as a "long needed revival". He founded the Voice of Dexistan after the stalemate of the Great Poop War in February 2020 and it soon expanded to be the number one source of information in Dexistan.

## Criticism and Controversies

The Voice of Dexistan has been considered in other countries as well as its own to be a government-run or at least affiliated propaganda outlet with little regard for facts or journalist integrity if they damaged the appearance of the country. This notion has existed since its inception due to its viciously nationalistic headlines and stances especially during times of war such as the First Great Realm War or the UN invasion of Albania. It is noted that during the UN invasion of Albania, various articles openly insulted and disparaged not only the government and leaders of Albania but also the people and culture of Albania as well.

The most well-known of these insults was when a freelance journalist published an article under the Voice of Dexistan on March 13th, 2020, calling Albanians "villainous scum and human garbage that must be forcibly purged from all ends of the Earth in order for peace and harmony to retain its place to the greater peoples of the Realm". This racist and genocidal rhetoric towards a people that were being actively invaded alarmed many in Dexistan and abroad. This transgression earned only an insincere denouncement from the Press Secretary and a retraction of the article days later. Another example of extreme anti-Albanian racism occurred after the victory of the CAA in the Second Great Realm War. On December 30th, 2020, a regular opinion writer described the Albanians as a "lowly and repulsive race that must be stomped out before they can dip their grubby paws of subversion into the lives and nations of other cultures". This specific line was cited in the manifesto of mass murderer Trenton Barrant who perpetrated the Albanian New Year Bombing, killing over 30 people.

Other criticism of the paper's basis also stems from its comments about various dissident movements, especially strikes, in Dexistan. It called the 2020 Steelworkers Strike a "counter-revolutionary provocation funded by outsiders" and encouraged the use of force against it. During the Jannie Strikes of 2021, it also called for the violent suppression of the protests, largely turning public opinion against the strikers and supplementing the government's desire to destroy it. Despite these more recent examples, the paper is generally noted as having taken a more moderate tone regarding hot button political issues. This is due to several things, most notably personnel shifts where more apolitical and moderate employees have taken the previous place of ideological radicals. Another reason for the more moderate tone was the domestic and international outcry regarding the more extreme elements of the paper, most notably the intense chauvinism (not to be confused with the personal political alignment of Livonia police officer Derek Chauvin) and radical dogmatism to state ideology.

## Reception and Popularity

Regardless of the various incidents surrounding the paper, it is incredibly well received across the Realm. It is one of the three newspapers that achieves international reach and is the most heavily invested media company on the Realm. It brings in over 200 million denaris in revenue every year, trumping the nearly 180 million of the New Rawabi Times. It is constantly in a close contest with the New Rawabi Times for total readership and has surpassed it on several occasions despite being based in a country much smaller than the GTR.

It is a consistent source of news about politics and current events as well entertainment for millions on the Realm. According to a 2021 survey, it was the only trusted source of news for 82% of Dexistanians, 33% of Teutons, 19% of Tibetans, and 12% of Japanese citizens. From the same survey, 64% of readers said it had changed their opinion on a topic more than once and 45% said they agreed with it the vast majority of the time.