Media Matters for America

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'''Media Matters for America''' is a [[liberal media]] watchdog, concerned with combating [[conservative]] media bias. They famously produced the documentary ''Outfoxed'' which demonstrates the bias in [[Fox News]].<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418038/ Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004)] at the Internet Movie Database.</ref>

Media Matters also tracks and debunks [[pseudoscience]] favored by conservatives, including [[creationism]],<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/issues/evolution-intelligent-design Evolution category]</ref> [[global warming]] [[denialism]],<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/issues/climate-change Climate change category]</ref> and bogus claims about [[abortion]].<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/search/index?qstring=Abortion&x=0&y=0 Abortion category]</ref>

According to [[Bill O'Reilly]], former [[Fox News]] entertainer, Media Matters is a far-left wing hate group funded by [[George Soros]]' [[deep state|shadow party]]. Although Soros donated US$1 million to Media Matters in 2010, this is his only connection to the organization.<ref>[http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/soros-donates-1-million-to-media-matters/ Soros donates $1 million to Media Matters]. ''[[The New York Times]]'', 20 October 2010.</ref>

Media Matters is far from unbiased itself, as could be expected from an organization founded by David "[[Clarence Thomas|Anita Hill is a Perjuring Lesbian]]" Brock.<ref group=note>Brock was (in)famous for his antics during the [[Vast right-wing conspiracy|Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy]], but he is working for the other side now. {{wpa|Blinded by the Right}}</ref> One of their studies purportedly demonstrating conservative bias in newspapers due to conservatives dominating op-ed pages was criticized for weighting columnists syndicated in local rags the same as ones syndicated in major newspapers.<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/09/30/EDLJSFN16.DTL Beyond the Left-Right Labels]</ref>

In March of 2014, Media Matters launched Mythopedia, a sort of quick and dirty refutation of claims.<ref>[http://mythopedia.mediamatters.org/ Mythopedia]</ref>

==Twitter lawsuit==
In November 2023, Media Matters exposed [[Elon Musk]]'s operations at social media outlet X (née [[Twitter]]). In particular, Media Matters found that major company advertisements were appearing next to content that overly promoted pro-[[Nazi]] content. This (along with some antisemitic tweets from Musk himself) in turn led to multiple advertisers suspending their Twitter ad campaigns.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/technology/ibm-suspends-ads-x-after-corporate-ads-appeared-next-pro-nazi-content-2023-11-16/  IBM suspends ads on X after corporate ads appeared next to pro-Nazi content]. ''Reuters'', 16 November 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/white-house-condemns-musk-spreading-hideous-antisemitic-lies-2023-11-17/  White House blasts Musk's 'hideous' antisemitic lie, advertisers pause on X]. ''Reuters'', 17 November 2023.</ref> Elon "free speech absolutist" Musk's reaction, predictably, was to accuse Media Matters of manufacturing this report in order to “drive advertisers from the platform and destroy X Corp.”, and filed a lawsuit against Media Matters.<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-media-matters-lawsuit-advertising-neonazi-1fe499daa600f513af27ffa68d2e8b91 Musk’s X sues liberal advocacy group Media Matters over its report on ads next to hate groups’ posts]. ''Associated Press'', 21 November 2023.</ref> Separately, the [[asshole]] Texas attorney general {{wpl|Ken Paxton||,}} at the time on trial for securities fraud<ref>[https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/30/ken-paxton-securities-fraud-charges-trial/ "Attorney General Ken Paxton’s securities fraud trial set for April 15"] by Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune, 2023 October 30</ref> and fresh off being acquitted in the Texas Senate after being impeached in the Texas House on May 2023,<ref>[https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/ken-paxton-impeached-texas-attorney-general/ "Texas AG Ken Paxton impeached, suspended from duties; will face Senate trial"] by Zach Despart and James Barragan, Texas Tribune, 2023 May 27</ref><ref>[https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/16/ken-paxton-acquitted-impeachment-texas-attorney-general/ "Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachment"] by Zach Despart, Texas Tribune, 2023 September 16</ref> opened an investigation into Media Matters for "potential fraudulent activity".<ref>[https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-opens-investigation-media-matters-potential-fraudulent-activity "Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Opens Inves­ti­ga­tion into Media Mat­ters for Poten­tial Fraud­u­lent Activity"] by Ken Paxton, Press Release, 2023 November 20</ref> 

Legal experts found Musk's lawsuit weak, bogus, completely invalidated by the [[First Amendment]], and above all, a textbook example of a [[SLAPP suit]]. However, they also acknowledged that the lawsuit probably would progress further than it had any right to, due to Musk filing the suit (jurisdiction be damned) with the court of [[Donald Trump]] sycophant {{wpl|Mark T. Pittman||.}}<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/21/tech/elon-musk-texas-lawsuit-media-matters/index.html "Legal critics blast Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters as ‘weak’ and ‘bogus’"] by Brian Fung, CNN, 2023 November 21</ref> Also, experts estimate that the boycotts directed at X will cost him $75 million in advertising revenue in response to the Media Matters report.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/technology/x-may-lose-up-75-mln-by-year-end-advertiser-exodus-nyt-2023-11-24/. X may lose up to $75 mln by year-end on advertiser exodus - NYT], ''Reuters'', 24 November 2023. </ref>

In response, Elon Musk made a PR move to travel to Israel as part of an apology tour so he can see how antisemitism gets people killed as a result of war.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/elon-musk-begins-wartime-visit-israel-aviation-tracker-says-2023-11-27/ Elon Musk visits Israel after criticism for endorsing antisemitic post], ''Reuters'' 27 November 2023.</ref>

In December 2023, District court judge Mark Pittman, who was assigned to the Elon Musk Vs. Media Matters lawsuit, recused himself from the case.<ref>[https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4331598-elon-musk-media-matters-judge-recuses-from-case/ Judge recuses himself from Elon Musk’s case against Media Matters], ''The Hill'', 28 November 2023.</ref>
The lawsuit between Elon Musk and Media Matters will have a trial in April 2025. <ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/13/tech/elon-musk-x-lawsuit-media-matters/index.html. Elon Musk’s X lawsuit against Media Matters scheduled for trial in April], ''CNN'', 13 June 2024.</ref>

==See also==
*[[ThinkProgress]]

==External links==
*[http://mediamatters.org Media Matters homepage]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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__NOTOC__
[[Category:American media]]
[[Category:Social liberalism]]
[[Category:Media]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Rightists who turned left with age]]

Categories: American media, Social liberalism, Media, Organizations, Rightists who turned left with age