Three Wins Today: Sept 26, 2025
It can't be EITHER traditional OR new media
I really wish people would stop saying they want traditional media to die. You might not watch it. You might watch your favorite creators and new media channels and call it a day. But not all Democrats or people on the left are like you.
My grandfather is 95 and has voted for Bernie every single presidential election he’s run in. He spent all of Bush’s presidency wearing an “Impeach Bush and Cheney” shirt. He got arrested for his 80th birthday when he chained himself to the healthcare offices (and this was his birthday present. He WANTED to get arrested) and even to this day, when he’s able, he’s still going to protests.
And every Monday at 6pm he watches Rachel Maddow.
He reads my posts, but traditional media is where he gets his news. We do not want people like my grandfather to stop being informed.
And you don’t want to hear it, but I find a lot of my stories through traditional media too. I don’t post those links, cause typically I don’t actually use the story, I find a local news publication’s article and read that instead, but sometimes I have to. Sometimes traditional media IS the source.
Traditional media is in trouble, but instead of cheering, we should be sounding the alarm, and figuring out ways to get them back on track. When we cede power, Republicans swoop in. We didn’t take school board races seriously, but they did. We didn’t take judicial elections seriously, but they did. And we didn’t take local and traditional news seriously, but they did and now we are seeing the ramifications.
We’re starting to fight back, and that’s great! I’m so glad we are finally focusing on school board races, but we need to be doing the same with traditional media. There ARE still stations and publications that are doing the right thing. We need to make sure that continues.
We need to find a way to protect local news and spread the word about good publications as well as the ones we don’t have.
We need people who believe the same things we do, and have a whole lot of money to buy up some stations!
Do you reading this have that money? Probably not, but if we change the way we talk about traditional media that’s a start.
New media and traditional media can exist side by side. Traditional will never do half hour long interviews with a politicians, but we do! And new media will just never reach people like my grandfather, but traditional media can.
We need BOTH. And we need to fight to protect BOTH.
And, I bring this up, cause we proved this today…..
Nationwide
TODAY - It was going to be something else, but then Sinclair announced they’re bringing Jimmy Kimmel back on their networks, so that takes precedent. (Nexstar announced hours later) And the best part, they admitted it was because of us. Because we got enough of their advertisers to pull out:
Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives.
This is one of those situations that isn’t just an example somewhere, this is something YOU did. If you shared anything about contacting advertisers, or contacted them yourself, YOU did this.
No matter what Trump does and saying, money still talks and we still have the power.
This is a direct cause and affect. Now let’s find our next CTA and continue saving the world one corrupt billionaire corporation at a time.
Jefferson County, AL
Tue, Sept 16 - Obama Appointee, Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala ruled that the Jefferson County Commissioner maps do violate the Voting Rights Act:
Because the 2021 plan violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s protection against racial gerrymandering, the Court permanently enjoins the Commission and its agents from using the 2021 plan in Jefferson County Commission elections. Within 30 days, the parties shall please file a joint report on the development of a remedial redistricting plan.
Scott Douglas, Executive Director of Greater Birmingham Ministries, celebrated the ruling:
Everyone in Jefferson County should care about the illegal redistricting that happened here. The Commission allocates money and resources that affect almost every part of our lives, our roads, our health care, our housing, and our community development. This win in court means that Black communities here will finally get an equal opportunity to make our voices heard and our votes not diluted by packing Black voters and their voices into as few districts as possible.
This story is from 10 days ago, so they now have 20 days to file a report on developing new maps. I certainly hope these are sufficient, but knowing these Republicans, they will try to delay this as much as possible.
I’ll keep you posted with any updates.
Oregon
Wed, Sept 24 - Without even being forced to by a lawsuit, ICE has released Rigoberto Hernandez, the Oregon fire fighter, who was taken while he was fighting a wildfire. It’s almost like the lawsuit just existing and a letter from his lawyer were enough to scare them. Everyone involved is just a bit flummoxed.
Jordan Cunnings, legal director for Immigration Law Lab said:
This is unusual in this administration. We tend to see them doubling down on their unlawful actions and going even more aggressive.
Hernandez released his own statement as well:
I am glad that I am home, and I am excited to see my family. I want to give my thanks to everyone—for their prayers, for the rallies, for sharing about what happened to me and the other firefighter. So many people stepped up to help, and now I want to help others just like they helped me.
Maybe it’s because even ICE knows how bad it looks to take a first responder.
Maybe it was the rallies in support of him, there were dozens. And we know how powerful our voices are.
It was likely a combination. I hope they can find out the reasons so whatever it was can be replicated in the future.
And whatever those reasons, this is a win.
So those are today’s wins, and I hope they inspire you to act and resist, even more than you already were.
Because this is real tangible proof that our voices are our superpower when we use them!
Then there is what we might call new traditional media. In Waltham, Massachusetts where I live, some people got together a year ago and started a local newspaper. It's all online, and it's good. A free subscription gets you several emails a week with summaries and links for the current stories. https://walthamtimes.org/
Well said, Ariella. And a potentially positive consequence of the whole Kimmel debacle is that the whole country learned about these rightwing media companies that are actively pursuing mergers giving them a near monopoly in local broadcasting….and a taste of what that would mean for any voices they disagree with. When Carr tries to change the rules that currently limit such a move we all need to push back.