This “Fake News” Site Could Be the Blueprint for News Media of the Future

The shrinking influence of traditional news media has opened the door to politically motivated opportunists looking to fill the gap. (U.S. News & World Report)

Case in point: Courier Newsroom is run by former Democratic Party operatives and funded by Dem megadonors like Reid Hoffman and George Soros.

• Publicly available Facebook data shows the local news group, which operates multiple sites under various brand names, spent more than $2.5 million over the last month on what critics like GOP strategist Michael Duncan call “thinly veiled political ads.”

• According to campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets, Courier and its umbrella of news sites have spent north of $8 million on online political advertising since 2020.

Big picture: Courier is a part of a growing number of “pink slime” sites, outlets posing as unbiased news sources while being secretly funded by political groups.

• Researchers from Newsguard, an anti-misinformation site, claim “pink slime” sites now outnumber legitimate news outlets.

Bubba’s Two Cents

Hot take incoming: Yes, it’s wrong for news sites to disguise themselves, and yes, transparency about funding is a must. But what Courier Newsroom is doing? It might be a preview of where media is headed (their content isn’t that different from some of the stuff the mainstream press publishes). After all, does Breitbart or HuffPost's lack of direct political funding make them any less partisan? In fact, it’s almost refreshing they’re so upfront about their leanings, unlike some outlets that try to hide behind a facade of neutrality (looking at you, New York Times).

As Ruthless podcast co-host Michael Duncan said of Courier: “…It’s a smart strategy! And I’ve been advocating for conservatives to invest more in media for YEARS. We spend billions on think tanks and SuperPACs, while George Soros invests in Pod Save America.”