Reviewing Nonprofit Media: The Intercept htps:/vww.dailykos.comi/stories/2017/3/16/1644355/-Reviewing-No, SS eS Teri CEN Meea Si caer 0 perce ‘Through this series of reviews, hope to contribute to a better understanding of the iret) emerging nonprofit journalism ecosystem, an alternative tothe for-profit media landscape. Today we're taking a closer look at The Intercept (hteps://theintercept.com/, a nonprofit publication which engages in in-depth umusicoro Investigative reporting alongside general coverage of US politic. It can do so largely ——_ thanks to the philanthropy of a single funder (iep/inee) Feedback is much appreciated, as always! know The Intercepts election reporting was highly divisive, and | address this explicity below. If youre aware of false reporting, or reporting you consider deceptive, | appreciate specific pointers. * Criteria | use to review nonprofit media (https//bitlyinpo-mesia-criteria) ‘= Database ofall nonprofit media reviews (ntps:/bit.lyinpo-media) ‘+ Follow highly rated media: Twitter ist of English language media currently rated 4 stars or higher (https//twitter.convxirzonVists/qualty:non-profit media) vmrusams The Intercept is more focused on power than on truth, one which sometimes hurts its pursuit of the latter news ‘emerer) tps: ia.orgiwiki/Plerre_Omidya) Led by editor in ‘stvtnevept news chief Betsy Reed, its co-edited by Glenn Greenwald (who, with Laura Poltras, broke Mtn) the story about NSA mass surveillance driven by Edward Snowden's leaks) and Jeremy Scahill Dirty Wars (http://drtywars.org/the-book), Given Greenwald's and Scahil's experience, itis perhaps unsurprising that Shar this ante One of ts biggest stories was the release of the Drone Papers (httpsi//theintercept.com * ‘{drone-papers, which debunked the myth of precision that is associated with drone warfare. f Beyond that, covers a range of subjects that tthe broad mandate of ts staff to ¥ (npsinwitercomfntensrwed Gna taswBRsersy and accountabilly to powerful governmental and corporate vctnopunray moran BERRI Reed etensive coverage ofthe 2016 US presidental election, and it os comzstonpaar20 rar ana SMUD Fepartedfedepth on criminal justice sues and immigration, Reviewing-Nonprofi- Medi-Te ntercepia. ts “ tertsevienng NonproiteMecalnadivantece English language version that focuses on the United States, there is also a Braledton (htps/heinercept.convbrasl) In Portuguese. Greenwald is based in Bral, and the decision to launch a Braz edition tnt part of some strates an, but came organically htp/manmpoltico.com/media/stry/201 thesintercepts-daunching-a-braian-edtion-004695) ou of his reporting master: 20f 13Reviewing Nonprofit Media: The Intercept butps:/www.dailykos.conv/stories/2017/3/16/1644359/-Reviewi Organization, Executive Compensation The Interceptis part of Frst Look Media (httpss/wewwfrstlock media), a nonprofit ‘organization founded by billionaire philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, who made a public ‘commitment (https:/www.theguardian.com/media/2013/0ct/16/plerre-omidyar-ebay- glenn-greenwald) of $250M to the organization in 2013, Through Its 2015 tax returns, Fst Look Media disclosed (hitps//projects.propublica.org/nonprofts/download- flingzpathi=2016_11_£0%2F80-0951255_990_201512.pd) $34.6M in total revenue and an allocation of $9.1M of expenses specially to The intercept. First Look also funds the documentary series leld of Vision (tntps/fetdofision.org/and co-financed Spotlight (htps://en.wikipedta.org ‘wiki Spotlght (fn), an Oscar-winning 2015 movie about the Boston Globe'sinvestigation into child abuse by Roman Catholic priests. The Intercept editor Elizabeth Reed received $300K in total compensation in 2015, Which i in the mid-range of similarly welLfunded nonprofits. In any event, since The “Intercepthas 50 far not asked for donations from the public, executive compensation is a secondary concern. First Look Media has had its share of growing pains. In 2014, a project to be headed by Mate Taibbi(hups://en.wikipedia.org/wiky/Matt_Talbb) fell apart with his noisy departure (http:/¢nymag,com/dally/intellgencer/2014/10/matttalbb-dlsappears- {rom-omidyars-first4ook:htmi in 2015, staf reporter Ken Silverstein had a very publlc falling-out with the organization, alleging managerial Incompetence (tep:zhwopoltico.com/magazine/story/201S/02/ken siversteln-the intercept 1115586 full tm); in 2016, writer Juan Thompson was fired (https:/Mheintercept.com 12016/02/02/a-note-to-readers/) for making things up, and in 2017, Thompson ‘was arrested (htps:/theintercept.com/2017/03/03/statement-on-the-arrest-offormer- Incercept-reporterjuan-thompson/) for bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers. In faleness to the organization it has consistently and, as far as I can tll, ruthfully reported about these internal issues (though an independent ombudsman role might, sive such reports greater credibility) In contrast, First Look Media does nat provide ‘much conventional nonprofit transparency: no Annual Reports or other disclosures ‘beyond the legally required ones; no publicly evident attempt to measure or report its Impact. ts approach to accountability is journalistic, not organizational. Positioning, Blas, The Intercept's pursuit of what it terms “adversarial journalism’ leads i frequently to {0 after stories other publications are less comfortable with. For example, itrecently published an in-depth report from Yemen (https://thelntercepr.com/2017/03 103/womer-and-childrer-in-yerent-illage-recal-horror-of-trumps-highly-successful seakraid) about a US anti-terror raid which killed up to 25 cillans including nine children under the age of 13 (htps/wwu.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories 12017-02-09/nine-young-children-klled-the-fulldetalls-of-botched-us-raidin-yemen). In Contrast, most US media tend to fecus on US losses in military confrontations. During the 2016 US presidential campaign, The intercept writers echoed many pundits by predicting that Hillary Clinton would likely win the election, "Get Ready to ignore Donald Trump” (hetpsi/theintercept.com/2016/10/22/get-ready-to-ignore-donald- trump-starting-on-november-9-or-hellmever-go-away/) wrote Zaid Jian, while Robert Mackey maintained a live blog called “The Trumpdown’ with the subtitle “Our Long, National Nightmare is (Probably) Amost Over” (htps:/¢web archive.org ‘sweb/20161 104041651 /htps:/theintercept.conviveblogs/trumpdown/) (the subtitle has since been changed to “The Decline of Western Civilzation: The Bannon Years). The Intercept pursued adversarial stories about both frontrunners (Donald Trump and Hillary Cinton), while many media gradually transitioned into largely getting behindWhere Journalism Goes to Die - Ken Silverstein - POLITICO Magazine _hitps://www politico.com/magazine/story/2015/02/ken-silverstein-the-. POLITICO Magazine POLITICO Lent inage by AP Fes, i ee tn + smal il Se ‘My et dy Feat Lk Maa Desens 38,201. a rl gw fad eit igi ee eng eo Most Popular Lof8 8/5/2018, 2:38 PM