comment: >
  
  Republican Gov. Jim Justice.
  Petition should be filed to always refer to him from now on as "No Justice."
context: Knisely’s departure comes during a tumultuous time for West Virginia media. Days before she left WVPB, three reporters for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail said they were fired after publicly criticizing an editorial decision by their company president Doug Skaff, who is minority leader in the state House of Delegates. Skaff approved and led a video interview with Don Blankenship, a coal company executive convicted of safety violations connected to one of the worst coal mining disasters in recent U.S. history. 
  
  How is this not an obvious conflict of interest that is kept from happening, rather than seemingly encouraged? >
  
  If the last few years has shown is anything, it's that the US Govt has zero rules or enforcement capability about conflict of interest. 
  It's wild to me, as I work I'm the UK finance industry, where's it's very much a big deal. >
  
  Man I love when non-Americans show their asses by saying things like "anything that happens in America would never happen in my country" >
  
  Um, the banks mis-sold PPI, got caught and were forced by regulators to compensate claimants. Their action led to consequences, something that seems quite lacking in current US politics. 
  There's also been significant legislative changes in recent years to stop the top players at financial companies/institutions abusing their power. Again, actions have consequences. Not saying its a flawless, perfect system or anything but at the least they try to have rules AND enforce them.
  Unlike our government, they seem as rule free as yours. >
  
  Yeah, you can think that lol.  But you also don't understand the US and its laws. >
  
  I never claimed to? Also why is it relevant? I'm an outsider looking in and this is what I see. 
  I'm just pointing out there have been wild conflict of interest cases in US politics in recent years (here I am, commenting on yet another one, for example) and that I find it crazy because I'd be fined, banned from working or even in jail if I did similar things and I don't run my country so have way less potential for harming people. It seems weird you're all so OK with the lack of accountability. 
  Considering how many Americans seem to think it's the best country in the world, it is remarkable how much of your system of governance relies solely on the good faith of those in office and that checks and balance is naught but an illusion, seemingly. >
  
  Lol, source on Americans thinking its the best country in the world?  You are correct you have an outside opinion.  Let's leave it at that. 
  Edit: one downvote.  I wonder who. >
  
  Are you for real? It's a fucking meme at this point so many Americans think that. 
  It's like asking for a source when I say the sky is blue. Are you genuinely suggesting that Americans thinking their country is the best in the world isn't a thing? 
  Obvious caveat, not all Americans think the same things but enough do to support your recent insanities. 
  It's also very on-brand American to discount my opinion because its foreign 🤣 >
  
  I don't know, I guess I don't base my thinking on memes.  I am American.  I know America.  Some people can't say the same. >
  
  OK so just to clarify then, you as an American don't think your country has any issues relating to conflict of interest/accountability? Your systems are flawless and the firing of this reporter is perfectly reasonable? >
  
  Good ole boys covering for themselves:
  
  Amelia Ferrell Knisely, a reporter at West Virginia Public Broadcasting, said she was told to stop reporting on the Department of Health and Human Resources after leaders of the embattled agency “threatened to discredit” the publicly funded television and radio network. She later learned her part-time position was being eliminated.
  In a statement, Knisely said her news director told her the order came from WVPB Executive Director Butch Antolini, former communications director for Republican Gov. Jim Justice. Antolini has served as executive director since 2021, when his predecessor was ousted after Justice overhauled the agency’s governing board.
  Justice has tried unsuccessfully to eliminate state funding for WVPB in the past and was accused of appointing partisan operatives to the board. WVPB receives around $4 million a year in state funding. >
  
  That Republicans in West Virginia would do this (neglect/abuse, then blackmail the press) isn't at all surprising.
  But a Public Broadcasting affiliate knuckling under to the pressure is a genuine scandal. >
  
  Well, it's a public broadcasting affiliate intentionally stocked with political cronies for the express purpose of making it follow Republican demands, so not surprising at all >
  
  For a bunch of people that claim to hate big government, they sure do love to suckle day and night at its teet. >
  
  They mean 'big government' that benefits people other than themselves and their buddies. >
  
  There's no such thing as "de-regulation."
  It's simply regulation and who does it benefit?
  Even 0 regulation benefits someone. >
  
  Deregulation is just removal of hard fought protections (that generally protect society or try to enforce fairness). >
  
  For sure, most deregulation benefits only the industry stake holders at the expense of everyone else (consumers, environment, etc.).
  Anyone who is pro-deregulation can't grasp the concept and/or has no knowledge of history as little as a century ago.
  Republicans hide from that fact by consistently drilling into their messaging that regulations hurt competition or are wasteful. No, most regulations are things like "you can't dump toxic waste into the local water system" and controls like that. 
  I've had people say "but no-one would do that, the free market would handle it." A truly free market is one that no-longer operates as a free market because it'd consolidate and be controlled by a select few conglomerates. You need regulations to have a free market. Just as you need laws to have a society. >
  
  What they mean when they say it "hurts competition" and is "wasteful" is that (1) it hurts their ability to compete because they dont want to include the cost of regulatory compliance in their business model and (2) they consider it a waste of their time and profits.  It boils down to greed plus fuck you I got mine. >
  
  God I hope some news org with massive resources comes in with insane numbers and breadth of FOIA requests and buries these fuckers. >
  
  [ProPublica has entered the chat] >
  
  I'm not sure why they studied 900MHz. What even uses that in any sort of widespread fashion anymore, besides like ham radios, really old cordless phones, and walkie talkies? "900MHz signals used in cell phones" -- like 90's Nokias or something? Unless I'm mistaken, I don't think that band is really in use by cell phones any more.
  Actual cell signals these days have much higher GHz frequencies with very little penetrative capability. Like, unless they cause skin cancer, they can't even get far enough into the body.
  Such a weird study. >
  
  Not many use 900MHz directly anymore, but there's a ton of LTE and 5G bands in the lower frequency range.
  Verizon still uses B5 (850MHz) and B13 (700MHz) quite a bit.
  AT&T has B17 (700MHz) and B5.
  T-Mobile uses B12 (700MHz) and B71 (600MHz).
  Those lower frequencies are generally used in more rural areas where you're likely farther away from a tower. That means you're probably also using higher power levels to maintain the connection. >
  
  Interesting! TIL, had no idea. Thanks! >
  
  Oooo, blocking investigation into abuse AND chipping away at a publicly funded news station. It’s a twofer! >
  
  People go on at "Lord" Conrad Black, or Geff Beboobs owning a paper , there is another I go to reference, the Irvings basically owning every paper in the province of NB canada. They also have mass land holdings, a vast forestry and mill industry, seems convenient they control all the local news too. It doesnt have to be national to be problematic as this shows >
  
  ESPN is telling their employees to go easy on UFC president Dana White after video of him and his wife slapping each other in a club emerged, because ESPN has a broadcast deal with the UFC.
  It's good to be connected to the right people >
  
  Not only that. TMZ sat on the story for a few days and waited for Dana White's PR team to form a strategy. When they released the story it already included a statement/apology from Dana White. ESPN won't comment. UFC won't comment. Endeavor (the parent company of the UFC) won't comment. The only way he's held accountable is if Endeavor's stock price suffers. >
  
  The guy who owns/runs TMZ is a Trump supporter, and presumably is playing the same game that the National Enquirer did - "holding on to" stories that would embarrass people as a hybrid of "doing you a favor"/implicit blackmail. >
  
  Harvey levin?  
  I don’t follow him but he did the lead in to their nightly show on Fox with our local anchors here in DC and he very much gave off an anti trump, anti right wing, pro BLM for all of that summer of protests
  Can you cite a source that he is ‘pro trump’?  Or is it someone else you’re referring to >
  
  My impression is it would never be advantageous for Levin to pick sides, or play favorites. The business he is in, he has to be somewhat impartial, or at least have the appearance of it >
  
  I mean I’m saying he literally spent that whole summer talking to the fox five dc people in his little TMZ lead in and he seemed pretty grossed out by everything trump was doing on Covid and race 
  I remember thinking I was shocked at how openly he talked about this stuff 
  So again, I’d be curious for OP to explain otherwise if we’re talking about the same guy >
  
  When we talk about censorship and freedom of the press, this is what we’re talking about. A journalist is critical of a government agency. Politicians and other government officials threaten to shut down the press outlet said journalists works for. The editors and the owner kowtow to the pressure and fire the journalist in an attempt to silence them.
  This is what the Bill of Rights forbids. Not your “right” to use a corporate social media platform to yell racist epithets at others. It forbids the state itself from telling you that you can’t criticize it for something it actually did that is actually wrong and backing up its discontent by defunding your employer, getting you fired, locking you up in prison a la Russia. When Reddit terminates your account for threatening to dox someone because they dared to complain they aren’t paid fairly, that’s not even remotely close to censorship or “being cancelled”. This woman got actually canceled. As in the check she used to pay her rent is canceled. Her ability to pay her electric bill is canceled. All because she dared to tell a conservative run state that it was abusing the elderly and did so with proof. >
  
  This is a lovely comment, thank you for articulating that distinction so clearly >
  
  Whistleblowers need lawyers! Go get em girl. >
  
  For people shocked by this, remember this is how most of these cases end up. Whistleblowers, harassment/rape allegations, and reporting of any wrong doing will almost always result in punishments for the victim. This is by design. 
  Knowing these facts makes the heroism of those who speak up that much greater. >
  
  It's sadly the way things are. This sort of thing happens in everyday jobs too. If you take any grievances to HR at your place of employment then chances are they won't help you. HR isn't there to be your friend, they are there to protect the company. You might be able to get help but that really only happens if helping you aligns with their best interest.
  It's disgusting that this is the way things go. There isn't a whole lot of recourse these days. >
  
  How is it legal for a news organization to be run by a politician? >
  
  Because PBS receives state funding I think.  So the state can appoint executives because they provide the money.
  So, I think that PBS stations cannot survive only on private donations and federal funds.  They need money from the states as well.
  Also, I believe that elected officials do not lose 1st Amendment protections just because they got elected to office.  As a matter of tradition and custom we expect politicians to not run a news organization, run a private business, release their tax returns, etc.  But these are not legal requirements.
  So yes, I believe, that an elected politician can run a for-profit newspaper at the same time he is holding an elected office.  
  Also, even if a law was passed that said a politician could not own a newspaper there is still the question of what the federal courts would say.  I don't think a law like that would survive. >
  
  “Nobody embarrasses the state through state-run media except for the state. Now beat it” >
  
  West Virginian here, first time I’ve seen this. Guess they did a good job covering it up. Hope she takes legal action >
  
  Streisand Effect in 3... 2... 1... >
  
  I mean, it's hit AP and front page of Reddit now. That's already more than a local PBS station. Only a matter of time before CNN et al take it up. >
  
  
  This week, Knisely announced on Twitter she was hired by the Beckley-based newspaper The Register-Herald to report on West Virginia’s upcoming legislative session. Her coverage will include developments with the state Department of Health and Human Resources, she said.
  
  She's certainly not taking this lying down. >
  
  this is happening all over the state.  I used to be a part timer at PBS.  They reported on the governors coal mines a while back, wasnt a hit piece just reporting.  Ever since then they have completely gutted most of pbs employees throughout the state.  Its taken years and everyone knew their job was in jeopardy after justice got his buddies in their roles.  People were fired for putting their 2 week notice in or even mentioned they were looking for a new job.  Many have grievance suits with the state.    its so fucked. >
  
  Crooked Republicans abound in WV. >
  
  At least she didn't get killed by an unlucky stray bullet like Aviva Okeson-Haberman.
  Though if she doesn't take the hint now... >
  
  Typical republican things: targeting journalists you don’t like. >
  
  And trying to shut down publicly operated broadcasters. They hate it when journalism isn't owned by one billionaire with a fascist slant. >
  
  Local politics is so much more corrupt. I doubt much more will become of this. >
  
  This is how Republicans are dismantling our institutions, from the inside. >
  
  Speaking from experience West Virginia arrests journalists who ask questions. >
  
  Silencing the press is an old tried and true method to supress news  stories. Too bad it doesn't work well in today's media due to technology. >
  
  She hasn't posted an update on her twitter yet. >
  
  Get punished for doing the right thing is why corrupt conservatives have power >
  
  Let's get her on Anderson Cooper >
  
  As long as this story only gets attention from media that most in the state don't watch and therefore won't influence their voting, they still got what they wanted.
  Yes, CNN is a hard right rag but it's still considered "liberal media" by West Virginian standards. >
  
  And THIS is what government censorship actually looks like for all those on the right that are still confused about what a 1st Amendment violation really is. >
  
  These idiots think they can get away with this stuff like they could 30+ years ago when firing the reporter would end the story and no one would ever hear about it. But now with internet based news outlets and social media this will be an even bigger story than if they had just left it alone. >
  
  “Dismantle public broadcasting” anything to keep people ignorant. 
  It is one of the last TV stations you don’t need cable for. Educational shows for kids. >
  
  This is total retaliation for this reporting. I expect nothing less from Republicans >
  
  This is why women are afraid to speak up when they go through similar situations at work. Such bull shit >
  
  How about instead of saying "let go", you say "fired"