MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow blew my MO last night – well, some of it.
Regular readers of our COVID-19 updates may have noticed that I’ve been consistently getting stories before national media picks them up. Friday evening, Maddow did a long segment on the crisis facing nursing homes and similar facilities around the country, explaining that it’s not a national story, but it’s an ubiquitous local story. And ticked off a bunch of examples of local newspapers with stories.about nursing homes with huge clusters of COVID-19 stories, and deaths.
That list was a lot like the one I published late morning yesterday, and for a reason – that’s exactly where *I* got those stories. And other stories – the Kansas City Star had the story of the prison riot at Lansing KS. So I had it yesterday before any national media picked it up. And I do the same thing for English-language newspapers around the world, too,.
Thing is, Maddow has probably a dozen staff whose job it is to find those stories, Revel and I have what we find, plus our other secret weapon: you, the reader. Each day I have a few items that you found (or experienced) and PMed me with, (Thank you!!) This is our full time job now, seven days a week, and we’re putting out not just consistent, concise updates of COVID-19 news, but good quality information. That’s because we’ve both worked in media for a long time, and much of what journalism is, is knowing what questions to ask and where to find the answers. (I told Rev in January, “This will be the biggest story of our lives.” I was right.) The Internet is a marvel for getting answers when we’re all hunkered down at home – but you need to know what’s reliable, and you need to know where to look, and what’s important.
Maddow and her staff get paid handsomely by NBC/Universal. We rely on you, the reader, to make this media project happen. We love your tips, and we need your financial support as well. If you find the information I’m posting each day helpful, please consider donating. There’s a PayPal button at the bottom of the right hand column at www.geov.org, where the updates are all archived. And keep sending tips and links! We’re both disabled and this IS our job now. We’re in it with you for the duration. Thanks for helping make this project possible.
Today is a dialysis day for me, so I’ll be posting an update when I get back this evening.