Ben Armstrong, known for his video content, unveils shocking revelations about mainstream media in his latest appearance. The CoinSpeech team collected the most important takeaways from this enlightening talk. You can find Ben Armstrong’s new video below.
Hidden Stories and Squashed Reports
The video starts with a disconcerting account by ABC News journalist Amy Robach about how her 2015 scoop on Jeffrey Epstein was quashed by ABC management. “I’ve had the story for three years… the palace found out that we had her whole allegations about Prince Andrew and threatened us a million different ways.” This highlights how stories implicating powerful individuals can be buried to maintain corporate and political relationships.
False Facade of Mainstream Media
Armstrong argues that mainstream media isn’t about impartial truth but more about maintaining the status quo for people in power. “All mainstream media is fake… CNN fake, Fox News fake, MSNBC fake.” These institutions, he asserts, are more mouthpieces for entities with vested interests rather than unbiased reporting outlets. Whether it’s through access journalism or advertisers, many journalists are pressured not to challenge the powerful lest they lose their access or their jobs.
Access Journalism and the Overton Window
Access journalism is discussed as a double-edged sword where reporters cozy up to powerful sources to get stories, but at the cost of their unbiased stance. Armstrong mentions, “This also makes journalists less likely to challenge politicians, CEOs, and other powerful people because they will lose their access.”
He also explains the concept of the Overton window, which restricts the media to socially acceptable narratives. “Candidates that push the Overton window in either direction become targets for media smear campaigns,” Armstrong points out, highlighting figures like Ron Paul and Bernie Sanders as victims of such biases.
Advertising Influence and Media Narratives
News platforms’ dependency on advertising revenue is another factor corrupting media narratives. Armstrong raises an eyebrow at military contractors like Boeing advertising on news channels, suspecting that it’s more about controlling the narrative than selling products. “Think about why defense contractors like Boeing or Lockheed Martin would advertise on the 5:00 news.”
He also emphasizes how pharmaceutical ads on major news networks play a role in shaping public opinion and maintaining narrative control. This marketing presence can dictate how issues related to these industries are covered by the media.
A Crypto Case Study: The FTX Saga
Examining the crypto world, Armstrong dissects the contrasting media treatment of Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) and Binance’s CZ. “SBF stole a bunch of money from people, while CZ probably made it easier for people to launder money and get around sanctions.” Despite the gravity of SBF’s crimes, the media has treated him more leniently compared to CZ, whose actions were rooted in crypto’s anti-establishment values.
The way media controls narratives goes beyond just news; it’s about manipulating public perception to favor those in power. Armstrong urges viewers to scrutinize the language and bias in media coverage.
Watch Ben Armstrong’s full video below to dive deeper into these revelations: