Unmasking Opednews.com
Credibility, Control, and Controversy in Alternative Media
By Cathy Smith – September 29, 2024
alternative media, independent journalism, media credibility, editorial bias, censorship, government surveillance, Rob Kall, writer bans, social injustice, civil rights, media accountability, fake news, financial illegitimacy, IRS Tax EIN, writer experiences, ideological bias, transparency, dissenting voices, audience trust, media landscape, digital journalism, ethical concerns, Opednews controversies, reader trust issues, free speech, dissent suppression, alternative viewpoints, audience engagement.
In an era where mainstream media faces intense scrutiny for bias and sensationalism, platforms like Opednews have emerged as crucial venues for alternative viewpoints and independent journalism. Founded with the explicit goal of amplifying dissenting voices, Opednews has garnered both praise and criticism for its editorial decisions and operational practices. The knowledge of Opednews's IRS Tax EIN being deficit, and their deceit goes back years and is still spreading – one banned commentator called them No-caf, no-fat diet honesty.
However, the platform's financial legitimacy, ideological biases, and treatment of contributors raise significant concerns that demand a thorough and comprehensive examination. This analysis delves into the complexities surrounding Opednews, exploring its origins, biases, and writer experiences, ultimately assessing its role in the broader media landscape. OpEdNews is considered a hamster wheel of deceit and (faux) dissent or dissidence lite.
Financial Legitimacy
One of the primary trust concerns revolves around Opednews' financial practices. The platform solicits tax-deductible donations, implying a charitable status that ostensibly supports its operations. However, the absence of an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a requisite for organizations seeking tax-exempt status, raises significant ethical questions. This lack of transparency not only undermines the platform's credibility but also risks misleading donors about the tax implications of their contributions.
Claims of Surveillance and Control
Allegations that Opednews functions as a government surveillance operation, akin to the FBI's COINTELPRO initiative, warrant scrutiny. Critics, including writer Andrew Stergiou, assert that content moderation practices on Opednews reflect patterns that suppress dissenting narratives. Articles challenging mainstream perspectives—particularly on sensitive topics like government policy and civil rights—are often removed or suppressed.
This subversion of democracy and free speech raises questions about the motivations behind these editorial choices. Are they genuinely aimed at maintaining quality, or do they serve a broader agenda of controlling dissent? An interesting twist: Rob Kall rejected articles about COINTELPRO, Operation Chaos, and Project MKUltra – claiming "these programs never existed, or he (Kall) would have heard of them." Kall implied that people who believed in Chaos, COINTELPRO, and MKUltra also wore tinfoil hats.
Further examination of the writer's experiences reveals that contributors have faced bans for expressing divergent views. These bans often occur without clear justification, contributing to perceptions that Opednews prioritizes specific ideological viewpoints. Such practices echo historical precedents of censorship, warranting deeper investigation into the platform's editorial integrity.
Rob Kall's annual or biennial writer purges saw 40-50 writers at a time banned for life by Rob Kall, Meryl Anne Butler, and others, who claimed the writer bans "were free speech." It was not just Andrew Stergiou but also Ned Lud, Ruth Hull, Tracy Turner, Brett Redmayne-Titley, Robert Singer, and at least 400-500+ other writers banned in a decade. Free Speech, proving OEN is Orwellian, 1984-esque.
It is one thing for OEN's Kall to reject articles or ban writers for life—it is another for him to have Google delist web pages on his competitor's websites because he "does not like the content." He also considers this "his editorial free speech." It is pointless to argue with Kall, as he uses circular logic to argue everything pointlessly—often ending with a glowing text-oratory about the glorious power of story.
Origins and Development
The roots of Opednews trace back to its founder, Rob Kall, who developed the platform's architecture. Speculation surrounding Kall's technical capabilities has led to rumors of potential ties to intelligence agencies, including the CIA. While many media platforms have straightforward origins, Opednews's secretive beginnings foster conjecture. Critics argue that the complexity of its content management system and the breadth of its articles suggest possible involvement from government-affiliated developers. This culture of secrecy can reinforce narratives of ulterior motives, detracting from its mission as an "independent media" outlet.
Editorial Bias
To understand Opednews's ideological leanings, a thorough analysis of its published articles is essential. Many headlines reflect themes that some interpret as anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Caucasian, and pro-Israeli apartheid. A qualitative and quantitative examination of article themes can reveal whether Opednews consistently promotes a particular narrative.
Biases such as confirmation bias, selection bias, framing bias, and partisan bias are present in Opednews's content, influencing how information is presented and potentially impacting public perception. The findings suggest that Opednews is far from neutral or progressive in its coverage and may have underlying biases that shape its narrative and perspective. In one hyphenated word, it is Fasci-Communism.
Writer Experiences
Writers' experiences on Opednews provide critical insights into the platform's internal dynamics. Numerous accounts exist of contributors facing bans who need clear reasoning or transparent appeals processes. Collecting these testimonies reveals a troubling trend: many writers encounter bans every one to two years, raising questions about the platform's claims of free expression.
This practice not only diminishes Opednews's credibility but also poses existential threats to its community of writers—not to offend, but some former writers would not submit anything to Kall, not for billions of dollars. By marginalizing dissenting voices, Opednews risks alienating its audience, undermining its mission as an alternative media outlet, scaring talent away, and collecting dregs; their SimilarWeb numbers bear this out.
Ethical Concerns and Controversies
Investigating ethical concerns surrounding Opednews reveals alleged censorship and manipulation of articles. Reports suggest that platform critiques may be suppressed or removed entirely. Such practices compromise journalistic integrity and create a culture of fear among contributors. Whistleblower accounts and public discussions could further illuminate these issues, reinforcing suspicions regarding the platform's operational integrity—Zero-calorie ethics with aspartame content.
Hypocrisy and Contemporary Issues
Examining Opednews's editorial stance on contemporary issues highlights potential hypocrisy. While the platform claims to advocate for social justice, free speech, and democratic values, its practices may contradict these assertions. Analyzing its coverage of significant social and political issues—such as civil rights and media accountability—reveals inconsistencies undermining its credibility. If Opednews positions itself as a champion of free speech, banning writers presenting alternative viewpoints raises significant questions about its commitment to diversity of opinion.
The investigation into Opednews reveals a complex tapestry of claims, practices, and contradictions. While the platform presents itself as a bastion of alternative media, issues surrounding financial illegitimacy, censorship, and ideological bias overshadow its operations. As readers and writers navigate the evolving landscape of independent journalism, understanding the dynamics within platforms like Opednews is crucial for promoting transparency, accountability, and genuine discourse in the media landscape. It will continue shrinking if the platform continues to lose readership amid allegations of fake news and subversive practices.
Decline in Readership:
Reader Trust Issues:
Top 10 Article Categories at OpEdNews.com, in order (add lite, diet, or fat-free after each):
1. Politics
2. Social Justice
3. Environment
4. Health
5. Economics
6. War and Peace
7. Media and Journalism
8. Education
9. Culture
10.Technology
Years of analysis show that OEN tends to pressure writers to write the status quo repeatedly. Anticipating Kall’s lies—It is not that the articles are too perfect; no, they are the antithesis of perfect, they all conform to Kall. Writers are then banned or voluntarily quit and are replaced by another crop of unpaid slave-writers. The articles have no hint, not one whisper, of any viewpoint other than Rob Kall's and Meryl Anne Butler's.
Being accused of being a front for Federal Government Agencies is not "a fun hoot" or "a compliment." Rob Kall, Meryl Anne Butler, and OEN have never explained how they went from nothing to a full-blown site overnight. The Pennsylvania State District Attorney has barred OpEdNews from collecting donations from Pennsylvania residents (recognizing snake oil). The US IRS has failed to do the same—ask yourself why the IRS would not go after Rob Kall?
OpEdNews has repeatedly engaged in writer/commentator/member purges, suffered large deficits in readership, and shown subsequent desperation for cash. In their illustrious history, they seem to make themselves go broke, beg, make themselves broke—but never go bankrupt. This survival mode, interspersed with the hatred directed at self, then blamed on innocent writers, is not logical; it is a perversion. Kall will read this and brag about the FBI middleware running “his” (the strawman’s) website. Then ban 50 more writers as “free speech” in Suppressedville, U.S.A.
References:
1. Media Bias/Fact Check - Various authors
2. Pew Research Center - Various authors
3. "Censorship in the Digital Age" - Various authors
4. IRS Nonprofit Organizations - Internal Revenue Service
5. "COINTELPRO: The FBI's Secret War on Political Freedom" - American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
6. "Alternative Media: An Introduction to Alternative Press" - K. C. Ross
7. "Fake News and Media Trust: An Analysis of Social Media's Role" - Journal of Communication, Various authors
Links:
https://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread647240/pg1
Rob Kall: The Petty Tyrant of OpEdNews - James H. Fetzer
jameshfetzer.org›2013/08/rob-kall-the-petty-…
If Rob Kall had a problem with me that only surfaced with the passage of time, then he had no right to reject any future submissions from me.
Beware of Dangerous Articles by Rob Kall of OpEdNews
scoop.co.nz›stories/HL1404/S00235/beware-of-…
FDR--Rob Kall's "good capitalist"--resorted to a full-fledged race war in an effort to quell the rebellion and get American workers to start obeying instead of revolting against the government.
34 9/11 Truth? - Article Not Found
http://thepeoplesvoice.org›TPV3/Voices.php/2012/02/26/34…
Rob Kall, executive editor/publisher of OpEdNews.com, recently “Ranked Among Top 100 Blogs Overall," suffers from Cognitive Dissonance (CD) when it comes to anything written by Robert Singer.