Michael Bloomberg — founder and majority proprietor of Bloomberg LP, the father or mother firm of Bloomberg Information, and the previous mayor of New York Metropolis — wrote an opinion piece Thursday saying he’s endorsing Kamala Harris for president.
Bloomberg listed the assorted insurance policies of Harris on which he agrees: abortion rights, immigration, the economic system, local weather change, public well being and public security. After which there’s the opposite issue: private integrity.
Bloomberg was extremely vital of Donald Trump, notably for Trump’s position within the Jan. 6 riot and for consistently (and wrongly) casting doubts over the results of the 2020 election. Bloomberg wrote, “As a result of for him, nothing — not America, not our Structure, not democracy, not the rule of legislation, not the lives of cops or some other citizen — issues greater than his personal self-importance and glory.”
He finishes by writing, “I don’t know Harris effectively — we’ve solely talked a few occasions — however I’ve been impressed by the way in which she has run her marketing campaign: reaching out to independents and Republicans and rallying voters of all events by providing a constructive imaginative and prescient of the nation. She is decided to guide our nation ahead, and he or she understands that the one method to do this is by bringing folks again collectively. I’m prepared. I feel most Individuals are, too. And that’s why I hope undecided voters of all political stripes will be part of me in voting for Kamala Harris for president.”
I (and lots of others) have been writing about this for a number of days now. Many on the suitable are totally satisfied that Donald Trump is definitely going to win the presidential election. And whereas Trump very effectively may win, he very effectively may lose, too. The election is believed to be a toss-up at this level. You’ll find loads of polls that recommend both candidate would possibly win, however in just about all of them, the polling is throughout the margin of error.
That means even the polls aren’t certain.
The problem, nonetheless, is that many on the suitable, counting on polling and tales from conservative shops, aren’t even contemplating the concept that Trump may lose.
The New York Times’ Ken Bensinger and Kaleigh Rogers wrote, “The partisan polls seem targeted on lifting Republican enthusiasm earlier than the election and — maybe extra vital — cementing the concept that the one method Mr. Trump can lose to Vice President Kamala Harris is that if the election is rigged. Polls promising a Republican victory, the idea runs, could possibly be held up as proof of dishonest if that victory doesn’t come to cross.”
Bensinger and Rogers level out that many partisan polls predicted a “pink wave” within the 2022 midterms. There was no “pink wave,” as nonpartisan polls precisely predicted.
There’s way more element within the Occasions’ story about polling and the place the election may find yourself.
However let’s be clear: Nobody can say with any certainty that they know who’s going to win this election.
Oh, I additionally wish to level out this story. The Washington Publish’s Cat Zakrzewski, Naomi Nix and Jeremy B. Merrill with “In the podcast election, top shows cast doubt on integrity of 2024 vote.”
They lead with this chilling paragraph: “Greater than two dozen standard podcasts have aired claims preemptively casting doubt on the integrity of the 2024 election, disseminating unsubstantiated claims on a preferred medium that operates largely outdoors the view of tech trade screens.”
These embody podcasts akin to “The Joe Rogan Expertise,” “The Ben Shapiro Present,” “The Charlie Kirk Present” and “The Dan Bongino Present.”
The Publish writes, “A number of the hosts or their company have echoed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s claims that Democrats are getting ready to steal the election. Consultants say the baseless allegations may prime listeners to not settle for the outcomes if the previous president loses the razor-tight race. Throughout October appearances on the Shapiro and Rogan reveals, Trump stated that Democrats had been dishonest and that the media was interfering with the election.”
Additionally, right here’s extra from Axios’ Mike Allen: “What Trump is being told.” Allen studies Trump is being fed constructive tales about his probabilities, saying he’s in considerably higher form in swing states than he was in 2020.
However, Allen writes, “This stays a 50-50 election, people, with polling from all seven swing states falling throughout the margins of error.”
For this merchandise, I flip it over to Poynter media enterprise analyst Rick Edmonds.
No shock. The Wall Avenue Journal ran the first of two editorials on the most important occasion presidential contenders Wednesday night time, whereas additionally confirming that it’ll proceed its 92-year-old custom of not endorsing.
First up was Kamala Harris; ideas on Donald Trump to comply with quickly. The Journal provided a mixed-to-negative overview beneath the headline, “A Harris Victory Means a Fourth Obama Time period.”
The editorial attacked her as a free spender on an array of home applications and stated it lacked confidence in how she would deal with a “harmful second” in international affairs. It gave a nod to her working a succesful marketing campaign on brief discover and trouncing Trump within the debate. The editorial writers additionally sympathized with Republicans who’re breaking with their occasion due to their loathing of Trump.
The Journal’s voluminous opinion part has seemingly been at conflict with itself since Harris entered the race, going backwards and forwards about whether or not to concern extra her “progressive” insurance policies or Trump’s erratic conduct, worsening because the marketing campaign goes on.
Even with out an endorsement, the pair of essays may trace at how the Journal wish to see you vote. Benjamin Mullin, now a New York Occasions media reporter, pinpointed in a 2016 Poynter story {that a} skewering of Hillary Clinton was a Trump recommendation in disguise.
The Washington Publish, Los Angeles Occasions and USA Right this moment have earned various levels of offended pushback from workers and readers for not endorsing. The Journal’s predictability will hold the peace amongst these constituencies. You possibly can argue that the Journal’s strategy of letting the voter resolve with no thumb on the dimensions was the way in which to go proper alongside.
I’ll provide a light dissent. “We haven’t endorsed since Herbert Hoover” is catchy but additionally evasive. Isn’t that only a dressed-up model of the dispiriting “we’ve at all times accomplished it that method” excuse? The Journal additionally stored readers glad for many years by working acres of inventory tables. Then that didn’t make sense anymore and so they stopped. Diamonds are without end, however why, precisely, are nonendorsements, too?
For this merchandise, I flip it over to my Poynter colleague, Angela Fu.
Gannett continued to develop digital income and adjusted EBITDA (earnings earlier than curiosity, taxes, depreciation and amortization) final quarter, although it ended the interval with a web loss, the corporate announced Thursday.
In the course of the quarter ending Sept. 30, Gannett, the biggest newspaper chain within the nation, suffered a web lack of $19.7 million, in comparison with a $2.6 million loss throughout the identical interval final yr. The corporate, nonetheless, was capable of develop adjusted EBITDA 5.6% to $62.9 million, in addition to a number of digital metrics.
Gannett now has 2.06 million digital-only paid subscriptions. Its digital subscription income grew 25% final quarter to $50.1 million, and the common income it will get per person in digital is now $8.16. Whole digital income grew to $277.4 million and now makes up 45% of whole income. One of many firm’s long-term targets is to shift its income combine in order that digital makes up a larger proportion.
Whole income fell 6.2% to $612.4 million, partially on account of companies Gannett has both bought or shut down. One of many companies cited by executives on an earnings name Thursday is the product overview website Reviewed, which shut down Friday, ensuing within the layoff of 73 staff.
Over the past quarter, Gannett elevated its free money circulate by 168% year-over-year to $19.8 million. It paid down $28.5 million of debt and now owes $1.06 billion stemming from its 2019 merger with GateHouse. Gannett refinanced its debt earlier this month, which CEO and president Mike Reed referred to as an “vital milestone.”
“We consider our capability to efficiently refinance our debt displays the power of our long-term technique and the progress we’ve made executing towards our plans, particularly this yr as we’ve deliberately had stabilization on the forefront of our collective efforts,” Reed stated. “Meaning we anticipate stabilizing income developments, rising adjusted EBITDA and free money circulate and bettering margins.”
Gannett reiterated its steerage for 2025 and 2026, throughout which the corporate expects web earnings to enhance to constructive. The corporate can be anticipating full-year income to develop in 2025 over 2024, Reed stated. “Our viewers engagement is driving constructive momentum throughout our digital enterprise.”
The corporate, which owns USA Right this moment and greater than 200 native papers, surpassed 200 million common month-to-month distinctive guests for the primary time in its historical past final quarter. Chief content material officer Kristin Roberts informed traders through the earnings name that audiences are extremely engaged with Gannett’s political and sports activities protection and defended the company’s decision to stop presidential endorsements.
“We’re dedicated to turning into the main digital information and content material vacation spot in America,” Roberts stated. “To completely harness this potential, we’ve deliberately returned to our roots as a facts-forward, down-the-center survey of our nation.”
Final quarter, Gannett introduced a partnership with Microsoft’s Copilot Each day, a man-made intelligence-powered software that, amongst different options, summarizes news stories. Gannett is “actively partaking” with a number of AI corporations and anticipates forming extra partnerships, Reed stated.
“A core element of our technique is AI,” Reed stated. “By leveraging AI, we consider we are able to improve operational effectivity and improve the monetization of each present and archived content material. The anticipated long-term worth from leveraging AI lies in forming strategic partnerships that align the distinctive strengths of Gannett with these of AI platforms.”
Gannett inventory was buying and selling at $4.69 a share Thursday afternoon, down 19% from the day past’s shut.
Have suggestions or a tip? E mail Poynter senior media author Tom Jones at [email protected].
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