I was doing my usual obsessive reading yesterday when I came across something highlighting how important independent media is.

As you likely know, Hunter Biden refused to obey a Congressional subpoena yesterday and instead held a press conference at the Capitol explaining why he was above the law.

Of course, he didn’t put it that way, but that was the gist. He was legally obligated to testify and had the cajones (I know he has them because I and everybody else have unfortunately seen them) to stand in front of the media and give Congress the finger.

So, where does independent media come in? After all, the MSM covered the press conference, so why do you guys need us?

Here's a link to the article:https://t.co/HfMCfsKb3y

— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) December 13, 2023

I’ll tell you why: the MSM decides what to tell you and what not to, and if reality doesn’t fit their narrative, they rewrite it, which is exactly what the New York Times did when reporting this story.

The Times didn’t just mangle a quote; they rewrote it to make it fit their narrative more tightly. Read the quote and then watch the video. They are different.

This happens constantly, and in many cases, the damage to the truth is more egregious. After all, most Americans have figured out that Hunter and Joe are lying about their business relationship, and only the dead-enders actually believe that Hunter isn’t a sleazebag and Joe isn’t, well, totally corrupt.

It has taken a while, but as independent media outlets have banged away over the months and years, the reality has sunk in. Joe Biden is as corrupt as the day is long.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but far fewer people would have heard about Joe’s corruption without independent media outlets. It’s not like the MSM has been screaming from the rooftops about it.

The same goes for the Twitter Files, the “virus of unspecified origin that will certainly kill you if you breathe,” and a raft of other stories. The MSM decides what to tell you, how to spin it, and whether people have a right to talk about it on social media. They are an integral part of the Establishment, not some 4th estate holding them to account.

What a joke.

I knew about this in the abstract before I started writing at HotAir–after all, I have been reading media outlets from all parts of the political spectrum for years and have been obsessive about getting lots of different perspectives–but I didn’t really grasp the reality of how comprehensively the Establishment controls the means of communication.

The Establishment controls almost everything.

It’s really hard to get alternative voices out there and even harder to get people’s attention. The MSM, Big Tech, NGOs, and even the government work very hard to keep a lid on alternative voices. It’s not just conservative voices either, although we are often seen as the bigger threat. Anybody who challenges The Narrative is considered a threat and suppressed.

That’s why we keep reminding you that it is only through your support that we can do our work. In a sane world, HotAir and our sister publications could survive and even thrive with only advertising revenue, but we live in a world getting closer to 1984 and farther from 1776.

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I know you are, too, because you are here. Except for that guy from Media Matters. I’m pretty sure he is passionate about turning America into Cuba or Venezuela. But the rest of you want to save America.

That’s why our regular discount code is SAVEAMERICA. It tells you where we stand and invites you to join us in the fight. If you haven’t already, here’s your chance to arm yourself, saddle up, and charge at our ideological enemies together. Think of it as joining the Rough Riders, if you like.

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