Victor Pickard
LightNews LightNews
banner
victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard
@victorpickard.bsky.social
16K followers 1.3K following 600 posts

Professor who writes about the history and political economy of media, politics of media policy, and democratic theories of journalism. Author of "Democracy Without Journalism? Confronting the Misinformation Society." Co-director of the MIC Center at Penn. .. more

Videos

Victor Pickard is an American media studies scholar. He is a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He works on the intersections of U.S. and global media activism and politics; the history and political economy of media institutions; and the normative foundations of media policy. .. more

Communication & Media Studies 46%
Political science 18%
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · Apr 15
New piece in The Nation arguing that we need public media more now than ever. We must defend what we have with an eye toward expanding and restructuring public media in the future.
We Must Save Public Media to Change It
We need public media more than ever—it’s too precious to let Trump defund it. But to live up to its democratic promise, we must support public media to serve our needs.
www.thenation.com

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 5h
Yeah, despite the lack of nuance, I think it's pretty effective in getting across the severity of the problem. My sense is that few people would see it as a natural consequence beyond our control but rather as a tragedy that needs to be addressed.

Reposted by Victor Pickard

froomkin.bsky.social
Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News @froomkin.bsky.social · 7h
This may be the single most screwed up story about ICE murdering Renee Good that I have read in a major news outlet. The issue is not whether Ross “placed himself at needless risk.” It’s that he murdered Good for no good reason. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
ICE tactics and training under scrutiny after Minneapolis shooting
Policing experts say officer who fired fatal shots may have placed himself at needless risk by standing in front of Renée Good’s vehicle.
www.washingtonpost.com

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 8h
The "news deserts" metaphor is imperfect (as all metaphors are) for a number of reasons, including that it obscures how media systems are socially constructed, based on law & policy and other political decisions. Yet the term seems to effectively impress upon folks how bad the problem is. Thoughts?
victorpickard.bsky.social Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 1d
It's imprecise, it's often assumed to be a be a new phenomenon, and it suggests that people are not consuming/interacting with media in these areas. And yet, I find the term to be effective in communicating the severity of the problem -- seems to resonate, especially outside of academic circles.

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 9h
Thanks, Diami -- will do!

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 23h
I know they do good work!

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 1d
It's imprecise, it's often assumed to be a be a new phenomenon, and it suggests that people are not consuming/interacting with media in these areas. And yet, I find the term to be effective in communicating the severity of the problem -- seems to resonate, especially outside of academic circles.

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 1d
I'm sympathetic to this -- similar critiques have been leveled against the "media ecosystem" metaphor for obscuring the fact that media systems are socially constructed, based on law and policy and other political decisions. The news deserts metaphor is also lacking for at least three other reasons:

Reposted by Matthew P. McAllister

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 1d
We can hope that a new civic-minded nonprofit or low-profit local media institution emerges in Pittsburgh until we arrive at a more structural approach -- ideally a reinvented and greatly expanded public media system -- that can deal with the news deserts problem across the country.

Reposted by Jan W. Mueller, Victor Pickard

jayrosen.bsky.social
Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 1d
Over at @status.news they're putting into the same frame the weakness of Tony Dokoupil, the new anchor at CBS, and the politics of Larry Ellison, "the billionaire Oracle co-founder who bankrolled his son’s takeover of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount."

Reposted by Reece Jones, Elizabeth Sharrow, John Horgan , and 8 more

kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 1d
This guy is in Minneapolis standing before an American citizen in an SUV.

The only reason he's brandishing an assault rifle is because he wants the people he's purportedly there protecting to feel terrorized by his presence.

This is not protection. This is occupation.

Reposted by Victor Pickard

markjacob.bsky.social
Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 1d
Fox News’ mission has been to make $$ by reinforcing the paranoia of bigoted white people. But there used to be a few places even they would not go. With their outrageous Minneapolis lies, however, I think they’re trying to solidify their role as official state media in the emerging dictatorship.

Reposted by Victor Pickard

us.theconversation.com
The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 1d
When reputable local news outlets close, fewer people vote and get involved in local politics, and misinformation, corruption and polarization increase, an expert on the U.S. media and its role in democracy explains. buff.ly/lcUuZZQ By @victorpickard.bsky.social #journalism
Why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s closure exposes a growing threat to democracy
When reputable local news outlets close, fewer people vote and get involved in local politics, and misinformation, corruption and polarization increase.
buff.ly

Reposted by John F. McCarthy, Rosemary A. Joyce, Jonathan Hopkin , and 4 more

kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 2d
When Renee Good said "I'm not mad at you" what the ICE goon heard was "I'm not scared of you."

That's what enraged him. The populace wasn't fully terrorized and cowed into submission yet, so he acted to make that happen.

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 2d
The ideological contortions that right-wing politicians, media orgs, and intellectuals are making to demonize Renee Good and justify her murder are incredible to behold. They are morally abhorrent and unforgivable.

Reposted by Matthew P. McAllister

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 2d
Did a quick Q&A about the imminent closure of my hometown newspaper for the @us.theconversation.com
Why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s closure exposes a growing threat to democracy
When reputable local news outlets close, fewer people vote and get involved in local politics, and misinformation, corruption and polarization increase.
theconversation.com

Reposted by Tom Clark, Rosemary A. Joyce, David R. Miller , and 2 more

larryglickman.bsky.social
Larry Glickman @larryglickman.bsky.social · 3d
Isn't there a word for a leader who thinks there are no meaningful legal constraints on his or her power and that "My own morality. My own mind" is "the only thing that can stop me"?
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/u...
Trump Lays Out a Vision of Power Restrained Only by ‘My Own Morality’
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Victor Pickard

freepress.bsky.social
Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 3d
"Both potential mergers could severely harm the viewing public, creative industry workers, journalists, movie theaters that depend on studio content, and their surrounding main-street businesses, too." - @mattfieldwood.bsky.social via @latimes.com

www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
Warner nixes Paramount's bid (again), citing proposed debt load
Warner’s board was not swayed by tech billionaire Larry Ellison's personal guarantee to back the equity portion of Paramount's bid. Warner's board remains solidly behind its Netflix deal.
www.latimes.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 4 more

jamellebouie.net
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 4d
it is the policy of this government to treat democratic-led states as conquered territories and the people therein as something like hostiles or even enemy combatants
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d
Dr Oz threatens to pull Medicaid support for Minnesota: "Sticking to the narrative that's cold in Minnesota -- this is the tip of the iceberg"

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 5 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d
Dr Oz threatens to pull Medicaid support for Minnesota: "Sticking to the narrative that's cold in Minnesota -- this is the tip of the iceberg"

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Stephan Lewandowsky, John Horgan , and 13 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d
Noem: "People need to stop using their vehicles as weapons ... it's clear that it's being coordinated. People are being trained"

Reposted by Fabián Muniesa, Victor Pickard

jamellebouie.net
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 4d
remains striking the extent to which trump quite loudly does not see himself as president of the united states and more as a clan leader for his supporters
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d
Trump: "I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting ... "
I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense. Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital. The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis. They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE. We need to stand by and protect our Law Enforcement Officers from this Radical Left Movement of Violence and Hate!

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Charles W. Smith, Patrick O. Waeber , and 1 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d
Walz: "It's beyond me that apparently from the federal government, the Homeland Security director herself, has already determined who this person who, what their motive was, and they hadn't even been taken out of the vehicle. We're not living in a normal world."

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 4d
I was born and raised outside of Pittsburgh and this is devastating news. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/b...
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Announces It Will Cease Operations
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Kim L. Scheppele, Brendan Nyhan , and 16 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4d
Trump: "I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting ... "
I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense. Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital. The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis. They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE. We need to stand by and protect our Law Enforcement Officers from this Radical Left Movement of Violence and Hate!

victorpickard.bsky.social
Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 4d
This is cartoonishly bad.
justinbaragona.bsky.social Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 4d
Here's the clip of Tony Dokoupil ending tonight's broadcast by absolutely gushing over "ultimate Florida Man" Marco Rubio.

Reposted by Victor Pickard, Alexandra Filindra, Nathan P. Kalmoe

olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social
Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 4d
"Brazilian authorities refused to isolate January 8 as a spontaneous and feverish riot. Instead, they treated it as a conspiracy with identifiable authors. Days after the attack, police searched the home of Anderson Torres (...Brasília’s then–security chief)..."

jacobin.com/2026/01/janu...
What Brazil’s January 8 Can Teach Us About January 6
In 2021, the January 6 Capitol attack exposed deep connections between the US state and far-right groups. When something similar happened in Brazil in 2023, it prompted a national attempt to reform th...
jacobin.com

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, Rosemary A. Joyce, David Rothschild , and 7 more

justinbaragona.bsky.social
Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 4d
Here's the clip of Tony Dokoupil ending tonight's broadcast by absolutely gushing over "ultimate Florida Man" Marco Rubio.

Reposted by Victor Pickard

ccc-journal.bsky.social
Communication, Culture & Critique @ccc-journal.bsky.social · 5d
OPEN ACCESS!

In our latest issue, @manijehm.bsky.social interviews Iranian left feminist activist Neda Naji on resisting authoritarianism and imperialism.

academic.oup.com/ccc/article/...
Protestors in a city park holding signs reading "JIN JIYAH AZADI" and "FEMINISTS FOR JINA" and "From Iran to Palestine, End the War, End the Crime" among other slogans.

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Richard E. Lenski, Patrick Dunleavy , and 3 more

thetnholler.bsky.social
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 5d
Never forget. 🇺🇸

Reposted by Victor Pickard

jameeljaffer.bsky.social
Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 5d
News organizations should “love America” by doing their jobs. Great piece by @sulliview.bsky.social, a response to CBS’s vacuous “five simple principles.”
open.substack.com/pub/margaret...