Rodney Gibbs
@rodneygibbs.com
ED of Heartland Signal, a digital newsroom and radio network. Priors: Texas Tribune, National Trust for Local News, AJC + start-ups. Board member: Online News Association, The Current GA, Canopy Atlanta. DJ at WRFG-FM ATL.
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
Featured story, from @josephinelee.bsky.social: 92% of private schools already enrolled in the state's voucher programs serving kids beyond kindergarten are religious. An investigation by the Texas Observer found many of these exclude non-Christian and LGBTQ+ kids.
Texas Taxpayers Will Fund Dozens of Private Schools that Openly Discriminate
The state has signed off on voucher funds for schools that exclude non-Christian and LGBTQ+ kids.
www.texasobserver.org
January 20, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Featured story, from @josephinelee.bsky.social: 92% of private schools already enrolled in the state's voucher programs serving kids beyond kindergarten are religious. An investigation by the Texas Observer found many of these exclude non-Christian and LGBTQ+ kids.
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
The @wired.com guide to ICE invading your neighborhood:
What to Do If ICE Invades Your Neighborhood
With federal agents storming the streets of American communities, there's no single right way to approach this dangerous moment. But there are steps you can take to stay safe—and have an impact.
www.wired.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:56 AM
The @wired.com guide to ICE invading your neighborhood:
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
per my point about the mercator projection being the root of this whole thing
Why is Trump fixated on Greenland? @sbg1.bsky.social recalls what he told us in 2021: "I said, 'Why don’t we have that?' You take a look at a map...I love maps. And I always said 'Look at the size of this, it’s massive and that should be part of the United States.'" www.newyorker.com/news/letter-...
Why Donald Trump Wants Greenland (and Everything Else)
There’s no Trump Doctrine, just a map of the world that the President wants to write his name on in big gold letters.
www.newyorker.com
January 9, 2026 at 12:48 AM
per my point about the mercator projection being the root of this whole thing
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
404 Media has obtained material that explains how two surveillance systems ICE recently purchased, work. One can track phones without a warrant and follow their owners home or to their employer. @evystadium.bsky.social has more.
Scoop by @josephcox.bsky.social: www.404media.co/inside-ices-...
Scoop by @josephcox.bsky.social: www.404media.co/inside-ices-...
January 8, 2026 at 2:55 PM
404 Media has obtained material that explains how two surveillance systems ICE recently purchased, work. One can track phones without a warrant and follow their owners home or to their employer. @evystadium.bsky.social has more.
Scoop by @josephcox.bsky.social: www.404media.co/inside-ices-...
Scoop by @josephcox.bsky.social: www.404media.co/inside-ices-...
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
This may not mean much to some of you, but for music nerds, this is quite the reunion. pitchfork.com/news/heavenl...
Heavenly Announce First Album in 30 Years
Highway to Heavenly drops in February
pitchfork.com
January 6, 2026 at 6:23 PM
This may not mean much to some of you, but for music nerds, this is quite the reunion. pitchfork.com/news/heavenl...
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
Listen to Jack Smith push back on GOP House lawyer trying to spin Trump as an innocent dupe of Rudy et al’s Big Lie spin www.tiktok.com/t/ZTheYeUha/
#BreakingNews #fyp #Trump #MAGA #politics
TikTok video by Joe
www.tiktok.com
January 3, 2026 at 1:16 AM
Listen to Jack Smith push back on GOP House lawyer trying to spin Trump as an innocent dupe of Rudy et al’s Big Lie spin www.tiktok.com/t/ZTheYeUha/
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
NEW: Jack Smith seemed in total command of the details of his probes and used his deposition to forcefully rebut claims of weaponization and reiterate his belief that Trump was guilty of historic crimes.
Our 7 takeaways.
w/ @Hailey_Fuchs @jordainc
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Our 7 takeaways.
w/ @Hailey_Fuchs @jordainc
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
December 31, 2025 at 11:33 PM
NEW: Jack Smith seemed in total command of the details of his probes and used his deposition to forcefully rebut claims of weaponization and reiterate his belief that Trump was guilty of historic crimes.
Our 7 takeaways.
w/ @Hailey_Fuchs @jordainc
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Our 7 takeaways.
w/ @Hailey_Fuchs @jordainc
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
BREAKING: The House Judiciary Committee has released Jack Smith's 255-page deposition transcript: judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...
December 31, 2025 at 7:02 PM
BREAKING: The House Judiciary Committee has released Jack Smith's 255-page deposition transcript: judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
The world has come a long way since the days of “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight,” movies that favorably portrayed journalists knocking on doors and trying to reach sources to tell important stories. Now Trump officials vilify such efforts. My column on the moment we’re in.
Our Reporters Reached Out for Comment. They Were Accused of Stalking and Intimidation.
Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But in this environment, they’ve found their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated.
www.propublica.org
December 29, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The world has come a long way since the days of “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight,” movies that favorably portrayed journalists knocking on doors and trying to reach sources to tell important stories. Now Trump officials vilify such efforts. My column on the moment we’re in.
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
When I was on CNN's northeast desk, the first job at 6a every morning was to read the local papers. That guided some of what the massive CNN machine followed every day.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
"The newspaper industry served as a feeder for our entire news media ecosystem. So when we lose those newspapers, we've lost that journalism. In the early 2000s, we had 40 journalists per 100,000 people. We're now down to 8 journalists per 100,000 people," says @victorpickard.bsky.social.
December 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
When I was on CNN's northeast desk, the first job at 6a every morning was to read the local papers. That guided some of what the massive CNN machine followed every day.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
There's every reason in the world why the Trump administration chose not to comment on the 60 Minutes segment--namely, that there's little or nothing in it that they'd try to (or could reasonably) dispute: indeed, they've boasted about virtually all of it.
I just penned this piece with Tom Joscelyn
Fact Checking Bari Weiss: The Stated Reasons for Spiking 60 Minutes “Inside CECOT”
"If 60 Minutes had 'explained this' as Weiss described they should, the segment would have included false or highly misleading information."
Fact Checking Bari Weiss: The Stated Reasons for Spiking 60 Minutes “Inside CECOT”
"If 60 Minutes had 'explained this' as Weiss described they should, the segment would have included false or highly misleading information."
Fact Checking Bari Weiss: The Stated Reasons for Spiking 60 Minutes "Inside CECOT"
Analysis of Bari Weiss's stated justifications to 60 Minutes staff for not airing segment on CECOT prison.
www.justsecurity.org
December 23, 2025 at 6:40 PM
There's every reason in the world why the Trump administration chose not to comment on the 60 Minutes segment--namely, that there's little or nothing in it that they'd try to (or could reasonably) dispute: indeed, they've boasted about virtually all of it.
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
In 2026, writes @rodneygibbs.com, journalism will go from both-sidesism to backbone
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/from...
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/from...
December 22, 2025 at 3:08 PM
In 2026, writes @rodneygibbs.com, journalism will go from both-sidesism to backbone
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/from...
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/from...
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
This is a wild hack. a16z gave a million dollars to startup called Doublespeed. They use a phone farm to flood social media with AI generated influencers and ads. A hacker remotely broke into the phone farm, unmasking the AI influencers/fake accounts, gave us the data www.404media.co/hack-reveals...
Hack Reveals the a16z-Backed Phone Farm Flooding TikTok With AI Influencers
A hacker gained control of a 1,100 mobile phone farm powering covert, AI-generated ads on TikTok.
www.404media.co
December 17, 2025 at 2:35 PM
This is a wild hack. a16z gave a million dollars to startup called Doublespeed. They use a phone farm to flood social media with AI generated influencers and ads. A hacker remotely broke into the phone farm, unmasking the AI influencers/fake accounts, gave us the data www.404media.co/hack-reveals...
If sunlight is the best disinfectant, there's less sunlight on the Wisconsin State Legislature today.
heartlandsignal.com/2025/12/15/l...
heartlandsignal.com/2025/12/15/l...
Lack of funding takes Wisconsin’s public affairs network offline
WisconsinEye, the Badger State’s version of C-SPAN, went offline on Monday after the nonprofit failed to secure funding to keep the operation going.
heartlandsignal.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:33 PM
If sunlight is the best disinfectant, there's less sunlight on the Wisconsin State Legislature today.
heartlandsignal.com/2025/12/15/l...
heartlandsignal.com/2025/12/15/l...
Teenage me rolls his eyes at middle-aged me admiring photo of Henry Rollins in a bougie airport lounge.
December 10, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Teenage me rolls his eyes at middle-aged me admiring photo of Henry Rollins in a bougie airport lounge.
December 10, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
Well that's pretty clear...
“They were rentals from the beginning," said Wyner. "President Trump never lived there.”
Great story by @robert-faturechi.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
“They were rentals from the beginning," said Wyner. "President Trump never lived there.”
Great story by @robert-faturechi.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
The Trump administration has argued that Fed board member Lisa Cook may have committed mortgage fraud by declaring more than one primary residence on her loans. We found Trump once did the very thing ...
www.propublica.org
December 8, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Well that's pretty clear...
“They were rentals from the beginning," said Wyner. "President Trump never lived there.”
Great story by @robert-faturechi.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
“They were rentals from the beginning," said Wyner. "President Trump never lived there.”
Great story by @robert-faturechi.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
The battle over whether to extend subsidies that make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans will come to a head in the U.S. Senate this week — and Sen. Jon @Ossoff is working to make it a defining issue of his reelection campaign. #gapol
www.ajc.com/politics/202...
www.ajc.com/politics/202...
Jon Ossoff pushes for health care subsidies as US Senate vote looms
The Atlanta Democrat is making health care a focus of his reelection campaign by pushing for an extension of insurance subsidies.
www.ajc.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:36 AM
The battle over whether to extend subsidies that make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans will come to a head in the U.S. Senate this week — and Sen. Jon @Ossoff is working to make it a defining issue of his reelection campaign. #gapol
www.ajc.com/politics/202...
www.ajc.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
"I am a huge fan of the classic TV series 'Law & Order.' And yet I cannot think of a single episode — among hundreds — in which a journalist is depicted as honorable." www.poynter.org/commentary/2...
Why I’m begging TV showrunners to stop writing journalists as villains - Poynter
I will stop shouting at the TV screen when journalists are portrayed with all their virtues and vices — not as caricatures
www.poynter.org
November 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
"I am a huge fan of the classic TV series 'Law & Order.' And yet I cannot think of a single episode — among hundreds — in which a journalist is depicted as honorable." www.poynter.org/commentary/2...
New from @kleinman.bsky.social
“Unfortunately, adopting RCV would face too many hurdles and doesn’t seem to solve any of the issues with the primary process. But another option could do the job much better.”
heartlandsignal.com/2025/11/26/o...
“Unfortunately, adopting RCV would face too many hurdles and doesn’t seem to solve any of the issues with the primary process. But another option could do the job much better.”
heartlandsignal.com/2025/11/26/o...
OPINION: How to fix the 2028 Democratic primary (ranked-choice voting is not the answer)
Aaron Kleinman writes, "Adopting RCV would face too many hurdles and doesn’t seem to solve any of the issues with the primary process. But another option could do the job much better."
heartlandsignal.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:16 PM
New from @kleinman.bsky.social
“Unfortunately, adopting RCV would face too many hurdles and doesn’t seem to solve any of the issues with the primary process. But another option could do the job much better.”
heartlandsignal.com/2025/11/26/o...
“Unfortunately, adopting RCV would face too many hurdles and doesn’t seem to solve any of the issues with the primary process. But another option could do the job much better.”
heartlandsignal.com/2025/11/26/o...
I’m guest hosting the Jazz Forum on @wrfg.bsky.social tongiht, 10pm–midnight ET. Tune in!
Betty Carter, Dorothy Ashby, Mingus, Monk, and boundary-pushers from Tokyo to New Orleans.
📻 89.3 FM in Atlanta
📱 Stream on wrfg.org, TuneIn, or WRFG's free iPhone or Android apps
Betty Carter, Dorothy Ashby, Mingus, Monk, and boundary-pushers from Tokyo to New Orleans.
📻 89.3 FM in Atlanta
📱 Stream on wrfg.org, TuneIn, or WRFG's free iPhone or Android apps
WRFG – Progressive information and hand-picked quality music from Atlanta, Georgia
wrfg.org
November 24, 2025 at 10:42 PM
I’m guest hosting the Jazz Forum on @wrfg.bsky.social tongiht, 10pm–midnight ET. Tune in!
Betty Carter, Dorothy Ashby, Mingus, Monk, and boundary-pushers from Tokyo to New Orleans.
📻 89.3 FM in Atlanta
📱 Stream on wrfg.org, TuneIn, or WRFG's free iPhone or Android apps
Betty Carter, Dorothy Ashby, Mingus, Monk, and boundary-pushers from Tokyo to New Orleans.
📻 89.3 FM in Atlanta
📱 Stream on wrfg.org, TuneIn, or WRFG's free iPhone or Android apps
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
A depraved and decadent Trump WH dinner for MBS was a stunning low for an American ruling class that's stopped pretending to carry a moral compass
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
The night America’s doomed ruling class gorged on lamb, blood, and oil
For America’s deeply corrupt billionaires, time heals all wounds — even from a murderous Saudi prince’s bone saw.
www.inquirer.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:10 PM
A depraved and decadent Trump WH dinner for MBS was a stunning low for an American ruling class that's stopped pretending to carry a moral compass
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
"The research shows the financial crimes increased in areas that were farther away from abortion services."
...
"The research shows the financial crimes increased in areas that were farther away from abortion services."
...
"The research shows the financial crimes increased in areas that were farther away from abortion services."
Report shows connection between Texas abortion ban, crime increase
New research shows that restricted access to reproductive health care in Texas has led to an increase in financially motivated crimes, such as burglaries and robberies. Following the passage of House ...
heartlandsignal.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:25 PM
"The research shows the financial crimes increased in areas that were farther away from abortion services."
...
"The research shows the financial crimes increased in areas that were farther away from abortion services."
...
"The research shows the financial crimes increased in areas that were farther away from abortion services."
Reposted by Rodney Gibbs
to be fair, this is a more sophisticated understanding than scotus demonstrated in snyder v. us
www.scotusblog.com/2024/06/supr...
www.scotusblog.com/2024/06/supr...
November 18, 2025 at 11:33 PM
to be fair, this is a more sophisticated understanding than scotus demonstrated in snyder v. us
www.scotusblog.com/2024/06/supr...
www.scotusblog.com/2024/06/supr...