“We want (click here) to be the leading digital publisher in democracies around the world,” says Mathias Döpfner, shown here on the rooftop of Axel Springer's headquarters in Berlin.
His media interests will not do well. He is another Murdoch wannabee. You can't be looking at the remnants of the Berlin Wall and pray for Trump to win a presidency. It makes no sense.
Praying for Trump to win is not a non-partisan act. I never thought of Politico as non-partisan.
While every country (click here) has the responsibility to fight antisemitism within its borders, only one country has the responsibility to lead this battle on a global scale, and that is Israel.
Anti-semitism is a problem in the USA. There has been killings in synagogues by right wing White Supremacists. That is why I can't see that Mr. Dopfner has his understanding of Trump correct. I don't know what he has been feed by partisans at Politico, but, Trump is a danger to democracy. He openly rebuffed Palestine and increased tensions rather than brought about peace. Trump had no intentions of entertaining the idea of a Palestinian homeland. He fully condoned a war by Israel of the Palestinian people. He believes in expansionism in the Middle East no different than Russia.
I think the Rupert Wannabee needs to come to terms with the reality of Trump's hatred and set his media services on a real non-partisan track. Trump is not the answer, he is the problem.
August 19, 2021
By James Kirchik
By James Kirchik
...Döpfner took a different tack. (click here) “I think, and I’m being very frank with you,” he said on a companywide conference call, “a person who has an issue with an Israeli flag being raised for one week here, after antisemitic demonstrations, should look for a new job.” And with that, the minor uprising at Axel Springer was kaput.
For American observers, this exchange was notable not so much for what it said about media bias, Germany’s ongoing attempt to reckon with its past, or the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in other countries. What made it significant was something more basic and universal concerning the integrity of elite institutions. Put aside your beliefs, for a moment, about the propriety of an independent media outlet appearing to take sides in a war halfway around the world. By flying the Israeli flag while the Jewish state was under attack, and while European Jews were threatened close to home, Axel Springer was adhering to one of its fundamental principles.
Since 1967, the Axel Springer media empire has officially committed itself to upholding a set of values devised by its eponymous founder, which he called the company’s “Essentials,” and which have been updated over time. They are as follows:
1. We stand up for freedom, the rule of law, democracy and a united Europe.
2. We support the Jewish people and the right of existence of the State of Israel.
3. We advocate the transatlantic alliance between the United States of America and Europe.
4. We uphold the principles of a free market economy and its social responsibility.
5. We reject political and religious extremism and all forms of racism and sexual discrimination.
Every Axel Springer journalist signs a contract agreeing to uphold the Essentials, which function less as rigid dogmas than as guiding professional precepts; wide latitude exists, for instance, within the scope of what constitutes “a united Europe,” “the transatlantic alliance,” and “the principles of a free market economy.”...
For American observers, this exchange was notable not so much for what it said about media bias, Germany’s ongoing attempt to reckon with its past, or the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in other countries. What made it significant was something more basic and universal concerning the integrity of elite institutions. Put aside your beliefs, for a moment, about the propriety of an independent media outlet appearing to take sides in a war halfway around the world. By flying the Israeli flag while the Jewish state was under attack, and while European Jews were threatened close to home, Axel Springer was adhering to one of its fundamental principles.
Since 1967, the Axel Springer media empire has officially committed itself to upholding a set of values devised by its eponymous founder, which he called the company’s “Essentials,” and which have been updated over time. They are as follows:
1. We stand up for freedom, the rule of law, democracy and a united Europe.
2. We support the Jewish people and the right of existence of the State of Israel.
3. We advocate the transatlantic alliance between the United States of America and Europe.
4. We uphold the principles of a free market economy and its social responsibility.
5. We reject political and religious extremism and all forms of racism and sexual discrimination.
Every Axel Springer journalist signs a contract agreeing to uphold the Essentials, which function less as rigid dogmas than as guiding professional precepts; wide latitude exists, for instance, within the scope of what constitutes “a united Europe,” “the transatlantic alliance,” and “the principles of a free market economy.”...
At least Dopfner has Putin right.
By Mathias Döpfner
Mathias Döpfner speaks with Elon Musk at Tesla's factory in Fremont, CA.
...Mathias Döpfner: Before we talk about the future, (click here) let's look at the present. There is war in Europe. If you see the horrible images of Putin's troops invading Ukraine, killing people. What are your thoughts?
Elon Musk: It is surprising to see that in this day and age. I thought we had sort of moved beyond such things for the most part. It is concerning. If you can get away with it, then this will be a message to other countries that perhaps they could get away with it too....
...Mathias Döpfner: Before we talk about the future, (click here) let's look at the present. There is war in Europe. If you see the horrible images of Putin's troops invading Ukraine, killing people. What are your thoughts?
Elon Musk: It is surprising to see that in this day and age. I thought we had sort of moved beyond such things for the most part. It is concerning. If you can get away with it, then this will be a message to other countries that perhaps they could get away with it too....
I think he sounds interesting, but, praying for Trump to win an election to take on the Tech Giants is only reaffirming there is nothing non-partisan about his intentions in obtaining a media organization like Politico. Non-partisan has to be devoid of the self-interest of an owner within an influential media service. Wielding power to vanquish a competitor is highly unethical and ethics in any profession has to rule the outcomes of the principles of that profession. Media is no different and to state there is partisanship in major news outlets in the USA is completely uninformed.
The New York Times reports both sides and as a climate advocate I have often found NYT leaning against the best wind for this planet. There are many times I found right wing opinions insightful, but leaves the less fortunate in the breach, in the NYT.
The Washington Post is not left leaning. It has a clear understanding of decades of "inside Washington" and where politics has gone bad to the point of breaking the law. The Post has been one of the most decent newspapers in the history of the USA and considering it's neighborhood the paper has protected democracy when it was clear the path forward was adverse to it.
I admire the values Mathias Dopfner brings to his media services, but, he really needs to get to know the USA before he thinks he can dictate to it. If he tries to take on the Tech Giants alone, he may find himself very much ostracized from being legitimate.
Dopfner needs to extend himself beyond the usual comfort of Europe to realize he is in foreign territory and it can eat him alive. I hope he succeeds in creating a non-partisan media service in the USA, but, that is a hard climb considering the corruption that exists in the MAGA party at this point. I mean. MAGA is an insurgency. That is a fact. There is nothing beneficial about it.
Dopfner needs to interview Michael Cohen and he will then know what Trump is all about and it isn't about loyalty to others, so much as others need to be loyal to him. Trump destroys lives and will think nothing of destroying media services when they don't serve his interests.
