When facts don’t matter: Journalism didn’t fail America, Americans failed journalism
By Michael J. Socolow, Professor of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine Most people agree that actual facts matter in such activities as debate, discussion and reporting. Once facts are gathered, verified, and distributed, informed decision-making can...
A house on fire: When voters refuse to equate their actions to the suffering their choices created
The 2024 U.S. presidential election solidified a disturbing trend in American politics, a willingness among voters to choose leaders whose policies and track records directly harm their well-being. The phenomenon is not new, but its persistence and increasingly dire...
Governor Evers creates statewide Office of Violence Prevention in wake of Madison school shooting
Just weeks after the tragic shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Governor Governor Tony Evers created a new statewide office dedicated to preventing gun violence on January 14. The Governor also called on the Republican-controlled Legislature to pass...
Not in our neighborhood: Proposed ICE detention facility in Milwaukee’s 9th District sparks outrage
A controversial plan to establish a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Milwaukee’s 9th Aldermanic District has drawn strong opposition from local officials and community leaders. Alderwoman Larresa Taylor, who represents the district,...
Trump expected to embolden plans by U.S. lawmakers to force more Christian curriculum in classrooms
Conservative lawmakers across the U.S. are pushing to introduce more Christianity to public school classrooms, testing the separation of church and state by inserting Bible references into reading lessons and requiring teachers to post the Ten Commandments. The...
McDonald’s McGreed: The tarnished Golden Arches faces consumer revolt amid backlash to price gouging
In a year marked by economic challenges, the world’s largest fast-food chain has found itself at the center of growing criticism. Despite claiming that inflationary pressures have forced price increases, the soaring profits that McDonald’s has enjoyed were driven by...
Unstoppable wildfires fueled by climate change devastate lives and landmarks in Southern California
The two biggest wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures, officials said as they urged more people to heed evacuation orders after a new blaze ignited and quickly grew. The Kenneth...
Korean War veteran awarded the Medal of Honor was among other heroes recognized by President Joe Biden
On February 15, 1951, Army Pvt. Bruno R. Orig was returning from a mission when he found his fellow soldiers under attack in what is now known as the Battle of Chipyong-ni. The infantryman provided first aid to his comrades wounded in the Korean War attack and began...
A deceptive practice: Generative AI tools poised to fuel surge in already widespread fake online reviews
The emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce novel and detailed online reviews with almost no work has put merchants, service providers, and consumers in uncharted territory, watchdog groups and researchers say....
Big Photo: Getty Images and Shutterstock merge in $3.7B deal to form a new visual content powerhouse
EDITOR’S NOTE: While the Milwaukee Independent has earned a respected reputation for its award-winning photojournalism over the past decade, practical necessities have still required the use of stock photography. As a disclosure, Milwaukee Independent is a subscriber...
Perceptions of media bias: How demands from readers fuel the slanted views that journalists adopt
By Tin Cheuk Leung, Associate Professor of Economics, Wake Forest University Late in December 2023, a former editor of “The New York Times,” dropped a bombshell in an article for “The Economist.” “The leadership of ‘The New York...
Governor Tony Evers revives popular plan to enable voters to repeal state laws and create legislation
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is reviving his plan to let voters repeal and create state laws without legislative involvement, this time through the state budget. Governor Evers told reporters on January 3 that the state budget he plans to unveil next month will...
