kelloggj

Our local news has segments called “must runs” that usually take up a 3-5 minute section of the news. In one of these must runs we have a weekly segment that airs every week featuring Boris Epshteyn. These segments are horrid, and usually feature Boris yelling at one minority or another. One time he had an unusually loud rant where he claimed that Trump was not only the best president ever, but the best we would ever have. He declared that Trump should stay in office and use the military to stay if voted out. That’s one of the worst.

If anything I feel like my political views became much more strengthened. So many of these propoganda shows shout rhetoric without any real substance. People saying “Democrats are proposing policy that will destroy the US!” But they don’t talk about any policy at all. Also, as a master control operator I have seen dozens of mass shootings happen live. My station cut to a live feed of the Vegas shooting as it was happening, and I saw live as people were shot and killed in the crowd. I saw the riots in Charlottesville and when that woman was killed from a live feed. It hasn’t exactly made me a republican.

I have no idea. I wish I could give some purposefully meaningful response, but I’m at a loss. We’re moving into an age in human history where our primary means of communication at its core can’t be trusted. Everything is suspect, and it will only get worse with time and technological advancement. Artificial intelligence and deep fakes will only get better as we become more affected by the spread of misinformation. We’re a decade or so away from the first major war being started over an internet lie, and I have no idea how to stop what is being set in motion.

I actually filmed that segment for my local station and we made it to the final meme cut that made it on John Oliver and reddit. Most of the anchors at my station did it without a fuss, but were really upset when it framed them as propaganda spokespeople. I mean, that’s what they were...but they weren’t happy about the framing.

A lot of internal emails went out saying not to talk to outside media about it.

One of the most liberal stations in Portland refused to record it, and one of their anchors was fired for it I believe.

I got married very young at 18, and my daughter was born when I was 19. Taking care of them overrides any stigma keeping me from taking this job for moral reasons. I have a responsibility to provide for them while going to college, and this job allows me to do that. I graduate soon and have a career job lined up, so needless to say I’m happy to be leaving soon.

In a broader sense, I’ve always been good with computers and running a TV station is just like running an expensive Spotify playlist.