"You can't get rid of me that easily"
March 12, 2024 9:44 AM Subscribe
Zeteo is a new media venture from news personality Mehdi Hasan, who was previously host of the long-running MSNBC/Peacock show The Mehdi Hasan Show. Zeteo is currently a Substack newsletter, YouTube channel, and on TikTok as well. Hasan plans to evenually offer a weekly news program and a podcast. He promises: content anchored by Mehdi Hasan and his sharp-edged journalism, the kind that takes the power of the media as a public service seriously. You’ll also see original content from an array of high-profile contributors: award-winning journalists, New York Times best-selling authors, Hollywood celebrities, and others. He began the debut with Debunked! The Top 7 Lies About Gaza.
At the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, MSNBC removed its Muslim broadcasters from the anchor's chair without any public-facing explanation, fueling speculation about whether the network did not want to air his criticisms of Israel. MSNBC cancelled his show in November and Hasan announced his final show in January 2024.
At the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, MSNBC removed its Muslim broadcasters from the anchor's chair without any public-facing explanation, fueling speculation about whether the network did not want to air his criticisms of Israel. MSNBC cancelled his show in November and Hasan announced his final show in January 2024.
to quote MeFite w.fugawe: The internet has always had quality issues. It's easy for anyone so inclined to have their say and to get it out there. What's sad is that they have nothing much to say but that's not going to stop them. They insist on sharing.
and this, coming from someone who populates *at least* every 8th thread with a fart comment
anyhow, thanks for the post toastyk. It would find a good home in the recent (or soon-to-be new) Gaza thread, but I think there's value to focusing the discussion on Hasan and I'm hopeful he'll reach eyeballs and brains
posted by elkevelvet at 11:12 AM on March 12
and this, coming from someone who populates *at least* every 8th thread with a fart comment
anyhow, thanks for the post toastyk. It would find a good home in the recent (or soon-to-be new) Gaza thread, but I think there's value to focusing the discussion on Hasan and I'm hopeful he'll reach eyeballs and brains
posted by elkevelvet at 11:12 AM on March 12
Just subscribed, thanks.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 12:00 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 12:00 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
Thanks everyone. Just wanted to note that Zeteo just posted a townhall that Hasan did with his subscribers, where he answered questions on what his mission is for Zeteo, thoughts on US politics, Gaza, etc. I listened to it this morning and it's very informative.
posted by toastyk at 12:20 PM on March 12 [2 favorites]
posted by toastyk at 12:20 PM on March 12 [2 favorites]
Looks promising. I hope there will be more than just editorializing (as important as that can be)
I'm not a big fan of video, though at least the "Debunked! 7 lies..." piece has a transcript attached.
posted by Artful Codger at 12:31 PM on March 12
I'm not a big fan of video, though at least the "Debunked! 7 lies..." piece has a transcript attached.
posted by Artful Codger at 12:31 PM on March 12
Is Substack still paying Nazis? Every time I go to find any update on the situation I just see articles about the original problem, and Substack's weak "we're going to pay fewer Nazis now" response
posted by Ayn Marx at 12:43 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
posted by Ayn Marx at 12:43 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
Here's a report from Feb 22 about the state of Substack and its Nazi problem. [The Verge]
posted by hippybear at 12:56 PM on March 12 [3 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 12:56 PM on March 12 [3 favorites]
Hasan answers the question in the townhall link I posted. Short answer: they looked into it, and they found it a very small number of Nazis. What was more important to him was his own freedom of speech (see speculation about him being ousted from MSNBC for his criticism of the Israeli govt) and Substack guaranteeing that they would not censor him.
posted by toastyk at 12:57 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
posted by toastyk at 12:57 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
For anyone accepting the "didn't find many Nazis" argument, I'd direct you to this previous FPP where research shows that Substack is very likely wooing alt-right content in order to gain their subscription dollars.
posted by hippybear at 1:00 PM on March 12 [6 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 1:00 PM on March 12 [6 favorites]
and Substack guaranteeing that they would not censor him.
he can't be this naive.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 2:12 PM on March 12
he can't be this naive.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 2:12 PM on March 12
Mod note: Hi all. Please move on from the derail about Substack and Nazis and back to the subject of the post, thanks! A few comments have been removed and a few left for context.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:40 AM on March 13 [2 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:40 AM on March 13 [2 favorites]
Other items of note from Hasan:
A Monday Memo, in which he discusses what's on his mind lately - most recently, the the head of the Shirat Moshe Hesder Yeshiva in Jaffa Rabbi Eliyahu Mali calling for the killing of Palestinians, including children.
A few quotes from the Q&A I posted above - sorry I don't think he has a transcript, but it is close-captioned in Substack and you can turn on captions in YouTube:
Right vs left approaches: "They do emotional appeals, dark emotional appeals, appealing to people's fears and insecurity and anger and prejudice, the border, the migrants, the Mexicans and Muslims coming to kill you. I'm not saying to do that. I am saying, though, appeal to people's positive emotions, the lighter side, the better angels. Appeal to people through hope, offer an inspiring vision, present a strategy and a platform that is about solidarity and community and working together and the common good."
Approach to journalism: "Zeteo will say racist when people are racist, will call people like Trump fascist because they're fascist, and will say there's a genocide going on in Palestine, in Gaza, as the International Court of Justice says there's a plausible case for."
"I hope Zeteo will be a vehicle to effect change as a journalistic organization that wants to champion the truth, champion human rights, champion a model of journalism that's actually interested in substantive issues and won't do lazy both sides coverage."
posted by toastyk at 9:26 PM on March 13
A Monday Memo, in which he discusses what's on his mind lately - most recently, the the head of the Shirat Moshe Hesder Yeshiva in Jaffa Rabbi Eliyahu Mali calling for the killing of Palestinians, including children.
A few quotes from the Q&A I posted above - sorry I don't think he has a transcript, but it is close-captioned in Substack and you can turn on captions in YouTube:
Right vs left approaches: "They do emotional appeals, dark emotional appeals, appealing to people's fears and insecurity and anger and prejudice, the border, the migrants, the Mexicans and Muslims coming to kill you. I'm not saying to do that. I am saying, though, appeal to people's positive emotions, the lighter side, the better angels. Appeal to people through hope, offer an inspiring vision, present a strategy and a platform that is about solidarity and community and working together and the common good."
Approach to journalism: "Zeteo will say racist when people are racist, will call people like Trump fascist because they're fascist, and will say there's a genocide going on in Palestine, in Gaza, as the International Court of Justice says there's a plausible case for."
"I hope Zeteo will be a vehicle to effect change as a journalistic organization that wants to champion the truth, champion human rights, champion a model of journalism that's actually interested in substantive issues and won't do lazy both sides coverage."
posted by toastyk at 9:26 PM on March 13
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