GONZO OP-ED: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Filing A Complaint With All The Pay-For-Play Fake Media Fugazis Out There Trying To Destroy Journalism & Preying Upon The Finances Of Unsuspecting Recording Artists

You know, that “freedom of the press” clause that our founding fathers decided was important enough to include as part of our first amendment? 

Apparently it’s under attack in more ways than one in 2024. The lines are being increasingly blurred of who is actually considered “press” or “media” and who isn’t. 

It goes without saying that we live in an evolutionary time relative to the traditional media and press landscape. Traditional media like magazines, newspapers, over-the-air TV, and radio have endured monumental technological changes with the birth of social media as they’ve scrambled to adapt to the new way people of all age demographics listen to, interpret, and consume traditional, fact-based media. The past 15 years have been a rollercoaster to say the least. 

Contrarily, the various social media platforms that have sprouted into cultural change agents have given birth to this new race of brain-dead, tech zombie types of human beings who are seemingly completely incapable of critical thinking. Their little fucking minds seem to be controlled by some kind of damn algorithm that is right out of The Matrix. 

This technological social media shit-show has also inadvertently introduced and given birth to this new league of fugazi “journalists,” “broadcasters” and “writers” with no real verifiable audience which they are able to quantify in any manner. Many with no real knowledge, experience or who even remotely understand the very basic ethical and moral principles behind the art of real unbiased and professional journalism. 

Why am I complaining about this, you may ask yourself? 

Well, first of all, if you don’t already get it, then perhaps you’re a member of Gen Y or Z, right?  If not, read on…

Maybe I’m just one of those hard-line, grumpy old Gen X’ers who’s still trying to preserve some sort of semblance of the real media and press landscape that once was, and which I grew up with. Before all this fake news and misinformation social media networks were created, where facts get distorted and reality is altered. Once upon a time, not so long ago, REAL music stars EARNED their stripes based on years of hard work and “paying their dues,” and by building a real fan base behind them. That’s compared to what we have trying to sprout up today and what I am complaining about here. Those trying to buy their way up some bullshit kiss-ass ladder of instantaneous stardom, which really doesn’t even exist anyway, even by today’s rules.

Over the last 6+ years I’ve worked as a Publicist and PR representative out of Nashville, representing a variety of country recording artists of all career levels. From rookie teen songwriters all the way up to household Hall of Fame names, and everything in between. Let’s just say I’ve seen a lot, heard a lot and my job – at least in part – on behalf of my artist clients is to snuff out and separate the bullshit from the legit opportunities that come down their pipelines.

And when bullshit comes down the pipeline – which is guaranteed to happen in any aspiring artist’s careers – calling out the bullshit on the bullshitter(s) on the other end is something I’ve historically not been able to resist doing. No matter what the outcome may be for me personally, for better or worse. Just do the right thing at all costs!

Piss on it.

Jesus also had problems with how certain members of his society channeled their money, too, whether it be in the house of God, or in some other unethical context. (Matthew 21:12)

At this point in my life and career, this is just basically part of my entire Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and General Orders (GO) which I have been operating under since graduating Marine Corp Boot Camp in Parris Island, S.C. in August, 1995. After being deemed too damn deaf to serve in the fleet by some U.S. Navy Doctor, who failed to consider the amount of hearing loss of nearly every Marine in artillery, I was cast back into civilian society, and inevitably landed among the hippies, cowboys and rock n’ rollers to sort out my professional path from that point. 

Nevertheless, as it applies to my current career in the music and entertainment industry, and the purpose of this blog, today’s bullshit award winner goes out to all these pay-for-play, fake media types of personalities and organizations scheming within the industry and masquerading themselves as some type of real music and/or entertainment journalist with a massive audience behind their platforms. And as irony would have it, they can never quantify or actually prove this audience actually exists. At best, they cite some bloated social media statistic where their “bot” follower numbers and the actual activity and reaction numbers couldn’t be farther apart.

Yet, these fake media types always seem to prey on the unsuspecting, beginning, or up-and-coming types of recording artists. The ones who don’t always understand exactly how the business works and how you earn media, without having to pay for it. 

Yet, these ponzi schemers are still trying to swindle anywhere from as little as $20 to more than $1000+ to employ their so-called skills of journalism or media broadcasting. Most often the case being an artist who is still in the midst of the paying their dues phase of their music career, and just don’t know better, yet. And unless that artist employs someone such as myself, a certain number of these artists will inevitably fall victim to these ponzi schemes. 

So, let’s get to the point where I provide an example of what I’m referring to. Artists beware…

The Backstage Pass on radio…

I couldn’t believe what my eyes were reading and seeing when I was forwarded an  email offer from one of my up-and-coming artist clients by The Backstage Pass. Asking for this artist to pay anywhere from $350-600 for a pay-for-play fugazi radio scheme program that wasn’t inline with what they had agreed to with the radio station. Ironically, trying to go around me and directly to my artist client in the process, knowing that I would shut this crapola down. 

Quit trying to murder real, actual journalism you BASTARDS! 

Shutting down and/or calling out these types of ponzi schemes which prey upon artists has quickly become one of my Mission Operations (MO) within my field and industry. Unlike most of my fellow Publicists, PR & Media Reps out there, I operate a little differently. While most in my line of work would just simply overlook and ignore these types of silly pitches and ponzi schemes, I’ve decided to go all General Chesty Puller on these assholes. I fight the battles that most tend to ignore or don’t find the time to fight themselves, up to and including more serious issues such as the ongoing Kirt Webster Shitshow.

Back to the subject at-hand, as a journalist, you DO NOT ask your editorial or interview subject matters for any amount of monetary compensation whatsoever to employ your pathetic attempt at journalism. If you can’t generate any revenue or sponsorships from consumer brands, retailers, booze brands, the general public or your apparent readership – basically anyone other than your subject matter – then that only means you have no real audience behind your so-called “media.”

If you are reading this and find yourself as the operator or participant of a similar media type of ponzi scheme, similar to what is described above, then it’s a good time to pause and reflect on what you are doing, and why you are doing it.

Capisce?

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a damned shame that a field as potentially dynamic and vital as journalism should be overrun with dullards, bums, and hacks, hag-ridden with myopia, apathy, and complacence, and generally stuck in a bog of stagnant mediocrity.”

– Hunter S. Thompson

The post GONZO OP-ED: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Filing A Complaint With All The Pay-For-Play Fake Media Fugazis Out There Trying To Destroy Journalism & Preying Upon The Finances Of Unsuspecting Recording Artists appeared first on JWA Media.