Somewhere in the archives of the Newseum in Washington D.C., or in the files of the Freedom Forum is an old calendar featuring inspirational quotations from various journalists and others celebrating freedom of speech and the press.
I think the calendar covered only one year and I’m sorry to say I don’t know which one. But I do know that I was quoted on July 23rd of that calendar and that the chosen quote came from a speech I’d given at a press event:
“Journalists used to be responsible for the final word. Now we’re responsible for the first word.”
This statement grew out of my experiences in the early days of the Web in the 1990s, when I worked at Salon and Wired Digital. The point I was trying to make was that traditionally journalists assumed they were more or less in charge of determining the “truth” about whatever topic we tackled. That equated to the last word.
But with the dawn of interactive media, featuring email, comments, blogs and social networks, it was clear that our role was shifting, to more of the conveners of conversations, not the closers.
That is very much what I try to do here at Substack, starting conversations with my daily essays, which focus mainly on my memories of 60 years in journalism, along with personal stories and current updates.
Recently I focused on the early days of Salon and HotWired to convene an effort to preserve the history of these important content companies. HotWired is no longer with us, but its legacy lives on in multiple ways -- banner ads, blogs, podcasts, online video, web designs and one ongoing service, Wired News. And a slew of talented makers who drifted away on the wind.
Salon still publishes.
But when I share my memories of these two companies, I don’t want anyone to get the impression that I felt I am in sole possession of the “truth” of these matters.
My memories are mine alone, and no doubt shaped by my personality and the unique roles I played at that time. Many of the comments from others that appeared with my essays clarify or enhance my version of what happened, and that is exactly what I hoped would happen.
Historians are accustomed to gathering multiple sources for their historiographies. That is what anyone who wishes to document what happened at the dawn of the web should do with this stuff. Mine is meant to be only one of many voices because collectively we are custodians of the history of that time.
HEADLINES:
U.S. launches new strikes and Trump threatens ‘massive attack’ as Iran widens war (NBC)
US House votes to limit Iran war for first time since ceasefire breakdown (Al Jazeera)
U.S. to Impose Tariffs on Over 80 Nations, Setting New Grounds for Trade Policy (NYT)
U.S. allies hit with new tariffs object to Trump’s forced labor claims (NPR)
What Visuals Show About Recent Damage to U.S. Military Sites in the Middle East (NYT)
Yemen’s Houthis attack Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to widen Iran war (AP)
Iranian drone attacks on CIA facilities in the Gulf have reportedly prompted U.S. intelligence analysts to investigate whether Russia assisted by providing targeting information or advanced drone technology. [Reuters]
Red Sea Turmoil Pushes Oil Past $100 a Barrel (NYT)
Trump says Saudi Arabia’s nuclear deal hinges on the kingdom normalizing Israel ties (NPR)
Project 2025 Is Kicking Democracy’s Butt and the Heritage Foundation is Damn Proud of It (Daily Kos)
Man who killed Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman sentenced to life as family describes trauma, loss (CNN)
U.S. to Withdraw Subpoenas Issued to New York Times Journalists (NYT)
FCC chairman Brendan Carr said ABC’s decision not to air Trump’s address to the nation last week would likely factor into the agency’s early review of broadcast licenses for eight affiliated stations. [HuffPost]
Judge questions Hegseth’s testosterone policy (AP)
Is Mitch McConnell Alive? Three Questions That Could Finally Force Answers (Newsweek)
Donald Trump Betrayed Farmers Once Again (Money Trail)
Canada’s ‘powerful’ dairy sector is in Trump’s trade crosshairs (BBC)
Fire in San Diego County Prompts Evacuation Orders (NYT)
Drone Attacks on Russia’s Biggest Online Retailer Bring War Home to Middle Class (WSJ)
OpenAI’s Rogue Agent Has Congress Reaching for the Kill Switch (Gizmodo)
Anthropic’s top economist says AI won’t replace workers yet. Mark Cuban says it trails humans in 2 key ways. (BI)
How a Gang of Thieves Pulled Off a Multimillion-Dollar Data Center Heist (NYT)
For years tech experts imagined AI breaking free. Now they have to stop it. (WP)
Stocks and the Economy Are Increasingly Relying on the A.I. Boom (NYT)
“This price was set by an algorithm”: News subscribers are surprised by a new line in their renewal emails (Nieman)
New Geneva Convention Allows Use Of Child Soldiers With Signed Permission Slip (Onion)
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