Boiling Point: The Fake News Pipeline – A Comprehensive Summary
Episode Release Date: April 10, 2025
In the April 10th episode of Boiling Point, hosted by Sammy Roth from L.A. Times Studios, the focus centers on the insidious relationship between fossil fuel companies and the propagation of biased media outlets designed to influence public opinion and legal proceedings. Titled "The Fake News Pipeline," the episode delves deep into how corporate interests manipulate information to serve their agendas, particularly in the context of climate change and energy policies.
1. Introduction to the Episode
Sammy Roth opens the episode by revisiting the contentious Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests that erupted in 2016 near the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's lands in North Dakota. These protests, led by environmental groups like Greenpeace, ultimately did not prevent the pipeline's construction. However, the conflict escalated legally when Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the pipeline, filed a lawsuit against Greenpeace in 2019, accusing the organization of trespass, nuisance, and defamation, among other charges.
Quote:
"The sad thing is, the intimidation might work." – Sammy Roth [03:08]
2. Background: Dakota Access Pipeline and Greenpeace Lawsuit
The lawsuit culminated in a monumental verdict where a North Dakota jury ordered Greenpeace to pay over $666 million in damages to Energy Transfer Partners. Greenpeace intended to appeal the decision, but the staggering award raised concerns among free speech experts about its potential to deter future environmental protests.
Quote:
"Greenpeace argued that the lawsuit was basically a giant intimidation tactic designed to deter future protests and silence free speech." – Sammy Roth [02:45]
3. The Emergence of Metric Media and Central Indie News
Enter Miranda Greene, an investigative climate reporter with a decade-long track record covering climate and energy in California and the American West. Greene unearthed alarming information about a mysterious publication, Central Indie News, that began circulating in Mandan, North Dakota—a town central to the DAPL trial.
She identified Metric Media, a right-leaning organization owning approximately 1,100 news sites nationwide, as the orchestrator behind Central Indie News. Run by former TV reporter Brian Timpone, Metric Media produces "pink slime" news outlets that masquerade as legitimate newspapers but serve specific political and corporate agendas.
Quote:
"Metric Media...owns about 1100 news sites across the country." – Miranda Greene [09:06]
4. Investigations into Metric Media’s Influence Tactics
Miranda Greene detailed how Central Indie News appeared in Mandan, a predominantly conservative town deeply connected to the oil and gas industry. The newspaper featured articles revisiting the 2016 DAPL protests with a decidedly negative slant towards the protesters, subtly swaying public sentiment against Greenpeace just as the pivotal trial loomed.
Quote:
"When you look closely within the paper, you notice that there was a specific seat series...about protesters against the Dakota Access pipeline...and really had a negative slant on how these protests impacted the town." – Miranda Greene [04:35]
Further investigation revealed financial ties between Energy Transfer's then-CEO, Kelsey Warren, who donated $5 million to a super PAC, and Metric Media, which received payments for “media services” shortly before Central Indie News began distribution in Mandan. This connection suggests a strategic maneuver to influence the trial's outcome in favor of Energy Transfer.
Quote:
"There's a link between money flowing from the person who's in charge of Energy Transfer...and the guy who runs this Metric Media company." – Miranda Greene [12:30]
5. Case Study: Mount Vernon News in Ohio
Greene expanded her investigation to Ohio, where Metric Media purchased the Mount Vernon News, a historic local paper. Post-acquisition, the newspaper shifted from comprehensive local reporting to aggressively opposing a proposed solar farm, Fraser Solar. This change aligned with the interests of key local stakeholders, including Ariel Corporation, the town’s largest employer in the gas manufacturing sector.
Quote:
"This was the first time that I believe it's been documented that Metric Media bought a paper." – Miranda Greene [14:12]
The targeted media campaign contributed to the unseating of supportive county commissioners, demonstrating Metric Media's influence on local elections through biased reporting.
6. The Richmond Standard and Corporate-Owned Media
Another alarming example is the Richmond Standard in Richmond, California, owned by Chevron. Unlike Metric Media’s opaque operations, the Richmond Standard transparently associates itself with Chevron. However, this transparency is superficial. The publication predominantly features positive stories about Chevron and the community while neglecting critical reports on environmental incidents like spills or pollution-related fines.
Quote:
"It's really easy to skip over some of the major issues...but at the end of the day, this is a PR tool." – Miranda Greene [19:39]
Greene highlighted how the Richmond Standard misrepresented Chevron’s environmental mishaps as community benefits, thereby glossing over the negative impacts of Chevron’s operations.
7. Alabama Power’s Similar Tactics
Miranda Greene also examined Alabama Power’s endeavors to control local narratives. Alabama Power launched the Alabama News Center in 2015, mirroring Chevron’s approach with the Richmond Standard. This platform selectively reports favorable news about the company and the community, deliberately omitting significant environmental and regulatory issues.
Moreover, Alabama Power covertly acquired the Birmingham Times, a historic Black newspaper, which subsequently failed to address critical issues like rising electricity rates and pollution in Black neighborhoods, focusing instead on benign community stories.
Quote:
"They are transparent to a degree... but it's when you look at the reporting cumulatively, you see that there really is a slant there." – Miranda Greene [19:34]
8. The Larger Pattern and Implications
The episode illustrates a broader pattern where fossil fuel companies and their allies exploit declining local journalism to create a network of biased media outlets. These "news mirages" serve as public relations tools, pushing narratives that align with corporate interests while undermining dissenting voices and environmental activism.
Quote:
"These are public relations tools... they are a public relations tool." – Miranda Greene [25:01]
Greene underscores the exploitation of "news deserts"—communities lacking robust local journalism—as fertile ground for these biased publications. By flooding these areas with one-sided information, corporations can shape public opinion, influence legal outcomes, and stifle opposition.
9. Effectiveness and Impact of Media Manipulation
Assessing the effectiveness of such media manipulation remains challenging. However, Miranda Greene posits that the pervasive presence of these biased newspapers likely swayed public perception and juror sentiments, contributing to favorable legal outcomes for corporations like Energy Transfer Partners.
Quote:
"One of the things that is very clear...these papers operate to create a consensus on these issues that are key to whoever is funding these papers." – Miranda Greene [33:48]
The notable $666 million verdict against Greenpeace exemplifies the potential consequences of such targeted media campaigns, not just for organizations but also for the broader movement advocating for environmental justice.
10. Conclusion and the Importance of Genuine Journalism
The episode concludes with a compelling argument for the necessity of authentic, fact-based journalism. Miranda Greene laments the rise of corporate-controlled media outlets that undermine public trust and diminish the role of unbiased reporting in democratic societies.
Quote:
"Fact-based reporting is ultimately the most reliable and it shines a light on why it's important to trust the institutions that you're reading." – Miranda Greene [34:55]
Sammy Roth echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the critical role of genuine journalism in safeguarding free speech and ensuring informed public discourse. The episode serves as a clarion call to support legitimate news entities and remain vigilant against the manipulation of information by powerful corporate interests.
Key Takeaways:
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Metric Media and similar organizations are leveraging biased media outlets to influence public opinion and legal outcomes in favor of fossil fuel interests.
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These tactics exploit news deserts, communities with diminished local journalism, allowing corporations to shape narratives with minimal scrutiny.
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The $666 million verdict against Greenpeace underscores the profound impact of such media manipulation on environmental activism and free speech.
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The proliferation of "news mirages" like the Richmond Standard and Alabama News Center highlights a worrying trend of corporate-controlled media outlets masquerading as legitimate news sources.
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Authentic, fact-based journalism remains essential in countering these efforts and maintaining a well-informed public.
Final Thoughts:
"The Fake News Pipeline" episode of Boiling Point meticulously exposes the covert operations of fossil fuel companies in manipulating media to further their agendas. Through Miranda Greene's investigative prowess, listeners gain a sobering insight into the lengths corporations will go to silence opposition and control narratives. The episode reinforces the indispensable value of trustworthy journalism in combating misinformation and upholding democratic principles.