The Bunker – News without the nonsense From Trump to Reform – Inside the right wing’s war on free speech
Sep 24, 2025
Ayala Panievsky, an academic and journalist known for her work on media censorship, discusses the alarming trend of political leaders undermining journalistic integrity. She explains how appeasing authoritarian figures like Trump only worsens the situation. Ayala highlights the dangers of self-censorship in media, particularly in relation to Israeli journalism, and how misinformation thrives in today's climate. She advocates for clearer distinctions between real journalism and propaganda, urging the public to support credible news sources.
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Populism Undermines The Right To Know
- Populist attacks on media don't just harm journalists' prestige; they erode the public's right to know.
- Ayala Panievsky warns this destroys shared facts needed for democratic debate.
Avoiding 'Occupation' Silenced Coverage
- In Israel journalists stopped using the word "occupation" to avoid being labeled leftist.
- Panievsky says avoiding the term led to the West Bank and Gaza vanishing from news coverage.
Democracy Language Used As A Facade
- Authoritarians now cloak themselves in democratic language and journalistic terminology.
- Panievsky calls this the new censorship: authoritarianism masquerading as democracy.
