Following his departure from FOX News, American television host Tucker Carlson has transitioned to journalism on X, formerly known as Twitter, gaining recognition for his impactful interviews. Despite being a target of disapproval by the U.S. Democrats, he commands millions of viewers worldwide.
Carlson has been engrossed in a significant project for quite some time. In a recent interview with Swiss media, he disclosed, "You are aware that I've been attempting to interview (Russian President) Vladimir Putin, but the United States government has thwarted my efforts."
Having recently visited Moscow, the prominent journalist confirmed the circulating rumors in a video released on X on Tuesday evening, stating, "We are here in Moscow to conduct an interview with Putin, and it will happen soon." In his announcement, Carlson also explained that he decided to take this initiative due to the widespread lack of awareness among American people about the events unfolding in Russia and Ukraine and the potential for a nuclear conflict. He attributed this lack of awareness to the White House's decadeslong, aggressive attempts to control content in the U.S. media.
Carlson asserts that his team personally funded the expenses for their Moscow trip, emphasizing that they did not accept any financial support from groups or governments. He further noted: "Elon Musk committed to not suppressing or obstructing this interview when we release it on X. We are appreciative of his assurance."
Why would Elon Musk entertain the idea of hindering this attempt? Quite the opposite, he has extended his support, and there's even a possibility that his personal rapport with Putin could have eased the process of securing the interview. Putin's known aversion to social media makes him arguably the only world leader without an X account, recognizing the role of these platforms as a societal weapon in the West. Putin's acceptance of the interview undeniably increased X's legitimacy.
Carlson, in a sense, embodies a champion for the new media. He consistently underscores this mission, emphasizing the impending decline of conventional media. With his success, X is poised to gain significant prestige as he fortifies his arguments.
However, the ascent of this new media brings along its amplified challenges. The leadership of Musk at X has not adequately addressed the credibility concerns of the platform. While Musk has dismantled certain censorship mechanisms, the propagation of false information and manipulation on X continues to outpace accurate reporting. The defense mechanisms of the site appear inadequately equipped.
Recently, Musk's response "Sources?" under a post by the @RadioGenoa account, boasting 500,000 followers on X, which shared an unsubstantiated and provocative claim about sexual assaults, serves as a poignant example.
"Day before yesterday in Catania a 13-year-old girl was r@ped by 7 Egyptians. Yesterday in Milan a German tourist was r@ped and robbed by a Moroccan. Yesterday again in Milan a girl was r@ped by a Cameroonian. Today in Verona a girl was beaten and r@ped by a Moroccan. Tomorrow?" shared on X.
Yet, the damage is done. The racist and incendiary post garnered nearly 3 million views, 40,000 likes and 11,000 retweets without citing any sources. On the other hand, Musk's timely and mild caution about the unreliability of the content received merely 180,000 views, 79 retweets and 1,800 likes. It is crucial to highlight that @elonmusk has a follower base of 171 million.
For Musk to truly shape the media landscape of the new era on platforms like X, addressing the manipulative environment is imperative. Tackling issues such as combatting bot accounts and preventing headline exploitation are urgent priorities. Furthermore, the imposition of traffic restrictions on conventional media has inadvertently transformed into a form of censorship, negatively impacting the quality of content on X.
If Musk attempts to rationalize censorship as a commercial move and competitive strategy, it prompts a critical question: How does this differ from the practices of the old monopolistic media?
