Kyle Paoletta

Dan McQuade, 1983–2026 | Defector Dan McQuade, our friend and colleague, died this week at the age of 43. He is survived by his wife and young son. At the end of 2024, Dan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer. The news of his diag...

Rest in peace to one of the great bloggers and the de facto mayor of Philadelphia. It was my honor and pleasure to work with him. defector.com/dan-mcquade-...

At any cost New York is the one American city that only gets more expensive. In culture of predictability, why the demand for a place so unpredictable?

Tuesday's Most Read # 3 - At Any Cost: New York is the one American city that only gets more expensive. In culture of predictability, why the demand for a place so unpredictable?
link.theoverheadwire.com/734yx Components @kpaoletta.bsky.social

Only 9 sales to go to hit that 500 goal! This includes sales through all direct outlets:

my website www.ndpdesign.com/store/p/worl...
itch ndpdesign.itch.io/the-world-wi...
drivethru www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3...
payhip payhip.com/b/2PFSa

Thanks!

What happens when politicians can skip the press and talk directly to the public? What happens when politicians can get their message out without the press.

The Direct-to-Consumer Playbook: What happens when politicians can get their message out without the press.
(@kpaoletta.bsky.social @columjournreview.bsky.social)
www.cjr.org/feature/the-...

What happens when politicians can skip the press and talk directly to the public? What happens when politicians can get their message out without the press.

For @columjournreview.bsky.social's "Journalism 2050" issue, I took a look at how the pivot of so many politicians to social media and other direct-to-consumer platforms is forcing reporters out of their comfort zone, and what we can do to adapt to this new reality

www.cjr.org/feature/the-...

The FCC's deregulation blitz is a disaster. The FCC chairman is clearing the way for Trump and corporate broadcasters to control the airwaves.

In my latest for @columjournreview.bsky.social, I dug into Brendan Carr's efforts to deregulate the local television business. If he gets his way, one company called Nexstar — of Jimmy Kimmel boycott fame — will be able to reach over 80% of American households:

www.cjr.org/analysis/bre...

The Desire Distribution Substack’s revenue curve, the end of the winner-take-all media markets, and the cleansing power of money.

Big news: Components relaunched last week with a barn burner on the economics of Substack. Turns out it isn't a winner-take-all platform (The Free Press be damned), but rather a place where 71% of the revenue comes from publications with fewer than 100k subs

components.news/the-desire-d...

Trump FCC SMACKED with COMPLAINT after PLAN FAILS YouTube video by Legal AF

Journalist Mario Guevara faces deportation for "doing his job, reporting the news" at a "No Kings" protest, @seth-stern.bsky.social said on @meidastouch.com.

"He might not be as famous as Jimmy Kimmel ... but he is just as worthy a cause for people to get behind."

This.

This! This! This!

It's even worse when people buy into the "left vs. right" spectrum. As if people can be measured entirely on a one-dimensional plane.

You, the person reading this right now, are not one-dimensional.

Stop perpetuating the garbage that politics is left-right.

The Energy Department wants to close as many FOIA requests as it can.

It is about to publish a notice in the federal register for all FOIA requests to HQ that predate FY 2025. If you don't respond to StillInterestedFOIA@hq.doe.gov in 30 days, your request is closed.

I just FOIA'd DOE about this.

Thank you so much! Really hope you enjoy it.

The Story of America Can Be Found on the Banks of the Rio Grande Richard Parker’s love letter to El Paso, The Crossing, argues that the Texas city can illustrate the best and the worst of the nation’s history.

Wrote about the late Richard Parker's book on El Paso, THE CROSSING, for @thenation.com. Though his take on the Southwest's history is rosier than mine, count me as a believer in his argument that the region is absolutely central to the American experience:

www.thenation.com/article/cult...

Streamlining Whose environment is it, anyway?

In this month's K Paoletter, I wrote about the EPA deciding carbon emissions aren't pollution, California gutting CEQA in the name of climate progress, and why there suddenly seems to be so much bipartisan agreement that environmental regulations are bad, actually.

open.substack.com/pub/kylepaol...

Thanks again for your help, Ann! Awful nice of you to share the article as well.

Thanks again for your help, Adam! Really appreciate you sharing the piece as well.

Three generations of my family worked for CBS. Bending the knee to Donald Trump is unacceptable to me.

Good analysis by @kpaoletta.bsky.social on potential shareholder lawsuit by @freedom.press against Paramount. I shared a little perspective as a former employee and shareholder, myself:

The Fight for Free Speech Goes Corporate As Paramount prepares for a merger, the Freedom of the Press Foundation stands to challenge the company for capitulating to Trump. Will it work?

'At perhaps the most trying time for press freedom in American history, it has become clear that corporate ownership is a serious liability—and journalistic independence will require vigilant defense, sometimes through esoteric tactics.'

Via @kpaoletta.bsky.social

www.cjr.org/feature-2/pa...

The Fight for Free Speech Goes Corporate As Paramount prepares for a merger, the Freedom of the Press Foundation stands to challenge the company for capitulating to Trump. Will it work?

“People can’t trust a news outlet that is bribing the same officials it’s supposed to hold accountable,” Seth Stern told @kpaoletta.bsky.social in @columjournreview.bsky.social about Paramount's capitulation to Trump.

The Fight for Free Speech Goes Corporate As Paramount prepares for a merger, the Freedom of the Press Foundation stands to challenge the company for capitulating to Trump. Will it work?

Trump has approved Paramount’s merger with Skydance, raising concerns over a handshake deal for Paramount’s $16m settlement. It’s a sign that media is compromised by corporate ownership, writes @KPaoletta.bsky.social. www.cjr.org/feature-2/pa...

The Fight for Free Speech Goes Corporate As Paramount prepares for a merger, the Freedom of the Press Foundation stands to challenge the company for capitulating to Trump. Will it work?

With the Paramount/Skydance merger a go, the clock is now ticking on @freedom.press' threat to sue Paramount over its $16 million settlement with Trump. For @columjournreview.bsky.social, I took a look at the legal landscape and the state of the media biz that got us here
www.cjr.org/feature-2/pa...

Thanks so much, Dan! Really thrilled to hear you enjoyed the book — you're totally right that the 15-minute city ideal lines up with what I'm calling for.

American Oasis — Kyle Paoletta Preorder "American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest," coming January 14, 2025 from Pantheon.

I just finished reading American Oasis and am absorbing Kyle Paoletta's scathing critiques of development patterns in the American Southwest that are STILL ONGOING @kpaoletta.bsky.social 1/3

Paramount Will Pay President Trump $16 Million to Settle 60 Minutes Lawsuit “It is a dark day for independent journalism,” says Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Paramount capitulates to Trump, in a "dark day for independent journalism," says Sen. Bernie Sanders. If the free press is to persevere through the Trump era, the media must refuse to follow Paramount's example, by @kpaoletta.bsky.social. www.cjr.org/news/paramou...

HAPPENING NOW: Judge Charles Breyer (brother of retired SCOTUS justice Stephen) hears arguments on whether to grant California's emergency motion to limit Trump's deployment of the National Guard in LA. 🧵

The Legal Battle for DOGE Transparency How civil society groups are making the case for public-records access.

"More transparency means less corruption and potential for state capture. It’s an existential issue, and not one that our federal records laws or the people in the bureaucracy are equipped to deal with," @laurenleharper.bsky.social tells CJR's @kpaoletta.bsky.social.

The Legal Battle for DOGE Transparency How civil society groups are making the case for public-records access.

How civil society groups are making the case for public-records access, by @kpaoletta.bsky.social www.cjr.org/feature-2/tr...

On my way to San Antonio for the book festival tomorrow! Catch me in the Hawk Holt Family Auditorium at 10:30 am, where I’ll be in conversation with Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies.

sabookfestival.org/schedule-eve...

Talking Headways Podcast: American Oasis — Streetsblog USA Kyle Paoletta on the growth and history of southwestern U.S. cities.

And last week we were joined by @kpaoletta.bsky.social to discuss his book American Oasis and learned so much about southwestern cities. usa.streetsblog.org/2025/03/27/t...

Right back at you! Really happy with how this turned out.

"I find it pretty inspiring to think about how do we use technology not to overcome the environment, but to actually live within its limits." Kyle Paoletta