The Media's Temple to Itself, The Newseum, Closing Its Doors Due to Lack of Worshippers

False religion.

The Newseum hoped to attract 1 million people a year, but never has. Its rental and catering revenue kept the organization afloat. But it has operated in the red for years.

Finally, the Freedom forum had to sell the building. Johns Hopkins University purchased it for $372.5 million. The Newseum will close its doors to the public in January 2020. The Washington Post describes the closure as "a gut punch to an industry labeled the 'enemy of the people' by President Trump and struggling with digital-era financial troubles galore."

I have mixed feelings about the closure. I'm a big fan of museums -- all kinds of museums. I’m also a fan of the First Amendment, which the Newseum is intended to celebrate. And, the American news media is certainly more than consequential enough to deserve a museum.

On the other hand, the Newseum is too glitzy, too into exhibits about pop culture, too self-congratulatory, and too liberal for my taste. Its exhibits don't just glorify the press. They often glorify liberal causes.

The Newseum’s current feature exhibit is pretty typical. It's called: "Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ rights movement."

posted by Ace of Spades at 03:55 PM

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