Media Matters, a nonprofit left-leaning watchdog journalism organization, has scaled back its operations due to millions spent on legal expenses and investigations launched by the Federal Trade Commission, reported the New York Times.
The organization has had to slash its staff in half, and some involved have considered declaring bankruptcy or shutting down entirely, the Times wrote.
Media Matters is under investigation by the FTC over allegations that it coordinated with other organizations to influence advertising practices.
Meanwhile, X, owned by Musk, filed a lawsuit against the group in late 2023, saying it manufactured a report to show advertisers’ posts alongside neo-Nazi and white nationalist posts in order to “drive advertisers from the platform and destroy X Corp.”
Media Matters has racked up about $15 million in legal fees defending itself and donors have also become “skittish,” reports the Times.
Angelo Carusone, the president of Media Matters, in a statement told the Times, “unlike some major media entities that have recently caved to pressure, we understand that this battle is larger than us. That’s why we continue to carry out our mission and fight in court.”
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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