Dear Connor,

It’s amazing how quickly things happen. Technology is in the driver’s seat, and much of what materializes does so expeditiously. But sometimes, it seems as if karma does exist, and, like our modern communication, it’s fast as lightning. Perhaps karma had a helping hand in the discovery and development of technology.

Just a few days ago, you and I exchanged thoughts about how a Twitter campaign shamed advertisers into removing their ads from Fox’s “O’Reilly Factor.” Because of the abandonment of his show by its advertisers, the executives at Fox News paid out his contract, and his successful career at Fox News was over. Of course, Bill O’Reilly will be fine — you made a fine point about that, Connor. It’s the precedent it sets and the allocation of power resulting in censorship that worries me.

Many news outlets advocated for the advertisers’ surrender of Bill O’Reilly and his show. Not long after O’Reilly, Sean Hannity of the same network began feeling the same pain from the same source as his colleague. Sean and his fans fought back, and most of his advertisers returned. Still, even his fans understood the power and began using the same boycott pressure with advertisers of The MSNBC Rachel Maddow Show. Many believe that MSNBC, NBC, and CNN deserved it, as they were cheering in the background as advertisers pulled out of Fox News in an attempt to dictate content and on-air talent.

Consequently, it seems a trend is already in place. Shakespeare in the Park is a long-standing summer tradition in Central Park in the heart of New York City. Several businesses come together each year to support the program. As a gift to the public, it’s free to those who attend. This year, Julius Caesar is a modern President Trump-like character who ultimately is gruesomely slain much like Caesar. Personally, I think there are so many levels of disrespect and wrong attached to this project that it would take a book to cover them all. I am uncomfortable with sponsors like Delta Airlines and Bank of America backing out of the project in an effort to censor, but this is what’s happening. Others may follow in pulling the plug.

We’ve discussed Megyn Kelly and her new adventures over at NBC. After only two episodes of her new magazine show, Sunday Nightwith Megyn Kelly, she and NBC are being boycotted by J.P. Morgan Chase because her show on NBC will air an interview this coming Sunday with right-wing conspiracy theorist and radio personality Alex Jones.

Undoubtedly, Alex Jones is a whack-job. He often accuses the government of staging tragedies, like Columbine, Sandy Hook, 9/11 and others. It upsets people — especially victims and the families of victims. There are much better choices Megyn Kelly and her team could have made, but hey, last week they interviewed Erin Andrews. Her memoir is a dead story in the world of news. The new show’s ratings are poor. They don’t get it.

Nonetheless, if advertisers continue to censor, what kind of and how many stories won’t be told?

Hugs,

Grace