PJ Media

PJ Media was founded as Pajamas Media in 2004 by Charles Johnson, the blogger behind Little Green Footballs, and screenwriter and producer Roger L. Simon, after Johnson's contribution to the Killian documents controversy investigation in 2004, in which he helped lead to the retraction of a 60 Minutes story critical of President George W. Bush's service in the Air National Guard and Dan Rather's resignation from CBS News. Johnson and Simon set out to challenge the mainstream media with a network of citizen-journalists.{{Cite news| last1 = Johnson| first1 = Charles| last2 = Simon| first2 = Roger L.| title = From the Founders| work = Pajamas Media| access-date = 2016-11-06| date = 2005-11-26| url = http://www.osm.org/site/about/aboutfoundersletter| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051126135325/http://www.osm.org/site/about/aboutfoundersletter| archive-date = November 26, 2005| df = mdy-all}}{{cite journal |author=Andrew Leigh |year=2005 |title=Pajama-Clad Revolutionaries |journal=National Review |issue=November 15, 2005|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/215971/pajama-clad-revolutionaries-andrew-leigh}}{{cite news |title=Pajama Game |author=Peter Hannaford |newspaper=The American Spectator |date=May 12, 2005 }} The network was primarily made up of conservatives and libertarians.[https://web.archive.org/web/20050429072340/http://www.rogerlsimon.com/mt-archives/2005/04/an_open_letter.php "An open letter to all bloggers"] by Roger L. Simon, April 28, 2005 The network's original name was derived from a dismissive comment made by former CBS news executive Jonathan Klein during the 2004 Killian documents affair: "You couldn't have a starker contrast between the multiple layers of checks and balances at 60 Minutes and a guy sitting in his living room in his pajamas."{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/how-the-blogosphere-took-on-cbs-docs|title=How the Blogosphere Took on CBS' Docs|website=Fox News|date=March 25, 2015 }}American Dialect Society: [http://www.americandialect.org/2004_Words_of_the_Year_Final_Vote_.pdf 2004 Words of the Year].

Pajamas Media received venture capital funding on 14 November 2005. Pajamas used this funding for its operations and marketing while expanding its news and opinion coverage. Investors in this round of financing included Aubrey Chernick, an angel investor and technology entrepreneur, James Koshland, a venture capitalist, and a partnership formed by DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.{{cite press release |title=Pajamas Media Closes $3.5 Million Venture Round |publisher=Pajamas Media |date=November 14, 2005 }} It rebranded as Open Source Media shortly thereafter and had a launch party that included a keynote address by former New York Times journalist Judith Miller, presentations from John Podhoretz of Commentary magazine, Andrew Breitbart, Elizabeth Hayt of the New York Times, David Corn of The Nation and others. Less than a week after its official launch Open Source Media changed its name back to Pajamas Media after discovering that Public Radio International distributed a radio show called Open Source produced by Open Source Media, Inc.{{cite news |title=Media Web Site Reverts Back to Old Name |author=ANICK JESDANUN |newspaper=Associated Press |date=November 22, 2005 }}

Johnson and Pajamas split in 2007 by mutual agreement; Johnson's stake was bought out.{{cite web |url=http://littlegreenfootballs.com/showc/98/7695840 |title=Conservative in Liberal Hands }}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2009/12/charles-johnson-holding-down-t.html |title=Charles Johnson And His Little Green Footballs: Holding Down The Center |author=Hillel Aron |date=Dec 4, 2009 |work=Neon Tommy, online publication of the USC Annenberg School of Journalism |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213075537/http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2009/12/charles-johnson-holding-down-t.html|archive-date=December 13, 2009}} In October 2011, Pajamas Media changed its name to PJ Media.{{cite press release |title=Pajamas Media Becomes PJ Media |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pajamas-media-becomes-pj-media-132529008.html |publisher=PJ Media |date=October 25, 2011 |access-date=April 10, 2012}} In September 2013, former congressman Allen West left PJ Media after he had an altercation with a female staffer and allegedly called her a "Jewish American princess".{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/allen-west-out-at-pj-media|title=Allen West Out At PJ Media|last=Nocera|first=Rosie Gray, Kate|website=BuzzFeed|date=September 26, 2013 |access-date=2017-06-08}} West denied being fired and said he left voluntarily.

In August 2018, PJ Media published an article by then supervising editor Paula Bolyard,{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/paula-bolyard|title=Paula Bolyard|first=Paula|last=Bolyard|website=pjmedia.com}} claiming that Google was manipulating its algorithm to prioritize left-leaning news outlets in their coverage of President Trump.{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/paula-bolyard/2018/08/25/google-search-results-show-pervasive-anti-trump-anti-conservative-bias-n60450|title=96 Percent of My Google Search Results for 'Trump' News Were from Liberal Media Outlets|first=Paula|last=Bolyard|website=pjmedia.com|date=August 25, 2018 }} Bolyard acknowledged that her study was "not scientific", although she did conclude that "the results suggest a pattern of bias against right-leaning content." PolitiFact rated this claim as false.{{cite web|url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/aug/29/donald-trump/no-96-google-news-stories-trump-arent-left-wing-ou/|title=PolitiFact - No, 96% of Google news stories on Trump aren't from left-wing outlets|website=@politifact}}

In January 2019, PJ Media published a column by their senior editor Tyler O'Neil{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/tyler-o-neil|title=Tyler O'Neil|first=Tyler|last=O'Neil|website=pjmedia.com}} in which he insinuated in his article that a Muslim community patrol in New York City might be enforcing Sharia Law and might be linked to the NYPD.{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/tyler-o-neil/2019/01/02/nyc-muslim-community-patrol-car-not-approved-by-us-nypd-says-n62848|title=NYC 'Muslim Community Patrol' Car Not Approved by Us, NYPD Says|first=Tyler|last=O'Neil|website=pjmedia.com|date=January 2, 2019 }} This group, the Muslim Community Patrol Service (MCPS){{cite web|url=https://www.muslimcps.org/|title=Muslim Community Patrol & Services|website=Muslim Community Patrol & Services}} was a certified volunteer Neighborhood watch in Brooklyn, a NYC CERT{{cite web|url=https://www1.nyc.gov/site/em/volunteer/nyc-cert.page|title=NYC CERT- NYCEM|website=www1.nyc.gov}} along with other community patrols such as the Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol{{cite web|url=http://brooklyn.news12.com/story/34779008/brooklyn-asian-safety-patrol-out-to-keep-bk-safe|title=Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol out to keep BK safe|website=brooklyn.news12.com}} and the Guardian Angels. PJ Media offered nothing that demonstrated the MCPS could, or planned to, "enforce Sharia law", beyond engaging in the speculative hypothetical that the MCPS might somehow "apply [...] Sharia in its community monitoring." Snopes rated this claim false.{{cite web|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/muslim-community-patrol-nyc/|title=Does a Muslim Community Patrol in New York City Enforce 'Sharia Law'?|website=Snopes.com|date=January 13, 2019 }}

In February 2019, PJ Media published a column by one of their writers John Hawkins,{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/john-hawkins|title=John Hawkins|first=John|last=Hawkins|website=pjmedia.com}} also creator of Rightwingnews, in which he stated in an article titled "The Six Most Bizarre Proposals from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal",{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/john-hawkins/2019/02/07/the-6-most-bizarre-proposals-from-alexandria-ocasio-cortezs-green-new-deal-n63650|title=The Six Most Bizarre Proposals from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal|first=John|last=Hawkins|website=pjmedia.com|date=February 7, 2019 }} making five out of six claims such as "getting rid of airplanes" or "getting rid of cows", aim to "get rid of gas-powered cars in a decade", call for eliminating carbon emissions in ten years "without the use of nuclear power", or "promise 'economic security' for those 'unwilling to work'". Fact checkers from NewsGuard rated these five claims false,[https://www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PJMedia.pdf "PJmedia.com"]. {{webarchive|date=September 19, 2020|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919072122/https://www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PJMedia.pdf}}. NewsGuard. July 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2021. which can be further verified by the official government resolution H.Res.109 Green New Deal proposed by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.{{cite web|url=https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/gnd/resolution|title=Resolution for a Green New Deal|date=November 13, 2019|website=Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez}}

In January 2020, PJ Media published a column by one of their writers,{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/columnist/robert-spencer/|title=Robert Spencer|website=pjmedia.com}} Robert Spencer, also founder and director of the anti-Muslim conspiracy blog Jihad Watch, in which he stated that congresswoman Ilhan Omar had given Iran military advice by suggesting it could target Trump hotels, and thus committed treason.{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/trending/treason-ilhan-omar-gives-iran-military-advice-suggests-it-target-trump-hotels/|title=Treason? Ilhan Omar Gives Iran Military Advice, Suggests It Could Target Trump Hotels|first=Robert Spencer 2020-01-07T12:11:25 chat|last=comments|date=January 7, 2020|website=News and Politics}} Snopes rated this claim false.{{cite web|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ilhan-omar-treason-advice-iran/|title=No, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar Didn't Give 'Treasonous' Military Advice to Iran|website=Snopes.com|date=January 13, 2020 }}

In February 2020, PJ Media published a column by Victoria Taft, one of their writers{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/victoria-taft|title=Victoria Taft|first=Victoria|last=Taft|website=pjmedia.com}} and a conservative talk show host,{{cite web|url=https://www.politifact.com/personalities/victoria-taft/|title=PolitiFact | Victoria Taft|website=www.politifact.com}} in which she stated that President Barack Obama waited until millions were infected and 1000 dead in the U.S. before he declared the Pandemic H1N1/09 virus an emergency.{{cite web |url=https://pjmedia.com/trending/fact-check-obama-waited-until-millions-infected-and-1000-dead-in-u-s-before-declaring-h1n1-emergency/ |title=Fact-Check: Obama Waited Until 'Millions' Infected and 1000 Dead in U.S. Before Declaring H1N1 National Emergency |access-date=March 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200302101535/https://pjmedia.com/trending/fact-check-obama-waited-until-millions-infected-and-1000-dead-in-u-s-before-declaring-h1n1-emergency/ |archive-date=March 2, 2020 |url-status=live }} Snopes rated this claim false.{{cite web|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/obama-wait-swine-flu-n1h1/|title=Did Obama Declare Swine Flu an Emergency Only After 'Millions' Were Infected?|website=Snopes.com|date=March 2, 2020 }}

According to NewsGuard,{{cite web|title=NewsGuard – The Internet Trust Tool|url=https://www.newsguardtech.com/|access-date=2020-10-04|language=en-US}} articles on PJMedia.com have frequently included distorted or misleading claims,Gregory, John; Kidd, Chandler; Ackermann; Peggy; Effron, Eric, eds. (July 2020) [https://www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PJMedia.pdf "PJMedia.com"]. NewsGuard. Retrieved October 4, 2020. including about the COVID-19 pandemic. A now deleted July 2020 article written by Matt Margolis headlined "COVID-19 May Soon Lose Status as an 'Epidemic' Under CDC Guidelines",{{cite web|last=Margolis|first=Matt|title=Matt Margolis|url=https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis|access-date=2020-10-04|website=pjmedia.com|language=en}} promoted a misleading claim originally published by JustTheNews.com. Many other websites reported this story by PJ Media.{{cite web|title=PJ Media reports "COVID-19 May Soon Lose Status as an 'Epidemic' Under CDC Guidelines" – The Vaccine Report|url=https://vaccinereport.org/pj-media-reports-covid-19-may-soon-lose-status-as-an-epidemic-under-cdc-guidelines/|access-date=2020-10-04|website=vaccinereport.org|date=July 8, 2020 }}{{cite web|url=https://texags.com/forums/84/topics/3123255|title = COVID dropping out of epidemic status?}} After the fact, PJ Media never issued a correction to their original story, but only an update with changes and a new headline "COVID-19 Will Not Soon Lose Status as an 'Epidemic' Under the CDC".{{cite web|last=Margolis|first=Matt|title=COVID-19 Will Not Soon Lose Status as an 'Epidemic' Under the CDC [UPDATE]|url=https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2020/07/06/covid-19-may-soon-lose-status-as-an-epidemic-under-cdc-guidelines-n609729|access-date=2020-10-04|website=pjmedia.com|date=July 6, 2020 |language=en}}

In August, 2020, PJ Media published an article by their Chicago editor Rick Moran,{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/rick-moran|title=Rick Moran|first=Rick|last=Moran|website=pjmedia.com}} claiming Democrats were urging presidential candidate Joe Biden not to debate with President Trump because they were concerned with the former vice president's mental stamina.{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2020/08/02/democrats-urging-biden-not-to-debate-trump-n741112|title=Democrats Urging Biden Not to Debate Trump|first=Rick|last=Moran|website=pjmedia.com|date=August 2, 2020 }} The source for this claim cited on the PJ Media article was from Newsweek, but the article states that the former vice president was advised not to debate Trump, citing "publicity stunts and disregard for the rules in 2016" as well as cancelling debates over concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/supporters-urge-joe-biden-not-debate-trump-applaud-hosts-canceling-over-covid-19-concerns-1522178|title=Supporters urge Joe Biden not to debate Trump, applaud hosts for canceling over COVID-19 concerns|first=Benjamin Fearnow On 8/1/20 at 2:27 PM|last=EDT|date=August 1, 2020|website=Newsweek}} Furthermore, the Newsweek article cited by PJ Media makes no mention about any mental stamina. According to CNN, Biden spokesman TJ Ducklo stated that presidential candidate Biden has already agreed to three debates with President Trump in fall 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/04/media/right-wing-media-biden-trump-debate/index.html|title=Right-wing media focuses on 'imaginary controversy' suggesting Biden won't debate Trump|first=Analysis by Oliver Darcy, CNN|last=Business|website=CNN}}

In September 2020, PJ Media published an article by senior editor Tyler O'Neil,{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/columnist/tyler-o-neil|title=Tyler O'Neil}} claiming that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was promising fewer fires, floods, and hurricanes if he should defeat Donald Trump in November.{{cite web|url=https://pjmedia.com/election/tyler-o-neil/2020/09/14/joe-biden-promises-fewer-fires-floods-and-hurricanes-if-he-wins-in-november-n930658|title = Joe Biden Promises Fewer Fires, Floods, and Hurricanes if He Wins in November}} Though Biden did promise he would solve the climate crisis if elected in November, he did not literally promise fewer catastrophic events. Fact checkers at Snopes rated this claim as false.{{cite web|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/biden-promise-fewer-fires-floods/|title = Did Biden Promise 'Fewer Fires, Floods, and Hurricanes' if Elected?| date=September 29, 2020 }}

In September 2022, PJ Media blogger Matt Margolis was the originator of a claim made in a PJ Media article that “The Obama Foundation stored classified documents in an abandoned furniture warehouse.{{cite web | url=https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2022/09/22/letter-reveals-obama-foundation-is-keeping-classified-docs-in-abandoned-furniture-warehouse-n1631408 | title=Correction: NARA Kept Classified Docs in a Furniture Warehouse, Not the Obama Foundation | date=September 22, 2022 }} Snopes{{cite web | url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/obama-classified-docs-furniture-warehouse/ | title=Did Obama Foundation Store Classified Documents at Empty Furniture Warehouse? | date=September 27, 2022 }} called this out as a false claim as both classified and unclassified records from the Obama presidency were temporarily located in Hoffman Estates, a suburb of Chicago, in a building that used to be an old furniture store. However, while the Obama Foundation provided funds to move and store those records, it had neither possession nor control of them, given that they were in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) from the day Obama left office. What the PJ Media article failed to mention is that this was an agreement in which the foundation provided funds to move documents, but did not state that the foundation had control or access to those documents. After further research and scrutiny from other fact-checkers such as USA Today,{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2022/10/13/fact-check-false-claim-obamas-presidential-records-circulates/8235190001/ | title=Fact check: False claim that the Obama Foundation stored classified documents in a warehouse | website=USA Today }} PJ Media later admitted they made a false claim.{{cite web | url=https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2022/09/22/letter-reveals-obama-foundation-is-keeping-classified-docs-in-abandoned-furniture-warehouse-n1631408 | title=Correction: NARA Kept Classified Docs in a Furniture Warehouse, Not the Obama Foundation | date=September 22, 2022 }}

In the summer of 2008, Pajamas Media launched PJTV, a subscription based internet television service.{{cite press release|title=New Media 2.0 Venture to Cover RNC; Pajamas TV Internet Service Created in Response to Eroding Public Confidence in Mainstream Media|date=September 3, 2008|publisher=Pajamas Media}} The Internet television service debuted at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. PJTV featured shows hosted by commentators such as Bill Whittle, Tammy Bruce, and Glenn Reynolds.

On May 11, 2016, PJTV shut down operations after its majority investor Aubrey Chernick pulled out funds.

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• {{Official website|https://pjmedia.com/}}

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Category:Community-created content television

Category:Conservative media in the United States

Category:Internet properties established in 2004

Category:Internet television channels

Category:Television networks in the United States

Category:Salem Media Group properties