Raw Story

== Coverage ==

Founder John Byrne described ''Raw Story'' as "focusing on news that's downplayed by mainstream media outlets".<ref name="WSJ1"/> In its early days, Raw Story was known for scooping larger media outlets on their own stories and breaking them before publication. During the presidential administration of George W. Bush, Raw Story identified a secret CIA [[black site]] in Poland that was used for [[Rendition (law)|renditions]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sylvester |first1=Diane |title=Raw Story: Exploring new ways to build audience with investigative news, paywalls and partnerships |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/raw-story-exploring-new-ways-to-build-audience-with-investigative-news-paywalls-and-partnerships,248337 |access-date=29 March 2024 |publisher=Editor & Publisher |date=27 February 2024}}</ref>

In 2014, then-executive editor [[Tony Ortega]] described ''Raw Story''<nowiki/>'s editorial mission as trying to expose people "who try to exploit American ideas about fair play and equality by rigging things through their immense wealth or their discriminatory cultural myopia."<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 4, 2014|title=The 60-Second Interview: Tony Ortega, Executive Editor, The Raw Story|url=http://www.politico.com/media/story/2014/03/the-60-second-interview-tony-ortega-executive-editor-the-raw-story-002696|access-date=June 24, 2021|website=[[Politico]]|language=en|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217221454/https://www.politico.com/media/story/2014/03/the-60-second-interview-tony-ortega-executive-editor-the-raw-story-002696/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2005, ''[[Newsweek]]'' described rawstory.com as: "[[Muckraker#Since 1945|Muck, raked]]: If you're looking for alleged [[Republican Party (United States)|GOP]] malfeasance, the folks at rawstory.com are frequently [[Scoop (news)|scooping]] the mainstream media."<ref>[http://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A130287265/AONE?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=39a1a445 BlogWatch; A weekly mainstream-media snapshot of what's hot (and what's not) in the ever-widening world of Web logs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309063651/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=wikipedia&id=GALE{{!}}A130287265&v=2.1&it=r&sid=ebsco&asid=39a1a445 |date=March 9, 2024 }}, [[Newsweek]], 21 Mar. 2005, p. 16. Gale Academic OneFile, Accessed 25 Nov. 2022.</ref>

In November 2008, ''Raw Story'' reported that the [[United Mine Workers of America]], which had endorsed [[Barack Obama]]'s [[Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign|presidential campaign]], had come to Obama's defense after [[John McCain]]'s [[John McCain 2008 presidential campaign|presidential campaign]] criticized him for a comment he had made about coal to the editorial board of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' earlier that January.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Juliano|first=Nick|date=November 3, 2008|title=Miners' union: McCain camp 'twisting the truth' on Obama, coal|url=http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Miners_union_McCain_camp_twisting_truth_1103.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106042705/http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Miners_union_McCain_camp_twisting_truth_1103.html|archive-date=November 6, 2008|access-date=June 24, 2021|website=Raw Story}}</ref> Environmental journalist [[Andrew Revkin]] cited the article by ''Raw Story'' in a post he wrote for ''[[The New York Times]]''<nowiki/>' [[Dot Earth]] blog, and Curtis Brainard, writing in the ''[[Columbia Journalism Review]],'' described the article as "well-done".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brainard|first=Curtis|date=November 4, 2008|title=Coal's Curtain Call|url=https://www.cjr.org/the_observatory/coals_curtain_call.php|access-date=June 24, 2021|website=[[Columbia Journalism Review]]|language=en|archive-date=December 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223184438/http://www.cjr.org/the_observatory/coals_curtain_call.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2011, ''Raw Story'' was among the first outlets to report on the [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] assistant [[Siri]] apparently directing users away from [[Abortion clinic|abortion clinics]] and [[emergency contraception]], instead providing results for the definition of emergency contraception or clinics far from the user.<ref name="NBC1">{{cite news |title=Apple explains why iPhone won't find abortion centers |last1=Golijan |first1=Rosa |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/apple-explains-why-iphone-wont-find-abortion-centers-flna118794 |work=[[NBC News]] |date=December 1, 2011 |accessdate=October 29, 2021 |archive-date=September 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917211650/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/apple-explains-why-iphone-wont-find-abortion-centers-flna118794 |url-status=live }}</ref> The assistant, still in [[Software testing|beta testing]] at the time, could, however, provide users with methods to acquire [[Sildenafil|Viagra]] or use [[Escort agency|escort services]].<ref name="PC1">{{cite news |title=Siri, are you anti-abortion? |last1= |first1= |url=https://www.pcmag.com/archive/siri-are-you-anti-abortion-291205 |work=[[PC Magazine]] |date=November 30, 2011 |accessdate=October 29, 2021 |archive-date=September 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918220811/https://www.pcmag.com/archive/siri-are-you-anti-abortion-291205 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The same year, ''Raw Story'' was the first to report on a [[United States Air Force]] contract to create fake social media profiles as a means of psychological warfare to be used against terrorist cells.<ref name="Wired1">{{cite magazine |title=Jihadis' Next Online Buddy Could Be a Soldier |last1=Ackerman |first1=Spencer |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/03/jihadis-next-online-buddy-could-be-a-soldier/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=March 2, 2011 |accessdate=December 7, 2021 |archive-date=October 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020222722/https://www.wired.com/2011/03/jihadis-next-online-buddy-could-be-a-soldier/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Telegraph1">{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Christopher |title=US military creates fake online personas |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8388603/US-military-creates-fake-online-personas.html |website=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=December 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320183341/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8388603/US-military-creates-fake-online-personas.html |archive-date=March 20, 2011 |date=March 20, 2011}}</ref>

In 2012, then-executive editor Megan Carpentier wrote about undergoing a [[transvaginal ultrasound]] procedure in response to recent legislation in Virginia requiring an ultrasound prior to an abortion procedure.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lowder|first=J. Bryan|date=2012-04-18|title=Transvaginal Ultrasounds: Megan Carpentier Reports|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/04/transvaginal-ultrasounds-and-the-war-on-women-megan-carpentier-reports.html|access-date=2021-08-05|website=Slate Magazine|language=en|archive-date=July 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170717230836/http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/04/18/transvaginal_ultrasounds_and_the_war_on_women_megan_carpentier_reports.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014, [[Jennifer Mascia]] published a column on [[gun violence]] after compiling records for ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 18, 2014|title=Must-reads of the week|url=https://www.cjr.org/the_kicker/must-reads_of_the_week_68.php|access-date=2021-08-25|website=[[Columbia Journalism Review]]|language=en|archive-date=December 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221114850/http://www.cjr.org/the_kicker/must-reads_of_the_week_68.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, Raw Story investigative reporter Jordan Green reported from the ground of the [[Unite the Right rally]], and in 2021 covered the civil trial which resulted in a $25 million judgment against the organizers of the rally. Green had been following the activities of extremist groups, learning their lingo, and communicating with them. He had learned that such groups precisely and strategically plan their violent clashes. "That revelation informs his new work — tracking where January 6th insurrectionists’ anger is now directed and how it may manifest again."<ref name="frontlines">{{cite web |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/at-the-front-lines-on-the-homefront,212640 |title=At the front lines, on the homefront : Domestic extremism deserves astute, relentless coverage, but there are few journalists on the beat |date=January 6, 2022 |website=[[Editor & Publisher]] |first=Gretchen A. |last=Peck |access-date=December 25, 2022 |archive-date=December 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225053231/https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/at-the-front-lines-on-the-homefront,212640 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 15, 2021, ''Raw Story'' reported that South Dakota Governor [[Kristi Noem]] had used a state airplane to travel to conservative political events. The report led Democratic lawmakers to formally request that the state's attorney general investigate Noem.<ref name="groves"/>

The outlet has also reported on [[far-right extremists]], including a report on January 6, 2021, hours before [[January 6 United States Capitol attack|the attack on the U.S. Capitol]] that "predicted exactly what would happen," according to ''[[Editor & Publisher]]''.<ref name="EP1">{{multiref2|1={{cite web |title=Behind Raw Story's Progressive Mission |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/behind-raw-storys-progressive-mission,204351 |website=[[Editor & Publisher]] |access-date=October 29, 2021 |language=en |date=October 3, 2021 |archive-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016094312/https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/behind-raw-storys-progressive-mission,204351 |url-status=live }}|2={{cite web|url=http://www.blinder.biz/Editor_andPublisher_Episode.pdf|title=Transcript : Episode #105: Behind Raw Story's Progressive Mission|access-date=December 25, 2022|archive-date=December 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225053233/http://www.blinder.biz/Editor_andPublisher_Episode.pdf|url-status=live}}}}</ref> ''Raw Story'' was among the first to report on instigators of the riots, including an alleged attempt by the [[Oath Keepers]] to get then-President Trump to declare [[martial law]] using the [[Insurrection Act of 1807|Insurrection Act]].<ref name="Independent1">{{cite news |title=Oath Keepers wanted antifa to attack Capitol so Trump could declare martial law, indictment says |last1=Spocchia |first1=Gino |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/oath-keepers-antifa-trump-capitol-riot-b1857096.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=May 31, 2021 |accessdate=November 2, 2021 |url-access=registration|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606234855/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/oath-keepers-antifa-trump-capitol-riot-b1857096.html|archive-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>

In 2023, ''Raw Story'' was the first outlet to report on the re-indictments of the founders of the [[Rise Above Movement]], a California [[White nationalism|white nationalist]] group known for actively seeking out and engaging in street brawls.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/3adm3j/robert-rundo-indictment-rise-above-movement |title=A Neo-Nazi Street Fighting Gang Leader Was Just Indicted in LA |date=January 6, 2023 |first=Mack |last=Lamoureux |website=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice Magazine]] |access-date=January 7, 2023 |archive-date=January 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107111147/https://www.vice.com/en/article/3adm3j/robert-rundo-indictment-rise-above-movement |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2023, ''Raw Story's'' Dave Levinthal was the first to report that cyberthieves stole $690,000 from the campaign of Senator [[Jerry Moran]], and revealed that $150,000 was stolen from the campaign of Rep. [[Troy Nehls]].<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-city-jerry-moran-77b20f856652279c4756f24f6bb29beb |title=Kansas senator's reelection campaign scammed out of $690K |first=John |last=Hanna |date=January 23, 2023 |website=[[AP News]] |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324235835/https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-city-jerry-moran-77b20f856652279c4756f24f6bb29beb |url-status=live }}
|2={{cite web |url=https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/jerry-moran/ |title=Cyberthieves jacked a U.S. senator's campaign and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars |first=Dave |last=Levinthal |date=January 20, 2023 |website=Raw Story |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301003630/https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/jerry-moran/ |url-status=live }}
|3={{cite web |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/troy-nehls-campaign-wire-theft-17767384.php |title=Houston-area Rep. Troy Nehls' campaign bilked of $150k in wire fraud theft |first=Michael |last=Murney |date=February 6, 2023 |website=[[Houston Chronicle]] |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-date=March 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315074452/https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/troy-nehls-campaign-wire-theft-17767384.php |url-status=live }}
|4={{cite web |url=https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/cyberthieves-congress/ |title=Crime spree hits one of Trump's top supporters in Congress |first=Dave |last=Levinthal |date=February 6, 2023 |website=Raw Story |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301003629/https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/cyberthieves-congress/ |url-status=live }}
}}</ref>

''Raw Story'' investigated a teenage gang linked to a spate of racist vandalism in 2024. Its coverage drew national attention and the ire of neo-Nazis, who organized a protest outside the home of a ''Raw Story'' reporter. "The amount of harassment and threats kind of validates the importance of the story," Green told ''[[The Washington Post]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A reporter investigated neo-Nazis. Then they came to his house in masks. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/02/20/raw-story-neo-nazi-journalist-house/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307204501/https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/02/20/raw-story-neo-nazi-journalist-house/ |archive-date=March 7, 2024 |date=February 20, 2024 |first=Will |last=Sommer |work=Washington Post}}</ref>

===False claims===

On February 19, 2018, ''Raw Story'' published a report claiming that [[Russian web brigades|Russian trolls]] co-opting the [[Me Too movement]] had forced [[Minnesota]] senator [[Al Franken]] to resign, and that an article by writer [[Ijeoma Oluo]] had been used as part of the campaign.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Oluo told Snopes that her article had been published after Franken announced his resignation, adding: "I was hoping that the piece would give people context and help people grow from all of this into a better place."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Palma|first=Bethania|date=February 20, 2018|title=Did 'Bots' Force Al Franken to Resign?|url=https://www.snopes.com/news/2018/02/19/bots-force-al-franken-resign/|access-date=June 25, 2021|website=[[Snopes]]|language=en-US|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110041843/https://www.snopes.com/news/2018/02/19/bots-force-al-franken-resign/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Raw Story'' later retracted its report.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Ingram|first=Matthew|date=February 21, 2018|title=The media today: Are Russian trolls behind everything?|url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/russian-trolls.php|access-date=June 25, 2021|website=[[Columbia Journalism Review]]|language=en|archive-date=December 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204020703/https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/russian-trolls.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[2020 United States presidential election]], ''Raw Story'' published an article on November 4, 2020, which claimed that the [[United States Postal Service]] (USPS) had failed to deliver 27 percent of [[Postal voting|mail-in ballots]] in [[South Florida]]. [[PolitiFact]] determined that the figure was based on a misreading of Postal Service data, and the USPS stated that it had skipped some steps to get ballots to election offices faster.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Greenberg|first=Jon|date=November 5, 2020|title=Claim that postal service failed to deliver 27% of mail-in ballots in South Florida is 100% wrong|url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/nov/05/blog-posting/claim-postal-service-failed-deliver-27-mail-ballot/|access-date=June 24, 2021|website=[[PolitiFact]]|language=en-US|archive-date=May 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516004047/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/nov/05/blog-posting/claim-postal-service-failed-deliver-27-mail-ballot/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sadeghi|first=McKenzie|date=November 17, 2020|title=Fact check: False claim that 27% of mail-in ballots in South Florida not delivered|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/11/17/fact-check-false-claim-mail-ballot-delivery-south-florida/6203779002/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=[[USA Today]]|language=en-US|archive-date=August 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821023256/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/11/17/fact-check-false-claim-mail-ballot-delivery-south-florida/6203779002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to a study by researchers from the [[University of Liverpool]] and [[University of Dundee]], published in the journal ''[[Discourse & Society]]'', the headline in another 2020 article in ''Raw Story'' engaged in the [[Reification (fallacy)|fallacy of ambiguity]] by using "the phrasal verb ‘cashing in on’" to create the appearance of impropriety in reporting on a business owned by [[Jared Kushner]] when, according to Snopes, there was "no evidence that the startup is linked to any public damage".<ref name="dands">{{cite journal |title=From fallacies to semi-fake news: Improving the identification of misinformation triggers across digital media |journal=[[Discourse & Society]] |date=April 23, 2022 |volume=33 |issue=3 |first1=Elena |last1=Musi |first2=Chris |last2=Reed|pages=349–370 |doi=10.1177/09579265221076609 |s2cid=250429139 |doi-access=free }}</ref> According to the researchers, this use of "polysemous terms in news titles ... [is] potentially misleading for the majority of readers who are used to getting their daily news feed scrolling through news titles".<ref name="dands"/>