Preface: Wow, what a week we have all had. This week, we found out that pollsters and mainstream media don’t know what the hell they are talking about or what is going on in this country. They were all wrong, leaving the Democratic party wondering what went wrong. While there are many theories and many good analyses, I can attest that one of the mistakes has been the status quo’s fundamental inability to understand the power of emerging media. It is becoming clear that in the waning moments of the campaigns, one man may have swung the election in Trump’s favor.
Joe Rogan is the world’s #1 Podcaster and one of the most influential thought leaders in the world. Mainstream media? Far from it. But this loud-mouth former comedian has become synonymous with the “Bro-Culture”, and his last-minute interview with Trump, followed by his endorsement, likely swung millions of votes. Numbers show over 100 Million viewers and listeners tuned in to that interview. That eclipses CNN, MSNBC, and all other “credible” mainstream news outlets during the campaign’s closing days by a good margin. He had an impact, and the Democrats and those media sources underestimated it. We are in new times, a new age. From here on out, it won’t be very reasonable for either party to expect the big-time media sources to remain the trusted source to our people. Lest we get lost in this topic, let me say we get it!
Sources like the Herald, which is, in a way, a non-traditional news source, are on the rise. I have never listened to Rogan’s show, but he is all over social media, and his persona is hard-wired into the culture of America now. He is one in a growing list of podcasters who have jumped past traditional news channels regarding the reach and ability to influence public opinion. His frank style appeals to an increasing audience, and he is unpredictable. I am not endorsing the man or his show, and I can not share any opinions of his work. Is this space he has created the way journalism is headed? Or are we already there?
In our way, we are seeing similar impacts. A small online news-media source we started 3 years ago has now had well over a million readers visit. We have been notified that our work has likely influenced final outcomes in school board races, local elections, and the number of people interacting with local governments. Those are good things, we think, because we can bring local stories and information in a way no one else can to the collective—and we do it with facts and well-grounded fieldwork—more on the importance of that in another story.
That Trump Win Will Hurt Oregon’s Chances Of Landing More Tech Jobs-
In the days and weeks ahead, we will determine if the State of Oregon and Hillsboro will land the last NSTC Research Center. Hillsboro, Oregon, was believed to be competing for the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator. Despite an all-hands-on-deck pitch, the State lost out to New York on that opportunity two weeks ago. The second opportunity was the CHIPS for America Design and Collaboration Facility. That huge chess piece is off the board now too, as news came last week from the Biden Administration that Sunnyvale, California, will land that trophy.
One big opportunity is left for Oregon and its near-term high-tech prospects. The Herald covered the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility on 10-31 and why Hillsboro is a natural fit for this multi-billion dollar job-creating behemoth. This is the last of the three big facilities the Biden Administration can announce, and Oregon is leaning on this like no other opportunity. This is big. State budgets depend on this. Landowners are awaiting the payoff from land expansions, which Governor Kotek can decide on by the end of the year. But will it come here? And can we live without it?
Will it come here?
Our chances of landing that last option are disappearing. Some of that is because Intel is in trouble financially. The Biden Administration has not released the $8 billion it committed to Intel. In recent months, there has been a lot of friction between the two as Intel has been critical of the Biden team’s slowdown in the release of funds. Now, the company’s investment bankers have weighed in and are pushing Intel into rounds of layoffs and discussions about spinning company divisions off. We would need a healthy Intel to help support a tech facility and research center of that magnitude here in Hillsboro. The Oregonian broke down some of the latest nuances of this tug-of-war in Mike Rogaway’s article this week, and no one covers Intel as well as Mike does.
Leave out all the angst over Intel’s situation and focus on the one thing that just happened—the one thing that mainstream media had not considered in the debate over this issue. It is a simple question; someone might want to ask Joe Rogan about it. His answer would probably be short, to the point, and two words. What is that question?
Would Donald Trump approve the investment of billions of Federal dollars for this final facility in Oregon?
Think about that for a minute. I think we all know the answer. Here are the contenders-
Strong Contenders:
- Arizona: Already a major hub for semiconductor manufacturing with a significant industry presence (Intel, TSMC). Strong university research capabilities (Arizona State University). Existing infrastructure and a growing workforce skilled in advanced manufacturing.
- New York: Home to significant research and development facilities (IBM, GlobalFoundries) and top-tier universities (Cornell, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) with expertise in advanced materials and packaging technologies. State government actively courting semiconductor investment.
- Texas: Attractive business environment, large and diverse workforce, and home to several major semiconductor companies (Texas Instruments, Samsung). Strong university partnerships and research capabilities.
- Oregon: Significant semiconductor industry cluster with Intel’s largest concentration of facilities. Access to renewable energy resources, a skilled workforce, and strong state support for advanced manufacturing.
- California: Silicon Valley’s legacy of innovation and a deep talent pool in semiconductor design and manufacturing. Leading research institutions (Stanford, UC Berkeley) and proximity to other high-tech industries.
My hot take? There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Donald Trump will approve that center coming to Oregon.
I hope I am wrong because Hillsboro already has land readily available for a facility like that, and we could be a great selection. So let’s not get this twisted- I want it here because this facility will create technical and research-based jobs and be an excellent catalyst for other jobs like this. We aren’t getting any more semi-conductor fabs here anytime soon. Certainly not from Intel. Hillsboro and Oregon have not really produced any new net Tech jobs in a long time. Not when considering the thousands of employees who have been cut, laid off, or retired out early.
And you know what? Maybe that is ok. What we need to do now is work hard to keep the jobs we have, diversify our economy while we can, and watch our budgets. We need to preserve our farmlands until we have such a particular and fantastic opportunity that we can all jointly agree that the value is too great not to make that move. The City of Hillsboro has spent well over $200 Million in land purchases under the direction of Mayor Steve Callaway and the Councils he has led these past 8 years. The debt service on those bonds will be incredibly difficult to pay if the shine comes off the apple here and Data Centers max out our power grids.
In closing-
There is that trip to Japan that no information has been in the press about. The Mayor, his wife, the City Manager, the Economic Development team, and others were briefly visited at Hillsboro’s sister city, Fukuroi, Japan. They were elsewhere in Japan, and perhaps those stops and meetings will bring home a win for the home team. Time will tell
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Back to Rogan – Joe speaks his mind; he is undoubtedly no journalist. But therein lies his power. People don’t want to be talked at or talked to. They don’t want to be told what to think, either. But those who listen to him use his media to see if his words are relatable, and if delivered well, they are likely to fall in line. They cheer for him and recognize his fearlessness when interviewing his guests. They are the American Voters, and his show and endorsement are forms of advocacy for many. People need advocates- brave people. I am no Joe Rogan. But I will advocate and tell it like it is to the very best of my ability. What you choose to believe is your business.
Journalists aren’t stenographers, simply recording what they’re told. Their duty is to seek out the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. We live in turbulent times. Bearing witness to reality can be unsettling, even frightening. But that’s precisely what journalists are called to do. But what happens when no one listens to a journalist or wants that version of the truth? They then turn to the loudest voices, hopefully based on as much fact and reality as possible. Reaching this hybrid form of the work, where the truth can be contextualized into understandable and meaningful words that reach people, appears to be the most important thing we can do going forward.
The “mainstream media” has been corrupted in the minds of our people. Fox News, for instance, is more of an entertainment site than a news organization, in my opinion. The Herald is researching stories, watching outcomes, listening to the people of our communities, and reporting the stories we write in a truthful and informative way.
This will not change, and we believe we are on the right path going forward.
The Hillsboro Herald is a News source- an online digital newspaper and media source. Most of our stories are one-of-a-kind, unique, hyper-local, investigative, and uncovered by no other news media. We have subscribers and allow advertisers to work with us and meet our readers. We are formally organized as an Oregon LLC with the express purpose of gathering and diseminating news to the public and the Citizens of the Communities we serve. The City of Hillsboro leadership denies the Hillsboro Herald access to Executive Sessions, which has been held almost every meeting lately. There is no record of what happens in those meetings, and media and journalists are allowed. The Herald has been denied access because their city attorneys stated that this is a blog site, not a news media source. This makes it convenient for them to hide what is being done and said from the Herald. We tell you, our readers, this to make you ponder their decision and why they have made it. Several attorneys from the State and National Levels offer to take this matter to court. We want to bring you the news- and the best of the news. We do not force our readers to pay for the news like The Oregonian, Oregon-Live, The Business Journal, and others will. We do ask for your support and patronage as a subscriber or supporter. You can do that right here- https://www.patreon.com/join/HillsboroHerald
You lower yourself by comparing what you do to what Joe Rogan does. You provide informed journalism and opinion. Joe Rogan promoted the use of horse dewormer as a cure for covid and took it when he got infected. The idea that so many people listen to that man is repulsive.
Alex- You miss my point. I don’t want to be like him, but there is an advocacy form of Jounralism that blends stodgy old tradition with more frank talk and interactions and opinions. That is what I am poiting out, or trying.
Joe Rogan is a podcaster and spreads misinformation to the willfully ignorant. Painfully, I’ve listened to him and there’s no fact checking, he’s easily duped by his guests and spends a lot of time hawking nutritional supplements. Investigative journalists are few and far between in America. We have entered a new era where folks would rather be entertained than informed. A very bad trajectory for our country.
It is – the only way to steal his thunder and silence others like him is to adapt some of the style in terms of the way they go about it. Offer strong opinions, use facts and the truth on things, and never be afraid to call someone out when the BS gets too deep. The “journalistic-integrity” that these big networks pretend to have leaves everyone flat and they don’t listen. SO offering advice, frank opinions, but base it on facts and take no prisoners in the delivery. That I think is a form of news we can offer here, and do.
Not sure what the end game is unless you want Washington County to be completely covered over in pavement,concrete and buildings and row houses and apartments next to mini malls.Take a gander on Google Earth and see the ever spreading growth covering up every acre of what was once beautiful farmland and forests.The Urban Growth Boundary is a myth. If you don’t build it they WILL not come.
Great points, Rod. Agreed.