This evening, King 5 ran a "special report" revealing the identities of a large group of protesters arrested by Seattle Police the past few months. This is the final nail in the coffin for this station's credibility and an abdication of their journalistic responsibilities.

I'm not going to claim King 5 didn't have a right to air the story, or even that it isn't "news." But as we enter the 6th month of protests, King 5's priorities have become crystal clear, and their failure to speak truth to power is disqualifying.

Over the past few months we have seen (and I have published) dozens of incidents of brazen violence committed by Seattle Police officers, the vast majority of these officers have faced no public accountability whatsoever.

I have scrolled through King 5's archives and have found no meaningful reporting on this collection of violent, unrepentant officers, or stories about the refusal of our police department to hold them accountable.

I wonder why that is. Given the wording on their reporter's tweet today, it seems he fancies himself an investigative journalist. It speaks to his character that he refuses to use his skills to hold powerful people to account.

So, this thread isn't about King 5 breaking rules, laws, or even norms (someone else will write that thread, I'm sure). It's that King 5 are cowards, failing to use the public airways to hold public power accountable.

This is the most basic function and responsibility of the 4th Estate, and their failure here doesn't simply mean they aren't worthy of our public airwaves... It means they aren't worthy of calling themselves a news organization.

Because it's not just about what you publish... It's also about what you don't publish. It's about how you prioritize your platform, how you choose to spend your limited talent and time on this planet.

And to that end, King 5 has failed entirely. Not simply by refusing to hold Seattle Police accountable, but by using their platform to push SPD propaganda, to target private citizens who haven't been convicted of any crimes.

And all of this is before we even address the fact that just last week they hired former police chief, Carmen Best, to be an on-air analyst. Viewed together, these facts demonstrate that King 5 is essentially no different than state-run media.

And of course we would be remiss not to mention that it is the start of sweeps, and King 5's decision to schedule this report in order to increase their ratings is one of the most cynical and pathetic displays I've seen in a long time.

All this is to say, King 5 (and KIRO and KOMO) have proven where they stand and who they are loyal to. And as such, I believe they should denied even the most basic access to the movement, in the exact same way law enforcement is denied.