A reporter was fired from the new outlet Axios after calling a news release from Florida’s Department of Education “propaganda” in an emailed response to the department.
“This is propaganda, not a press release,” Tampa Bay reporter Ben Montgomery said in a reply to a release from Florida’s Department of Education about an event with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), according to a screenshot posted Monday by the department’s communications director.
DeSantis’s deputy press secretary Jeremy Redfern replied to the screenshot: “Is this a journalism?”
Axios’ Editor-in-Chief Sara Kehaulani Goo confirmed that Montgomery is no longer with Axios but declined to discuss the conditions of his departure. Montgomery’s last article listed on Axios’ site is dated Tuesday.
Montgomery shared a post from Vanity Fair staff writer Charlotte Klein that said he’d been fired over the email but didn’t comment on the news directly, instead offering a cheeky response to the recent change, “Some personal news: I made crepes this morning for the first time in years. Strawberry compote and whipped cream. They were delicious.”
The press release Montgomery was commenting on announced that DeSantis would host a roundtable discussion “exposing the diversity equity and inclusion scam in higher education.” The Florida governor in the release argued “the woke mob” is pushing “political indoctrination” onto students.
xios is silly and not a news service if they dont think everything from politicians is not propaganda.