Ben Smith Profile Banner
Ben Smith Profile
Ben Smith

@semaforben

Followers
338,685
Following
1,770
Media
2,208
Statuses
142,780

Editor-in-chief of @semafor . Former @nytimes media columnist, @buzzfeednews EIC. "Traffic." bsmith @semafor .com, Signal semaforben.90

Brooklyn, NY
Joined October 2007
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
How to ensure you don't get follow-up questions on Fox, apparently.
2K
21K
98K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
2 years
I love how Apple communicates "Made in China"
Tweet media one
280
4K
51K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
5 years
In response to the statement tonight from the Special Counsel's spokesman: We stand by our reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he's disputing.
6K
8K
30K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
5 years
What a disgusting thing to say about dozens of American workers who just lost their jobs.
@realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
5 years
“Ax falls quickly at BuzzFeed and Huffpost!” Headline, New York Post. Fake News and bad journalism have caused a big downturn. Sadly, many others will follow. The people want the Truth!
23K
13K
70K
4K
4K
26K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Enormous pressure on NBC now to make this thing a nightmare for Trump.
2K
3K
24K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Asked Microsoft CEO @satyanadella about India's new Citizenship Act. "I think what is happening is sad... It's just bad.... I would love to see a Bangladeshi immigrant who comes to India and creates the next unicorn in India or becomes the next CEO of Infosys" cc @PranavDixit
4K
8K
23K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
1 year
Statement from Smartmatic lawyer Erik Connolly: “Dominion’s litigation exposed some of the misconduct and damage caused by Fox’s disinformation campaign. Smartmatic will expose the rest. 1/2
383
5K
21K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Washington Post EIC Marty Baron has told Post reporters to use "mob," not "protesters," to describe people storming capitol, a staffer tells me.
628
3K
17K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Tara Reade, two people tell me, has been turning down Fox appearances for many days. Kind of remarkable MSNBC or CNN hasn't just had her on at this point.
639
2K
15K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
5 years
My statement:
Tweet media one
353
3K
13K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Dominion just sent letters to the social platforms asking them to preserve posts, and offered a glimpse at their target list:
Tweet media one
Tweet media two
728
4K
12K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
1 year
Smartmatic remains committed to clearing its name, recouping the significant damage done to the company, and holding Fox accountable for undermining democracy.” 2/2
218
2K
11K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
The media has built up such a reflex of ignoring Trump's wild comments that when he says something that's major, siren-level news — the postal service remarks — it is only leading one website I can find, @huffpost
224
3K
10K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
1 year
New: Here's the text message from @elonmusk telling SBF he's "welcome" to roll his public shares into Musk's twitter, as Liz reported
Tweet media one
2K
1K
8K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
2 years
The Cuomo blast radius is incredible
115
552
8K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
One of these moments when having zero credibility really makes it hard to brush this off
@jdawsey1
Josh Dawsey
4 years
From Stephanie Grisham: “After a quick exam and labs, the President is headed back downtown. The President remains healthy and energetic without complaints, as demonstrated by his repeated vigorous rally performances in front of thousands of Americans several times a week.”
3K
264
959
159
936
7K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 years
This offers a kind of sad glimpse at the way some huge philanthropic and political donors go through life: being told they are geniuses by very accomplished people who want their $; and then totally unready for actual challenge.
@BuzzFeedNews
BuzzFeed News
6 years
Betsy DeVos fumbles through questions on school safety, campus sexual assault and inequality
50
160
451
160
2K
7K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 years
This story concerns a reporter's work @BuzzFeedNews . We are deeply troubled by what looks like a case of law enforcement interfering with a reporter’s constitutional right to gather information about her own government.
496
3K
6K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Yikes, that last line
@COVID2019action
COVID-19 Local Responses
4 years
Tweet media one
175
484
886
803
2K
6K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Some of Ingraham's New York team are now being quarantined for #COVID19 , two sources tell me. Latest instance of Fox and Murdochs saying one thing, doing another.
@IngrahamAngle
Laura Ingraham
4 years
At some point, the president is going to have to look at Drs. Fauci and Birx and say, we're opening on May 1. Give me your best guidance on protocols, but we cannot deny our people their basic freedoms any longer.
13K
12K
56K
196
2K
6K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
1 year
NPR issues internal guidance on Twitter: don't advertise your handle, but don't delete it because someone could take it and impersonate you.
Tweet media one
58
2K
5K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
5 years
A Marianne Williamson staffer told me in Miami that when she visits the networks, reporters and producers sneer at her but the makeup artists always cry when they meet her.
222
555
5K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
So they're purging the reality-based people, and elevating Maria Bartiromo, the clearest voice of Trump's lies.
@sarahellison
Sarah Ellison
3 years
BREAKING --> Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt was laid off today alongside just under 20 Fox News staffers. Stirewalt sat on the Fox News decision desk, which has come under fire for its early call on Arizona election night. Story forthcoming...
3K
11K
43K
241
1K
5K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
This is one of the ways closed societies keep reporters out -- genuinely shocking to see the US float it
@mathieuvonrohr
Mathieu von Rohr
4 years
Dear U.S. journalists: This may not seem like the most important issue right now, but please take note that the DHS is proposing massive restrictions for foreign correspondents. The plan is to limit their stay in the U.S. to 240 days (from 5 years)!
155
3K
5K
92
2K
5K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
The extent to which CNN has adopted reality TV values here is pretty remarkable. Including eliding the controversy over Cuomo's travel.
232
600
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
7 years
Here's the note I sent to @buzzfeednews staff this evening
Tweet media one
2K
3K
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
5 years
A Costa Rican paper, @nacion , says it has found the guys who built Trump National in 2002, using fake documents. Among the details: no sneaking over the Mexican border -- they flew into Newark.
Tweet media one
92
2K
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 months
Whoa: A quite reliable local outlet commissioned two professional translations of Ilhan Omar's remarks, and says she didn't say anything like what she's quoted saying
213
1K
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Something for New York political junkies to chew on while the day passes: Chatter that a President Biden could appoint Gillibrand to a cabinet post, allowing Cuomo to put AOC in the Senate, a gift to Schumer and to himself, and a way to elevate a star they're all afraid of.
503
471
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
5 years
Bizarre the extent to which the "electability" conversation leaves out the fact that the only Democrat elected in two decades is black.
@katherinemiller
Katherine Miller
5 years
Kamala Harris touching tonight on the Midwest electability conversation often leaving out black voters, who are pretty important especially in the context of the narrow losses Dems saw in 2016
35
345
1K
129
798
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
A key point here is that Fox can handle a drawn out, expensive lawsuit. For Newsmax and OAN, burning cash and looking for investors, it would be existential.
179
825
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
9 months
This is actually a very serious allegation against Newsmax, which is under huge financial pressure right now from Dominion and Smartmatic
123
1K
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
2 years
Fox loses the key motion; cases often settle at this point, and a settlement here would likely be a big number. It's a very strong case.
@alanfeuer
Alan Feuer
2 years
Just in: A judge in Delaware has denied Fox News' motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems. Dominion's case against Fox can now--like its cases against Sidney Powell, Mike Lindell & Rudy Giuliani-- continue into the discovery phase.
Tweet media one
72
768
3K
142
728
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Just got a PR pitch that includes the word "covidpreneur"
310
440
4K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
By popular demand, here's the verbate
Tweet media one
221
1K
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
WaPo, per an email from Fred Ryan, now over 3 million subs, and will create 150 jobs next year, bringing newsroom over 1,000 -- biggest ever.
73
444
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
8 years
Here's a memo I sent to @buzzfeed staff today on our social media policy, and Donald Trump
Tweet media one
283
3K
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
I think the real problem for Trump now, politically, is how hard everyone is laughing at him
@JKCorden
James Corden
4 years
Here is the opening of tonight’s show. x
3K
23K
99K
66
665
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 months
. @GovAndyBeshear thanked the woman in this ad in his victory speech ...
@MediumBuying
Medium Buying
8 months
#KYGov : The Andy Beshear campaign is up on TV with this spot -- Hadley to camera: "This is to you, Daniel Cameron. To tell a 12-year-old girl she must have the baby of her stepfather who raped her is unthinkable"
246
3K
9K
36
608
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
These conspiracy theories are so nuts. A major problem with the caucuses is that there's *no secret ballot*. The results of many precincts are on twitter. There's room for lots of temporary chaos and incompetence, but not really for much deceit.
131
621
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Biden will be on Morning Joe tomorrow, expected to be asked about Tara Reade, I'm told.
725
434
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
7 years
Shocking details, shocking video, of the explicit and open connections btw key Breitbart figure & white nationalists
191
2K
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 years
We were robbed. Also, a reminder of the administration's obsession with legacy media!
@HenryJGomez
Henry J. Gomez
6 years
Fake News Awards tally CNN: 4 NYT: 2 ABC, Time, WaPo, Newseek: 1 each
83
159
375
91
381
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
I'm told Smartmatic will "imminently" file a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against a *media company* for "a campaign of defamation and disparagement" cc @antoniomugica
133
516
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 years
Great job representing NY police officers here
You are all a disgrace. You sit on your ass and target the NYPD all while growing up on the nipple of what’s easy. You have no clue what a NYPD officer does yet target us and disparage our integrity. One day you will dial 911 when evil is at your door and thank god for the NYPD.
3K
443
2K
44
462
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
The thing about Reade story — and many like it — is that media decision-makers still operate under illusion they control whether it's a story. Why not shortcut the handwringing, and ask Biden to open his personal papers to inspection, which is where this is headed anyway?
338
427
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
So Fox has a very tricky decision to make: Call NV and the election, based on that early AZ call, and escalate war with Trump; or wait for someone else to call based on PA and follow that. (It's all an artifact of TV's bizarrely oversized role here ofc.)
@RalstonReports
Jon Ralston
3 years
HERE'S WHERE WE ARE: Washoe only has few thousand provisionals left -- should be a wash. Few thousand rural votes left -- Biden will lose 2k max there, probably less. That leaves Clark and tens of thousands of mail and provisionals. Little chance Dems lose there. SO...
104
615
3K
109
448
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
5 years
The extent to which the alt-right infiltrated the Washington conservative establishment in the first half of this decade is astounding
307
1K
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
2 years
I can't wait for everyone to see what we've been up to @semafor . We're launching soon, with incredible journalists, great stories, and transparent new formats. And — I'll be bringing back the Sunday night media column. Sign up for our newsletters here:
140
193
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
"Newsmax would like to clarify its news coverage"
267
505
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
News: Ozy is shutting down. Here's the statement from the Ozy board
Tweet media one
301
460
3K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
I'm usually on the other side but it's really outrageous to blame older, diligent people who handled this for years then got handed a bunch of confusing rules and bad tech by young people!
81
417
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
New: Twitter has added a "get the facts" link to a false Trump tweet about mail-in voting, which links to a moment refuting his claim. (background here )
@realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
4 years
There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed. The Governor of California is sending Ballots to millions of people, anyone.....
35K
20K
82K
565
830
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
7 years
Stunner from @CraigSilverman : Fake news *beat* real news on Facebook over last 3 months of election
Tweet media one
269
3K
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
I saw this on Twitter in Jan, didn't make much of it, and now can't stop thinking about it.
@CNBCTheExchange
The Exchange
4 years
"Anything you say in advance of a pandemic seems alarmist. Anything that you've done after it starts is inadequate," says @GovMikeLeavitt . Listen to the rest of his interivew to learn whether or not the U.S. is prepared to handle #Coronavirus on @CNBC .
7
159
489
33
714
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Politico editor-in-chief Matt Kaminski told staff they're not going to apologize for having Ben Shapiro guest edit Playbook, then listened to staff complaints (esp from Congress team) on an internal call.
172
293
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Scottsdale prosecutors seek to arrest Tim Gionet/Baked Alaska for violating the terms of his release on assault charges for macing a bouncer in a performative attack on mask wearing. The violation is going to DC to trash the capitol. ⁦ @baxter_eh
67
666
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Ivanka being interviewed by *State Dept PR person*, a former Fox News contributor, at the #DohaForum . Never quite seen anything like it.
Tweet media one
422
922
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 years
Well this is disturbing
Tweet media one
285
439
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Facebook on why it blocked a NY Post article. This all applies to lots of articles on news sites.
Tweet media one
258
414
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 years
As a smart editor recently pointed out to me, it's shocking how little educated professionals, including tech executives, know about how the media works
@elonmusk
Elon Musk
6 years
Problem is journos are under constant pressure to get max clicks & earn advertising dollars or get fired. Tricky situation, as Tesla doesn’t advertise, but fossil fuel companies & gas/diesel car companies are among world’s biggest advertisers.
1K
5K
35K
135
489
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Sure looks like trading on his name, in a totally explicit way.
289
417
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
7 years
Actual danger to Bannon is perception that he is actually in charge reaching Trump.
@JordanPeele
Jordan Peele
7 years
Stop President Bannon.
185
9K
25K
102
1K
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
(He was speaking to editors at a Microsoft event in Manhattan this morning.)
109
325
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
Getting fired by phishing scam
Tweet media one
67
100
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Very rare to see on US TV
@justinbaragona
Justin Baragona
3 years
MSNBC's Ayman Mohyeldin challenged a former Israeli ambassador: "What do you say to the international community who does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over East Jerusalem and says what you’re doing to families like his and others is possibly a war crime?"
288
759
3K
46
305
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
It's been an incredible 8 years @BuzzFeedNews . Here's the note I just sent to our staff.
Tweet media one
299
302
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
3 years
Watching Fox right now is like watching a very difficult (and riveting) conversation inside a family.
45
143
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
6 years
It's been genuinely fun to watch @RonanFarrow live a certain kind of journalistic career trajectory in reverse: government job -->tv show with his name -->hardworking investigative reporter. Next, a few years in City Hall.
30
184
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
4 years
. @wsj wants to make sure nobody is having too much fun working from home
Tweet media one
139
380
2K
@semaforben
Ben Smith
7 years
. @buzzfeednews has published the explosive, secret, unverified reports on Trump and Russia
327
2K
2K