People are used to Elon Musk tweeting odd things, but a recent series of tweets from the Tesla CEO about the media might result in a new business venture.
Musk Takes On The Media
Musk has always been at odds with many media outlets. In the past, Musk claimed that he received numerous criticisms from journalists about his companies and his projects.
In particular, Tesla faced sharp criticisms over potential flaws regarding its autonomous driving project. Musk previously complained that other auto companies do not get as much scrutiny regarding vehicle safety.
Consumer Reports recently published a negative review about the Tesla Model 3. For Musk, this criticism was the final straw.
Musk's Rant On Twitter
On May 23, Musk published numerous tweets about the media.
"The holier-than-thou hypocrisy of big media companies who lay claim to the truth, but publish only enough to sugarcoat the lie, is why the public no longer respects them," Musk tweeted. "Anytime anyone criticizes the media, the media shrieks 'You're just like Trump!' Why do you think he got elected in the first place? Because no ones believes you anymore. You lost your credibility a long time ago."
In a follow-up tweet, Musk wrote that many journalists are "under constant pressure" to get web traffic and "earn advertising dollars" or risk losing their jobs. He then wrote that other car companies are "among the world's biggest advertisers" and his company, Tesla, does not advertise. A 2016 report found that five car companies each spend over $1 billion every year on advertising.
On Twitter, Musk pledged to create a website for people to rate the credibility of journalists, editors, and publications. He wants to call it Pravda.
"Even if some of the public doesn't care about the credibility score, the journalists, editors & publications will. It is how they define themselves," he tweeted.
Musk then proceeded to poll users to see if Pravda is a good idea. As of May 23, over 80 percent of users agree with Musk in his poll.
What Is Pravda?
Musk's suggested name for his new venture, Pravada, is a reference to a state newspaper that existed in the Soviet Union.
In October 2017, Pravda Corp became a certified business registered in the state of Delaware. Its only listed officer is Jared Birchall, who has other roles at companies owned by Musk.
Musk also told Gizmodo that Pravda was his company and that he will work on it after finishing the Tesla Model 3.
There's also a chance that Pravda may never happen. Musk has a history of telling people on Twitter that he is going to launch a new company, but then it never gets started.
