More evident than ever is how newspapers, and other media, are desperately competing for business. In doing so, they are too often confusing opinion with reporting. While reporters are inserting more opinion in their columns, editorial boards are shying away from their role of endorsing candidates.

The New York Times recently announced it would no longer endorse in any political race except for president. The Times announcement seems a little schizophrenic. They took a strong stand helping to push Joe Biden to step down as a candidate, and stated forcefully they don’t support Trump. Then the publisher, A.G. Sulzberger, writes a lengthy op-ed published in the Washington Post where he “warned of a ‘quiet war’ against the freedom of the press as former President Trump pursues a second White House term with negative rhetoric about the media.”

He laments what Trump could do to free journalism, but seemingly disregards what a MAGA Congress could do to aid him, by having the Times in essence say it wouldn’t endorse against a MAGA congressional, or Senate candidate. He compares Trump to Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban and says, “Trump and his allies have hinted at their plans to increase attacks on the media, pointing to the former president’s comments last year in which he said, ‘When I win the presidency of the United States, they [Comcast] and others of the LameStream Media, will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things and events.’” So, it’s really hard to figure the Times out.

Earlier this month, newspapers controlled by Alden Global Capital said “they would no longer endorse candidates for president, governor and the U.S. Senate. The newspapers in the hedge fund’s portfolio include dozens of dailies like the Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News, Boston Herald, Orlando Sentinel and San Jose Mercury News.” Then the Baltimore Sun said it would no longer make endorsements. Seems like an effort to offend fewer people, and sell more papers.

Mainstream media today are doing a disservice to the American people in how they deal with politics, the 2024 presidential election being a prime example. I want to be open: I write about politics, and the presidential election. I am a lifelong Democrat. But I am a columnist, not a reporter, and there is a huge difference. Columnists like myself share opinions. I try to base my opinions on facts, but some columnists actually use what Kellyanne Conway called, ‘alternative facts.’ Either way, what we columnists write, or say, is opinion.

On the other hand, reporters should always be writing about facts. They can write about what they have seen, or heard from others. They can freely quote someone else’s opinion in their columns, but they should leave their own opinion out. Today, that is often not happening. Too often we see reporters’ personal opinions subtly enter their columns. Then newspaper reporters go on TV, or comment on social media platforms. They share their personal opinions, which calls into question their reporting. Today, editors can take a good column, put a clickbait headline on it to attract attention, and that can often color how people perceive the column. Some of these headlines are not even what the column is actually about. Newspapers actually change a headline from the print edition to their online edition, simply to get more clicks.

The media will have a huge impact on how this election turns out. While they claim to only cover the news, and don’t make it, the reality is the media do much more. They seem to have adopted the role of influencer more than ever before, though they have always done this by determining how much attention they give any one issue, and of course by what they choose to report on. Yet today there is so much competition every outlet, print and TV, seems to feel the need to have a point of view to attract audiences. Seems in some ways contradictory to newspaper editorial boards saying they won’t endorse.

The mainstream media are generally covering this election as if Trump is a candidate like any other who has ever run for president. That is not the case. Many reporters appear to have a hard time dealing with Trump, and seem afraid to be honest when writing about, or talking about, or with him. That is one way to influence the election. When Biden was still in the race there was massive coverage of his age, and missteps, even before his disastrous debate performance. There was rarely a report on him that didn’t append his age and stumbles to his name. After the debate, the media pounced, and it was not just editorial comment. It was a really unusual situation, and covering it was important. But Trump’s lies had often been accepted, as were his stumbles in speeches. Then in the debate, in which Trump lied in every other utterance, that was seemingly forgotten.

Now Biden is out, and Kamala Harris is the nominee. This got wide coverage including, and up to, her choosing Gov. Walz as her running mate. Trump was out of the headlines and that seemed to drive him crazier than normal. But the media seemed to lay off of him for a bit. Now the media are criticizing Harris for a lack of policy papers, or doing interviews with them. I am OK with that, as long as they report Trump also has no real policy papers, except for Project 2025, which he claims isn’t his. The GOP platform is only 16 pages but has gotten little attention. Also, where is the discussion of Trump’s age, he is now the oldest person to ever run for president, and his speeches though loud, are often as embarrassing as was Biden’s debate performance. He can’t focus for more than two sentences at a time and often forgets where he is. Then where is the focus on Trump being a candidate for the highest office of the land, commander in chief, who has been found liable for sexual assault, and is a convicted felon. Aren’t those appellations that should fairly be appended to Trump’s name every time he is written about? These are indisputable facts, as was Biden’s age, always appended to stories about him.

I am not naïve enough to think the right-wing media like Fox News will do this. But I would expect those like the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, and CBS, to do better. I would expect them to do to both Harris and Trump the same thing. Call them out when they are lying. When media report on either one’s speech, it is fine if they call out lies, or misstatements, in each. In the debate, if the media questioners refused to call out Trump on his lies, as happened in the Biden/Trump debate, Harris needs to be ready to do so. But it is really the media that has a responsibility to the American voter to do so.

I don’t expect much to change between now and Nov. 5 but can always hope. We will know by Tuesday night if ABC challenged Trump at the debate with tough questions. Did they ask him about being the oldest candidate ever to run for president? Did they ask him if he thinks a convicted felon should be commander in chief? Did they challenge his lies during the debate?  I am not holding out much hope for any of this. But I urge readers of, and listeners to, the mainstream media, to at least call them out when they pretend opinion is news, and when they continue to treat Trump as if he is the same as any other candidate to have ever run for president. He is not, and opinion is not news.

Peter Rosenstein is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

Welcome to the fall book season, where you’ll find gifts for your friends, family and (most importantly?) the best reads for yourself. This is when you’ll find the blockbuster novels you’ve been waiting for, the surprise memoirs and nonfiction that you’ve wanted, and gorgeous gift books your coffee table. This fall, keep your eyes open for all kinds of literary goodness.

NOVELS

Lovers of a good novel will want to curl up with a huge TBR pile.

Romance novels will fill the shelves this fall, and if love is what you want for the holidays, you’re in luck. Look for “The Rules of Royalty” by Cale Dietrich (Wednesday Books, December), a modern tale of a prince and a “commoner”; or “Feast While You Can” by Mikealla Clements and Onjuli Datta (Grand Central Publishing), a scary-romance-erotica novel of small-town life and monsters.

Reach for “Our Evenings: A Novel” by Alan Hollinghurst (Random House, October), a novel of a young man who happily accepts a scholarship to a boarding school filled with classmates who are much, much wealthier than he is. “The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts” by Louis Bayard (Algonquin Books, September) is a historical novel about Oscar Wilde’s family.

For lovers of Gothic tales, look for “The Resurrectionist” by A. Rae Dunlap (Kensington, December), a tale of bodysnatching. Classics lovers will want to read “Private Rites: A Novel” by Julia Armfield (Flatiron Books, December), a queer reimagining of King Lear.  Or find “Women’s Hotel” by Daniel M. Lavery (HarperVia, October), a book about a second-rate women-only hotel in New York City.

If your taste runs more to rom-coms, there are dozens of those available this fall, too, as well as Christmas novels with gay, lesbian, and trans characters inside.

NONFICTION

Even nonfiction readers will have reason to read this fall and winter.

Look for “Flamboyants: The Queer Harlem Renaissance I Wish I’d Known” by George M. Johnson and Charly Palmer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, September), a book about 1920s Harlem and the influential queer folks who left their marks on entertainment.

“Something, Not Nothing” by Sarah Leavitt (Arsenal Pulp Press, September) chronicles, in comic form, the death of Leavitt’s partner and the paths grief takes to healing. Learn more about LGBTQ history with “The Book of Awesome Queer Heroes: How the LGBTQ+ Community Changed the World for the Better” by Eric Rosswood and Kathleen Archambeau (Mango, December); check out Mary L. Trump’s heartbreaking memoir, “Who Could Ever Love You?” (St. Martin’s Press, September); or check out a collection of essays in “Songs On Endless Repeat: Essays and Outtakes” by Anthony Veasna So (Ecco, December). Look for “Want: Sexual Fantasies by Anonymous,” an anthology of secret confessions from women around the country, by Gillian Anderson (Abrams Press, September), or find “Queer Disability through History: The Queer and Disabled Movements Through Their Personalities” by Daisy Holder (Pen and Sword History, November). Also: Cher has a new biography out this fall, “The Memoir, Part One” (Dey Street Books, November).

Not quite what you’re looking for? Check with your favorite bookseller or librarian for more ideas because, this fall, they’ll have lots of them. Or give a gift certificate and hold on for spring. Season’s readings!

It might be too soon to get excited about the movies we know are coming later in the year – like the first installment of the big-screen adaptation of “Wicked” or Pedro Almodóvar’s first English language movie “The Room Next Door” – but that doesn’t mean there’s still not plenty to look forward to as their time draws nearer. As always, we’ve compiled a preview of the most interesting LGBTQ and related content coming to movie and TV screens over the weeks ahead, so get ready to plan out your own watchlist as you keep reading below.

“The English Teacher” (Hulu, now streaming): In its publicity blurb, we’re told that educators being forced to navigate “a lot of bullshit” as a result of the ongoing culture wars is a theme that runs “subtly” through this new workplace comedy created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez, which is putting it mildly to say the least. Centering on an Austin high school teacher who comes under fire after a student sees him making out with his boyfriend at school, it’s a giddily up-front social satire that skewers not only the hypersensitivity of our current era but the counter-productive absurdity of an education system more concerned with placating political pressures than passing on knowledge; it’s already emerged as a critical darling among the new shows of the Fall Season – which is great news for Alvarez, a talented performer (best known as Jack’s husband-to-be in the rebooted “Will and Grace” and his viral video content on Instagram and TikTok) overdue for the mainstream spotlight.

“Lover Of Men: The Untold Story of Abraham Lincoln” (theaters, now playing; streaming/VOD, TBA this fall): Earnest, passionate, yet delivered with a light touch, this sure-to-be-controversial new doc addresses the much-speculated question of our iconic 16th president’s sexuality with a trove of well-documented evidence, presented by a host of respected historians and bolstered by amusingly modernistic re-enactments of the Great Emancipator’s supposed intimate liaisons with various men during key parts of his life. More than that, it ties its narrative to the way America’s attitudes and acceptance of LGBTQ people has evolved into contemporary times while also discrediting many modern assumptions about the ways the community has been treated in the past. It may not convince the die-hard doubters, but this polished and politically hopeful effort from filmmaker Shaun Peterson is as hard to dismiss as it is entertaining, and it definitely belongs on your watch list.

“Seeking Mavis Beacon” (theaters, Sept. 13): After a limited release on Sept. 6, this documentary expands nationwide this week with a “DIY detective story” about the search for the unknown and un-credited real-life model whose image was used as the face of “Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing” – a widely used instructional computer typing program launched in 1987 – that serves as a launch pad to explore a whole spectrum of sociological and philosophical nuances related to race, ethical marketing, and the impact of technology on culture and communication. With two queer women of color – director Jazmin Jones and associate producer Olivia McKayla Ross – leading the onscreen investigation, it’s an unusual and thought-provoking think piece that is as entertaining as it is enlightening.

“The Critic” (theaters, Sept. 13): Venerated queer elder and acting legend Ian McKellen returns to the screen in this deliciously dark tale of period intrigue from director Anand Tucker and writer Patrick Marber, in which a notoriously poison-penned theater critic (McKellen) in 1934 London attempts to preserve his career by manipulating an ambitious young actress (Gemma Arterton) into a sinister scheme to influence his paper’s new editor (Mark Strong). Lush costumes and period settings, not to mention an assortment of top-notch thespians that also includes Alfred Enoch, Ben Barnes, and the always-exquisite Lesley Manville, all make this grimly macabre morality tale about the dangers of an unbridled ego an unmistakable product of the UK – and it’s likely fans of “BritTV” style costume dramas will be most appreciative of its somewhat old-fashioned charms. Even so, another deftly over-the-top performance from McKellen and an underlying exploration of hazards of leading an openly queer life within a comfortably homophobic status quo are enough to make it interesting for other audiences, too.

“Unfightable” (theaters, Sept. 13 in New York and Sept. 20 in LA; Fuse TV, October TBA): Another new doc tells the story of transgender MMA fighter Alana McLaughlin, from her difficult upbringing and service in the US Special Forces, through her transition and search for community in Portland, to her decision to seek professional status in an arena notorious for its bias against transgender athletes. A real-life narrative highlighting the bravery it can take to assert one’s true identity, this must-see offering from director Marc J. Perez only screens in New York and LA this month, but debuts on Fuse TV in October.

“Will and Harper” (theaters, Sept. 13 / Netflix, Sept. 27): Yet another doc – or is it a non-fiction “road trip buddy movie?” – is set apart from the rest by the star power on the screen: namely Will Farrell, who goes on a cross-country drive with close friend Harper Steele, a writer he met on his first day working on “Saturday Night Live” in 1995. The twist? Steele, whom Farrell had only known as a man, had come out to him as a trans woman, and the trip is their way of forging a new path forward in their friendship “through laughter, tears, and many cans of Pringles.” Funny, intimate, honest, and heartfelt, this is one of those movies that has Hollywood abuzz, and with good reason – its unequivocal and highly visible exploration of trans identity comes with considerable industry clout in the form of its star (who is joined by fellow SNL alums like Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Colin Jost, Will Forte, Molly Shannon, Tim Meadows, and Paula Pell) and promotes unconditional love and acceptance toward trans people on the cusp of an election in which their rights and protections are very much at stake. Needless to say, this one should be near the top of your watch list.

“My Old Ass” (theaters, limited Sept. 13, wide Sept. 27): Just in time for the new psychedelic revolution comes this comical coming-of-age story in which free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) takes an 18th birthday mushroom trip and finds herself face-to-face with her own 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). Her “old ass” has some pretty strong opinions about what her younger self should and shouldn’t be doing, and doesn’t hesitate to deliver them in between wisecracks – causing Elliott to second-guess everything she thought she knew about family, love and what increasingly appears to be a transformative summer ahead. Written and directed by Megan Park, and also featuring Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, and Kerrice Brooks, this one is notable for featuring a bisexual central character, which is more than enough for us to put it on our list.

“How to Die Alone” (Hulu, Sept. 13): In this comedy series co-created by and starring Natasha Rothwell, Mel is a “broke, fat, Black JFK airport employee who’s never been in love and forgotten how to dream” – until an accident leads to a near-death experience. Jarred into a new outlook on life, she throws herself into a quest to go out and start living by any means necessary. Rothwell’s strong talents are enough to bring us to the table, but out gay co-star Conrad Ricamora (“How to Get Away With Murder,” “Fire Island”), as Mel’s best friend, definitely ups our interest level for this promising new entry.

“Agatha All Along” (Disney +, Sept. 18): We all know Marvel has been struggling to please its fans with its ambitious slate of TV content, but one hands-down winner for the titanic franchise was certainly the imaginative and ultimately powerful “WandaVision” – and this new miniseries, which stems directly from that critically lauded entry into the MCU canon, is breathlessly anticipated as a consequence. It follows the further misadventures of villainous Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), who (according to the official synopsis) “finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth teen [Joe Locke, ‘Heartstopper’] helps break her free” from the spell that trapped her at the conclusion of the former series. When he asks her to take him down the legendary “Witches’ Road,” a series of dangerous magical trials that might help her restore her powers, her interest is piqued, so the pair gathers a “desperate coven” and sets off on the treacherous journey together. Hahn’s reprisal of her fabulously campy supervillain role is likely to be the main attraction, but including the adorable Locke as her gay new teen familiar is a brilliantly irresistible touch.

“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix, Sept.19): Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s true-crime anthology series “Monster” follows up its award-winning “Dahmer” saga by exploring the story of the real-life titular brothers, convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez – successfully prosecuted on the argument that they were motivated by greed for the family fortune despite the brothers’ claims of lifelong physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. It was a shocking, heavily publicized case, launching a surge in audience fascination with true crime, and let’s face it – nobody has quite the same golden touch in getting to the humanity behind these kinds of lurid tabloid tales as the prolific Murphy. It’s a must-watch, you can count on it – though if it’s anywhere near as disturbing as the show’s inaugural season, it probably won’t be a binge-watch. Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny play the parents, with relative newcomers Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez as the boys.

“Brilliant Minds” (NBC, Sept. 23) Out gay actor Zachary Quinto stars in this new medical procedural, loosely based on the life and work of Dr. Oliver Sacks, the famed late doctor whose work helped reconfigure the way we understand and treat neurological disorders – but while the real Sacks, though gay, didn’t come out until late in life, the series “re-imagines” his story into modern New York, giving Quinto’s version of the doc the chance to not only be open about his sexuality, but to use some unorthodox practices to help his patients. It might sound a bit forced, but Quinto is always an interesting actor to watch, and any chance to get queer talent playing queer characters in queer stories is good enough to warrant a chance from us, too.

“Grotesquerie” (Sept. 25, FX): The season’s second Ryan Murphy show is this miniseries about a small community unsettled by a wave of heinous crimes – which feel to the town’s lead investigator (Niecy Nash) to be eerily personal. Struggling with issues at home (and her own inner demons), she enlists the aid of a journalist nun (Micaela Diamond) with a difficult past of her own; together, this mismatched team strings together clues as they find themselves snared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers. Yes, that all sounds pretty vague and evokes “American Horror Story” vibes without revealing anything – but with Nash as its star and supporting players like Lesley Manville, Courtney B. Vance, and even Travis Kelce (yes, him) on the roster, it’s bound to be a good time.

“Joker: Folies a Deux” (theaters, Oct. 4): This sequel to 2019’s acclaimed “Joker” brings back both director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix as failed comedian Arthur Fleck, continuing his re-imagined origin story into the iconic “Batman” villain as it introduces him to the “love of his life” – soon-to-be fellow villain Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) – while incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. The mad mischief-makers naturally embark upon what’s described as “a doomed romantic misadventure,” and frankly, we don’t know much more than that. But the trailers look amazing, and there’s no question of Phoenix’s brilliance in a role he’s already made his own. Even without those encouragements, though, there’s nothing that’s going to stop fans of queer diva Gaga from flocking to the theater to see her take on a character she seems already to have been destined to play – and you can bet we’ll be among them.

“Smile 2” (theaters, Oct. 18): For horror fans, Halloween brings this sequel to the popular 2019 “death curse” chiller from filmmaker Parker Finn, this time following a global pop sensation (Naomi Scott) as she starts out on a new world tour, only to begin experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. No, the premise doesn’t sound terribly original (and just as it didn’t in the first installment), but if Finn keeps the same level of visual and storytelling skills as the last time around, it’s sure to be a delightfully terrifying thrill ride for those who dare.

“Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara” (Hulu, Oct. 18): Our list closes with one final documentary, which chronicles the labyrinthine tale of how the influential queer indie rock band of the title fell victim to an insidious hacking scheme from a lone stalker, leading to an identity-theft and catfishing campaign that continued to terrorize both the two musicians and their global legion of fans for more than a decade. Tegan and Sara join documentary filmmaker and investigator Erin Lee Carr to unfold this real-world mystery is into “a thriller, a caper, a whodunnit, and an intimate personal journey rolled into one.” Sounds good to us!