Mainstream Media Are Full of SHIT: The NOODLE Convention Coverage Proves It Again

A textbook local example just dropped in Newport News, Virginia: the NOODLE: The Thinkers Convention.

The Facts They Buried

The city spent $3.03 million (final contributions around $3.19 million) in taxpayer "surplus funds" on a two-day event headlined by Chance the Rapper, CeeLo Green, and others. It drew roughly 4,000 attendees (only ~250 on day one, ~3,750 on day two). An "independent" economic impact study (by the Institute for Service Research) claimed $1.01–$1.14 million in total economic activity and $58k–$65k in local tax revenue.

Add in public safety overtime alone: ~$130k+ for police and fire (1,100+ police OT hours, 1,143+ fire OT hours). Other costs (EMS, cleanup, etc.) remain murky.

Net result for taxpayers: roughly a $2 million loss. No profit. No major lasting infrastructure. Just a one-time splash with free admission after scaling back ambitions.

How the Three Main Local Networks Reported It

The coverage from the big three was eerily similar — almost scripted — and heavily biased toward the city's optimistic spin:

• WTKR (News 3): Headline focused on "$3M+ NOODLE convention had $1M+ economic impact." Emphasized positive quotes from Vice Mayor Curtis Bethany ("don’t look at it at face value... so much more opportunity"), attendance stats, hotel nights, and high satisfaction surveys. Framed it as a "one-time investment to activate downtown."
• WAVY (10 On Your Side): "NOODLE Convention generates over $1 million for Newport News economy." Same study highlights, same Vice Mayor quotes pushing "build strategically" and future potential. Noted the $3M investment but quickly pivoted to "was the economic impact worth the tax money?" followed by defensive answers.
• 13News Now: Similar video and reporting breaking down the "economic impact," with city-friendly framing. Earlier pre-event coverage hyped the potential; post-event stuck to the positive study narrative.

All three led with the $1M+ "impact" figure, attendee praise (85-90% would return), out-of-town visitors, and official quotes downplaying the shortfall. They treated the city-provided study as gospel and echoed the "investment" language without aggressive scrutiny of the net loss, full costs, or whether multipliers in these studies are often inflated (a common critique of event economic analyses). Independent outlets and local watchdogs like Audit Newport News highlighted the deeper taxpayer hit and unanswered questions.

This isn't journalism — it's PR repackaging. The networks amplified the government's preferred narrative: Sure, we lost millions, but vibes were great and think of the future!

This Is Why Nobody Trusts MSM Anymore

This NOODLE case is small potatoes but emblematic. Mainstream outlets routinely:

• Frame deficits as "investments."
• Bury inconvenient numbers (overtime, true net loss).
• Echo official sources with minimal pushback.
• Coordinate messaging across competitors.

Broader trust collapse stems from years of bigger failures: Russia collusion hype, Hunter Biden laptop dismissal, COVID origins/lab-leak suppression, inflated crime stats downplays, selective fact-checking, and endless political spin. When local stories mirror national patterns of bias and omission, public skepticism hardens.

People aren't stupid. They see $3M spent for ~$1M back (plus intangibles the city hypes), headlines screaming "success," and officials promising pie-in-the-sky future returns. Social media, independent reporters, and FOIA records expose the gap faster than ever.

The NOODLE coverage isn't only malicious conspiracy — it's also lazy, pro-establishment groupthink. Local media depend on access to city officials, so they softball. The result: taxpayers get the bill, officials get the photo-ops, and viewers get propaganda disguised as news.

Until mainstream outlets prioritize hard numbers, adversarial questioning, and full cost accounting over feel-good narratives, trust will stay in the gutter — deservedly so. Events like NOODLE show exactly why alternative sources thrive: they actually do the math.