In the course of events, I get around to college campuses, from coast to coast. Not a great many. But a good assortment, I think. There’s a talk I give: “Politics on Campus: Yes and No.” I think politics has its place, as why wouldn’t I? I have worked a good many years in political journalism. But I think an absence of politics — relief from politics — has its place too. A blessed place.

Colleges are overrun with politics. The less political agitation on campus, the better, I think. There’s plenty of time for politics, after college. You can have decades of it, if you want. College years are for learning — figuring out the world, figuring out yourself, maybe.

I could go on, but then I’d be imposing my speech on you.

Not infrequently, I’ve thought, “Could I make it on a college campus today? I’m so mouthy, so free. I’d use the wrong pronoun or something. I’d be cooked.”

I know of a man — a professor of music — who addressed an ensemble before him as “ladies and gentlemen.” One of the students reported him to administration — which admonished him. The phrase “ladies and gentlemen” implies there are only two sexes, you see.

(I know that people today say “genders,” but I was educated differently.)

You have perhaps seen an op-ed piece published in the New York Times, by a senior at Princeton, Adam S. Hoffman: “My Liberal Campus Is Pushing Freethinkers to the Right.”

Last year, I met with students at another leading university. They told me horror story after horror story about the aggressive and illiberal tactics of administrators and faculty. I asked, “Is it fair to say that these people are making right-wingers out of kids who would otherwise be ordinary liberals, or moderates, or conservatives?” To a man, and woman, the answer was: yes.

I believe it.

• Over the years, I have described myself as a “backlash baby” — a conservative shaped, in part, by the Left he encountered, when he was coming of age.

• Have you seen this news, by chance? “Liz Cheney to join University of Virginia as a professor.” Cheney, of course, is anathema to the Right today. She is a classic conservative from the pre-Trump era. And the pre-Trump era is long gone. Cheney will surely be one of the most conservative professors at UVA. How will it go for her? I’d be curious to know.

• Every now and then, you get an inside look at politics. You see how the sausage is made. Every now and then, you get the same look at media. It is not necessarily pretty, the sausage-making.

In recent days, the public has been treated to an astounding look at Fox News. All of the public? Well, no. Practically everything depends on the media a person consumes: what he reads, watches, and listens to.

Dominion Voting Systems is suing Fox for defamation. After the 2020 election, the network’s hosts and guests made outlandish claims about Dominion. They said that the company had a secret algorithm designed to switch votes. They said that Dominion was created in Venezuela, to serve Hugo Chávez. Really wild stuff.

But widely amplified, and widely believed.

In the Dominion suit, there are of course filings, and they are full of internal communications — texts and e-mails and the like from Fox executives and on-air figures. The gist of these communications: Fox personnel knew that “stolen election” claims were bunk, but they also knew that their audience wanted to hear it — and the “brand” needed to be protected.

To get chapter and verse, go here, for example.

One Fox executive said of a particular program, “The North Koreans do a more nuanced show.” (I have to admire that executive’s awareness, even if he could speak frankly only in private.)

A reporter fact-checked claims made by lawyers for President Trump. An exec did not like this. He told the reporter that she needed to do a better job of “respecting our audience.”

Another executive worried that viewers were switching to the Newsmax channel, for yet wilder stuff. He issued a warning: “Do not ever give viewers a reason to turn us off. Every topic and guest must perform.”

Let me pause over that phrase “must perform.” People at online publications have an expression: “That piece did well,” or, “That piece did badly.” What they mean is: The piece was popular. It got a lot of clicks. Or not.

Popularity is not necessarily an indication of the merit of a piece. Some pieces are bad and popular, some are good and unpopular. You know what is really popular, reliably? Porn.

Consider, too, the phrase “respecting our audience.” The Fox executive admonished the fact-checking reporter that she had to do a better job of “respecting our audience.”

If you’re a news organization, how do you respect your audience? By telling them the truth, I think. And if you don’t tell them the truth — you’re not respecting them.

I always thought that many anti-Trumpers had more respect for Trump voters than many pro-Trump people did — pro-Trump people in politics and the media, both. At least the anti-Trumpers said what they thought. At least they leveled with people, about the 2020 election and other things.

The degree of cynicism and hypocrisy in politics and the media might shock the average person. You have pols and media folk who say one thing in public and a completely different thing in private.

A couple of months ago, I podcasted with Russell Moore, the editor-in-chief of Christianity Today. He is an anti-Trump conservative. He has done a lot of radio and television. I asked him something like this: “Did people say one thing in the green room and another thing on air?”

Not only in green rooms, he answered. How about during commercial breaks? During the breaks, they would knock and mock Trump. And when the program resumed, they would switch on, like an actor playing a part.

Red hat on, red hat off.

Many times, I have remarked on a problem of long standing: Virtually every Republican journalist in America (a) appears on Fox News or (b) wants to. Therefore, the incentive to ignore such things as the Dominion lawsuit is strong — very strong. Among Republicans, I mean.

If Don Lemon says something dumb on CNN — as he did about Nikki Haley the other week — you shout about it. But when it comes to the network wearing your jersey . . .

Anyway, buyer beware. We must be “savvy shoppers” in the media market, as in other markets. We do not want fake news. (Do we?) But listen: How do you find out about dishonesty committed by this network or that? Or by this publication or that? As a rule, media outlets don’t report on themselves, do they?

There is no option but to consume a diverse media diet. Which is a pain. Who has the time? Who has the inclination?

I understand . . .

(Readers may be interested in a 2013 essay of mine: “Looking for Lefty: The problem of what, or whom, to read.”)

• Let me turn to foreign news. Kem Sokha is an opposition leader in Cambodia — an opponent of Hun Sen, who has ruled that country since 1985. (Imagine that: coming up on 40 years.) From 2017 to 2018, Kem Sokha was a political prisoner. In or out of prison, he has been a constant target of the regime. His daughter, Monovithya Kem, has worked tirelessly in his behalf. I had the pleasure of podcasting with her five years ago (here).

On Wednesday of this week, she tweeted,

And to read a dispatch from the Associated Press on the matter, go here.

• “This report contains graphic descriptions of torture and sexual violence.” This warning is shown before an online report by CNN, here. “How Iran used a network of secret torture centers to crush an uprising.” This is very, very important.

• A reporter I much admire, and have relied on, is Hannah Dreier, of the New York Times. I podcasted with her when she was the AP correspondent in Venezuela. (One podcast is here, another here.) She chronicled the collapse of that country starkly and vividly, and at some risk to herself.

For the Times, she has now done a major report: “Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S.” Hannah has performed a considerable public service — letting us know about something going on under our own noses.

• Like many another person, I liked watching Betty Boothroyd, who was Speaker of the House of Commons from 1992 to 2000. She was the first female Speaker (and so far the only). She has died at 93. For an obit, go here.

“Order! Order!” I can hear her now, and see her. I straighten my back — I sit up and pay attention — as I do.

We all need a little Betty Boothroyd in our life. “Order! Order!”

• Cripe, I have a lot more to say, but I’ve gone on too long. Want to close with a few music items? All right.

For a review of Norma, the Bellini masterpiece, at the Metropolitan Opera, go here.

And have a listen to Master Alberto Cartuccia Cingolani, playing at age five. Playing Mozart. The thing is: Not only can he play the notes, he is musical as well. Truly a wonder.

Are you ready for the end of an era? “Kiss reveal last dates of their farewell tour, ending in NYC.” Say it ain’t so! Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Kiss Army?

To everyone — Kissers and non-Kissers alike — I wish a happy weekend.

If you would like to receive Impromptus by e-mail — links to new columns — write to jnordlinger@nationalreview.com.