Weekend Reading
Writing worth reading -25th/26th oct 2025
The CIA and Time Magazine: Journalistic Ethics and Newsroom Dissent by Simon Willmetts
“These ethical concerns over journalists cooperating with U.S. intelligence agencies became much more acute during the late 1960s and 1970s. In 1966–67, a series of high-profile newspaper stories revealed that the CIA had been secretly funding various civil society groups and organizations, including well-known media outlets such as Encounter Magazine and the Paris Review.8 In the decade that followed, a number of other revelations underscored the inherent controversy of CIA officers working with and influencing media outlets. In the U.S. Senate, the Church Committee—tasked with investigating the many scandals and abuses that had rocked the U.S. intelligence community in this era—concluded that the CIA maintained “covert relationships with about 50 American journalists or employees of U.S. media organizations.”9 This series of revelations culminated in 1977 when Carl Bernstein, who had previously played a major role in revealing the Watergate scandal, published an article in Rolling Stone alleging the existence of a vast network of paid and unpaid CIA contacts in the U.S. media.10 The story produced another outcry, and coupled with the conclusions of the Church Committee led to a series of congressional hearings on the matter, forcing the CIA to draw up guidelines that restricted its ability to work with journalists, and publicly renounce the practice of using U.S. journalists as paid sources…”
How Tech Billionaires Became the G.O.P.’s New Donor Class by Jonathan Mahler, Ryan Mac and Theodore Schleifer
“…Whatever was happening, or not happening, on the ground in the swing states, Musk had turned his social media platform into a 24-hour-a-day persuasion machine, pummeling voters with messages, images and videos on their electronic devices. There was no precedent for this. The Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United ushered in a new era in American politics, giving billionaires a previously unimaginable level of influence over candidates and elections. But this was the first time that one of those billionaires had used the largely unregulated modern communications platform he controlled to advance his political interests.”
Berkshire Hathaway’s Charlie Munger dies aged 99 by Charlie Munger
“Buffett pushed Munger repeatedly to make the jump into the investment world, telling him at one point that “law was fine as a hobby, but he could do better”. Munger eventually set up his own investment partnership known as Wheeler, Munger & Company. The returns, like Buffett’s, were stellar. Munger’s partnership earned average annual returns of 24.3 per cent between 1962 and 1975, compared with a 6.4 per cent return for the Dow Jones Industrial Average ...”
Founders (need) Focus
This week we shared that we’re starting Founders Focus, a new membership program from 9others; a space for you to carve out time to work on the hard things that really matter. Check out the announcement here.
What does it do?
Founders Focus keeps you focused, accountable and connected.
Who it’s for?
Founders Focus will suit Solo Founders, Remote (Co) Founders, and Freelancers, Coxs and Side Hustlers.
Qs?
Read more and check out the FAQs on the 9others Notion, here.
We hope you’ll join us.
Upcoming meals with 9others
Thursday 13th November 2025 — Manchester. — details and signup here.
Thursday 22nd Jan 2026 — Sam’s Montpellier. — details and signup here.
A Winter Party with a few more than 9others
Thursday 20th November 2025 —Dalston London. — details and signup here.