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What journalists and other 'thought leaders' are thinking about or what seems popular in the minds of strivers matters vastly, vastly more than some advertising revenue.
When they leave Twitter for Mastodon, no one can hear what they are thinking.
article you cited:
Twitter is now private property (insert your favorite meme), the point is what Elon wants it to be.
So, what is Elon's plan with Twitter?
Make money?
Twitter has user base of hundreds of millions normies(give or take few billions bots), minuscule minority of them came to hear latest takes of blue check journalists. This is the real capital of Twitter, the real legitimacy.
Elon could rake in advertising cash, unless there is succesful worldwide advertiser boycott.
Spread his message (whatever it is except ELON ELON ELON)?
Even easier when he can kick out anyone who dares to diss him and broadcast his latest hot takes to the whole world unchallenged.
Banning journalists might be bad for "the right", but I do not see any downside for Elon.
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