Attacking the media is nothing new. Republicans especially enjoy fomenting claims of media bias to garner support from conservative voters. Let me say up front, I am not a media apologist. In fact, I am often critical of the media. The media is a business focused on their profit margin, not a service ensuring a better-informed public. As viewers equal profits, it is a safe bet that the media will extensively cover sensational, visual, and controversial news items. Period. Profits love a good scandal as a good scandal attracts more viewers tuning in.
The media is not a monolith with unitary focus or motivation. There are thousands of journalists, reporters and commentators alike, working on stories every day. The media is not perfect, either institutionally or individually. It is easy to see with so many individuals that in any given period, some will make mistakes. Nevertheless, there is no effort within the media to intentionally mislead the public with false stories. In fact, much to the contrary. When a mistake is made, the responsible organization issues a correction, an apology, and where appropriate termination of the responsible individual. The actual untrue stories posing as news in social media either come from known satirical organizations relying on humor or disreputable non-media sources abusing our freedoms for nefarious purposes. Of the latter we must all remain especially vigilant and pressure social media platforms to be responsible.
While we may validly criticize media decisions concerning what to cover, how they divide air time, and the substance of commentary, as a profession the majority of journalists work hard to investigate and report on stories. There is certainly not an effort by the media to create and issue fake news (items that are known to be untrue or issued with reckless indifference to their validity). President Trump has taken the perennial Republican anti-media rallying cry to a new level. He continually refers to any story that he perceives as negative as “fake news” and calls out any network that reports these stories as “fake news.” Unfortunately for the president, the facts overwhelmingly negate his labels of fake news. Every such story has been established as fact by independent corroboration. People may not like the intensity or focus of the coverage, but the national networks and cable news have not been spreading news items that are untrue or unverified.
Ironically, if we really scrutinized the network content for accuracy, Fox News would likely rank the lowest. Sean Hannity, one of Fox News’ biggest stars, loves to put out fake news to back up conservative political narrative (e.g., baseless personal and professional attacks on Robert Mueller). In fact, Fox News’ Shepard Smith, a respectable journalist, felt compelled to put out a thorough, detailed story completely debunking a story his Fox colleagues were spreading that falsely linked Hilary Clinton to the infamous Uranium One deal and that falsely stated that Russia was taking U.S. uranium supplies. Even after Smith’s report, there are commentators who continue to spread the falsehoods. Fox News was the fake news. The President often calls out reports referencing Russian interference in our election as a hoax and fake news. Mr. President, there continues to be a thorough and fruitful investigation the uncovered evidence. Members of your campaign and administration have been charged with related crimes. Most importantly, multiple members of your campaign and administration have pleaded GUILTY to these related charges and will be facing serious punishment. Fake news? Just your continued denials.
There is also a beautiful irony to President Trump attacking the media. He used the media for decades the create his public persona and then to become a reality TV star. He won the GOP nomination in large part due to an extremely clever, and certainly highly effective, plan to create extensive free media coverage to spread his message to voters. Now in office, the media upon which he heavily relied is suddenly fake news. A lot of President Trump’s disagreement with media coverage is the product of his own intransigence. For example, by refusing to provide any tax returns or medical reports, he dared the media to challenge his representations and search for the data. By lying or misrepresenting facts, he challenged the media to correct the record and cover the story. Unfortunately, the truth is well documented and media coverage in this area is anything but fake. Russian attacks on our democracy and election process are big news. It does not matter whether we ever learn if there was a demonstrable impact – that is for the political scientists and analysts. Administration denials only fuel the fire. If Trump or his representatives would be more forthcoming, the media would not have to respond to his gamesmanship. What are you hiding, Mr. President, about your dealings with Russia? You are challenging the media to find out.
There is a more serious issue at stake. The First Amendment to the Constitution was the most important statement of freedom and liberty in the creation of our democracy. It includes freedom of the press because of the paramount importance of a free press. No matter what criticism prevailed at the time, we have never had a president (not even Nixon, known for his paranoia), attack and threaten a free press. Not until President Trump. If the media deserves to be challenged on a particular story, then criticize that story. However, attacks on freedom of the press are unacceptable, un-American, and threaten the very fabric of democracy. Remember, back during the campaign, then candidate Trump engaged in excessive disparaging and threatening of the media to the extent reporters were attacked and needed official protection, even when covering his events. President Trump has on multiple occasions crossed the line when discussing the press. He has referred to the press as “the enemy of the people.” This is grossly unprofessional and improper, not to mention dangerous. How unfortunate that Stalin, brutal Russian dictator who murdered millions of his own people, spoke those very words in his rise to power. I have disagreed with those who want to link the President to fascism. However, he walks a fine line in that direction with fundamental attacks and threats on a free press. Those are the repressive messages of autocrats. Thankfully many Republican leaders publicly disagree with him on this point and remind us all of the role of a free press in society. We may not like every article, but we would suffer greatly and lose our freedom in lightning speed if the press did not hold leaders and institution accountable. Remember, the oath is to the Constitution and to uphold all of our freedoms.