Don't Attack the Media

[Garrett78]

I see where people suggest others not attack the media, because the media is already under assault from Trump and Republicans.

This highlights a huge problem, and represents an ongoing victory for Republicans.

The GOP's modus operandi is to project, or to say the opposite of what's true. And that's precisely what they've done with regard to the mainstream media, which has turned into corporate infotainment (80+ companies ran the bulk of the media 35 years ago, and today just a handful of giant corporations own and operate the for-profit infotainment industry).

The GOP tactic has been highly effective. "Liberal media" is a household term. It's part of the public consciousness. This has, by design, put Democrats on the defensive for the last 4 decades. It's much better to be playing offense.

The fact of the matter is the mainstream media *is* worthy of criticism. A lot of criticism. The false equivalencies. The fluff. The stance that it's not their job to fact-check. Allowing the likes of Conway to Gish Gallop to her heart's content. Treating every statement as though it's an equally valid opinion, which denies the reality that many statements are false (if intentional, they should be labeled as 'lies'). And, again, the consolidation into just a few entities.

Democrats must find a way to change the narrative about the infotainment industry. It'll be an uphill battle. Flipping the public consciousness will be hard work and will take many years (the effort must begin immediately). It's not enough to say Republicans are wrong about the media--that's the defensive position. They are wrong of course, but Democrats have to explain in fairly simple terms why they are wrong and why the industry needs to be reformed. I don't necessarily know the best way to go about this, but that's why think tanks exist.

[unblock]

1. they should indeed be challenged to work in america's interests.

virtually every time a republican lies, the media misses the story. we're invariably invited to explore the lie, what it is, how horrible it is for democrats, how scandalous it is, etc. eventually a democrat is allowed to appear on air to deny it and it typically outshouted.

maybe, these days, because the lies are so outrageous, the media acknowledges that the lie is factually incorrect. but they still give a ton of exposure to it and allow it to frame the narrative.


the news story, in fact, is not the substance of the lie, which is fictional, but the *fact* that the republican lied. *that's* the story they should be covering. as soon as they identify it as incorrect, they should recognize this an flash *that* as "breaking news". question why did the republican lie, what are they trying to hide or cover up, how is it that they disrespect their constituency enough to lie, how can they survive politically with no credibility, when will they be resigning in shame, etc.

there would be no end to the sh*t they would give a democrat if a democrat told a whopper a fraction as outrageous as the stuff donnie tells every day. *one* lie like that and it would kill their career. if they tried to revive their career a decade later, the media would revive the story of that out outrageous lie they told a decade ago. but donnie gets a free pass five times a day for this crap.

have they ever called donnie "gaffe-prone"? of course not! that's something they call democrats!

[Garrett78]

8. For decades, Republicans have beaten the "liberal media" drum. I think it's taken a toll.

Last edited Mon Oct 22, 2018, 06:10 PM - Edit history (1)

I think members of the media started going out of their way to not come across as biased, even if that means shying away from the truth. When 1 party is much more fact-based or rooted in reality, that party is more adversely affected.

As I said, Republicans have very successfully put both Democrats and the media on the defensive. That's a losing position.

[unblock]

9. i think they've built much on top of that.

i wish it were as simple as making the media realize that the "liberal bias" carnard is no longer true, if it ever was true in the first place.

unfortunately, i think the media's problems run far deeper than simple bias, and they couldn't fix it by simply agreeing and adjusting.

for instance, they've abdicated any real sense of being arbiters of objective truth. the only facts they're really comfortable is "someone said something about a fact". this gives republicans license to lie and all the media simply reports that they said something, and maybe they report that democrats say it's a lie. this is a deeply flawed approach to journalism.

[Garrett78]

10. Agreed, which is what I mean about all statements being treated as equally valid.

I've actually seen where so-called journalists say it isn't their job to fact-check.

[Grasswire2]

2. If you would watch Brian Williams at 11 EST M-F..

..you would get very well acquainted with the top print reporters, and you likely would (as I have) come away with deep admiration for their tenacity, their pursuit of truth, their COURAGE and their professionalism.

Jonathan Lemire, AP. He stood before Putin in Helsinki and put THE question to get Putin and Trump on the record. He said later that Putin was staring him down. Putin kills journos. Lemire is on the job, right on the money, and fearless. A young man with a family. He's a regular guest on MSNBC.

Ashley Parker. Pulitzer Prize winner from WaPo. A sweet-faced young woman covering the WH workings with nerves of steel. Again, fearless.

There are so many, from various top news outlets. I'm not talking about the anchors. I'm talking about the print reporters, who really do stand between the people and tyranny every day, as watchdogs of our liberty.

When we say "media" it's important to see that as a very big pot of stew.

[Garrett78]

6. Of course there are great journalists out there. I'm talking big picture.

Republicans have strategically put Democrats on the defensive. We must change that.

[Grasswire2]

11. My point: "The Media", "The Press" needs defending and protecting.

It's just about all we have left as a check against tyranny.

[Garrett78]

12. As a concept, yes. But the industry needs reform.

The false equivalencies, the fluff and all those other things I listed in the OP have reached the point of absurdity.

Democrats have to combat the "liberal media" mantra but also establish a more accurate narrative. Republicans are very good at controlling narratives. And they are almost always on offense. Repetition of simple phrases is highly effective.

[Grasswire2]

13. That is the purview of media executives and the orders they give editors and producers.

Fair game to go after the industry.

But when Donald Trump encourages violence against "the media" and "the press" he is not pointing at those who are making the decisions. He is pointing at singular men and women who work like dogs to get the news and bring it to the people. They went to J-school. They never thought, then, I'm sure that their lives would actually be endangered pursuing their professions.

And when Dems chime in to attack the industry using those blanket terms, risk for those men and women is increased.

WE MUST DIFFERENTIATE between the industry and the news men and women.

[mahina]

3. Ok. When they all step up and offer equal free prime time for candidates

And promise not to take political ad money, I’m down.

Till then, Rachel Maddow is the only journalist on TV at my house.

I do admire the courage and dedication of journalists, immensely. It’s the corporations that profit from this corrupt system that I can’t abide.

[shraby]

4. Don't forget Lawrence O'Donnell and Chris Hayes. They are both worth their salt.

[mahina]

5. Right.

Them too. Thanks.

[Grasswire2]

14. yes, and let's please learn to differentiate between the suits and the grunts who are ...

....endangering themselves covering this administration.

See my post above.

[mahina]

16. Point taken.

[JCanete]

7. Fuck yes. Good post. It should have always been our narrative. We left a massive black hole there

and Trump capitalized, just playing the same game corporate media and republicans have been playing for years really...perpetuating a myth of a liberal bias that has never made any logical sense if you follow the money.

[Grasswire2]

15. It's "truth" that has a liberal bias.

That's an important distinction.

[JHan]

17. Great OP. *kick*

[LiberalLovinLug]

18. K & R

Its another sad result of Democrats not winning in '16. That any of those very real problems with even the so-called main stream news media for decades already, are now on the back burner. All the false equivalency BS, the ignoring of important stories that may reflect badly on their corporate overlords, ignoring and even demonizing protesters that protest against unhinged capitalism, greed, fascism. Ignoring how the influence of money affects decisions. So much more that is never reported or investigated.

Now we need this bird with a broken wing. To get up above it as much as they can, and report on whats happening. Even if the bird is flawed, broken, and isn't perfect.

But what it all means is that even when, please, this nightmare of Trump and a majority GOP is over, all that means is that the MSM will revert back to their false equivalency in full force. And the worse the GOP does in the polls, the harder they work to get them back to equal with Democrats. By ignoring scandal by them, and overblowing Democratic party faux pas. And continuing the practice of having twice as many Republican guests as Democratic ones.