News Outlets the New Enemy?

Under the current administration, news reporters and the media have been under fire, particularly for the overwhelming scrutiny of recently elected President Trump. The fact that news outlets would be criticized for making judgements on their subjects sounds counterintuitive to me, but alas, we live in a time where these discussions are taking place. Even before the outcome of the 2016 election, controversy had started to arise over the portrayals of certain candidates in the news. Citizens are told not to trust the media, while people are warned about the dangerous nature of these claims. Certainly a disconnect exists between the two parties, and the general public is left confused and mislead. So in this state of ambiguity, who do we, the people, believe? How do we maneuver through the mass amounts of information by these various media outlets and arrive at the truth? In this final post of my civic issues blog, I will explore these ideas and consider the future of free speech in America.

Since the start of the campaign trail almost two years ago, Donald Trump felt like the media was out to get him. As the political race continued, he felt more and more like a target. It is through these developments that our country has landed in a time where the current president refers to some of the largest media outlets as “fake news media” or even “an enemy of the public.” This type of rhetoric has been incorporated into many of his speeches and interviews. He is specifically quoted as stating these beliefs in a tweet back in February.

Many view these contentions toward the media as extremely dangerous, especially coming from our commander-in-chief. When similar comments were made during a press conference in February, reporter Jim Acosta, Senior White House Correspondent for CNN, refused to remain silent. He was persistent in getting a word in, even though a month before he was denied the right to ask a question at an event. Trump described news stations as directing “hatred” and simply a “negative tone” at him in their articles. Acosta seemed to disagree and questioned the President on loosely using the term “fake news” to refer to the media. The reporter asked whether these statements could have a harmful effect by, “undermining Americans’ faith in the First Amendment and their confidence in the media.” He also asked why Trump would call the media “fake,” as compared to plainly expressing that he did not like or agree with a particular article. Trump responded by saying, “I want an honest press […] the public doesn’t believe you people anymore.”

Clearly there is animosity that exists between the two sides, and I feel like I can sympathize with both parties in some respects. In reference to Donald’s comments, I would honestly appreciate more unbiased media outlets. That opinion is alluding to news networks with both liberal and conservative agendas. To elaborate, I am tired of the typical network stereotypes. “FOX is a republican station” or “MSNBC is biased toward the democrats” are remarks people will often make. For the most part, they are correct. People of each party will follow their respective news channels, and our country is left with mindless drones who lack perspective and individual thinking. According to a study in 2014 by the Pew Research Center, the most trusted news outlets in America are actually British. The Economist and BBC remain at the top. This system leads to polarized sides and the aforementioned animosity, inducing situations like today where our president is condemning a whole spectrum of news networks. I agree with Acosta in many respects, primarily that Trump’s comments are potentially very dangerous for our country. By undermining Americans’ faith in the First Amendment and their confidence in the media, the Trump regime mirrors an Orwellian-esque government. I am not asserting this to be true, but many dictators throughout history have used a similar tactic. The news media serves as the voice of the people. It is generally trusted and relied upon by a nation’s constituents to provide accurate information and create transparency within the government. Discrediting the news media is depriving the country of any intermediary between the government and the people. Not to mention restricting their language is comparable to crushing any form of dissent. I am not arguing that our country is shifting toward some type of authoritarian state, but I am saying that the signs are concerning.

Trump attacks “fake” reports

In late February, several news organizations were even barred from a Friday briefing at the White House. Reporters were excluded solely for their type of reporting and new network affiliation, a blatant violation of the First Amendment. “We’re going to aggressively push back,” Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said to reporters who were approved to attend. He insisted, “We’re just not going to sit back and let, you know, false narratives, false stories, inaccurate facts get out there.” A war between the news media and the Trump administration is just beginning, and it marks a scary time for our nation. As citizens, we must remain vigilant and aware of current events and our rights, for free speech is a staple of any democracy.

Picture Sources:

Trump tweet via Daily Mail

Trump press conference via ITV

3 thoughts on “News Outlets the New Enemy?

  1. This was a really good final post. The topic really fits with what my group covered for our deliberation project during our last unit. On the night of our event many of the points you’ve addressed in this post were brought to attention and discussed. I think the question posed by the title of your post is one that many people are also questioning at this point in our country’s history. Overall, this was a great last post for a well done Civic Issue blog this semester!

  2. Hey Dan, this was a really well written post on information pertaining to news outlets and the future of free speech in the US. You used some fantastic examples to explain the topic and I really liked your interpretation of the discussion. These posts have been a lot of fun to read the past semester and let me know if you ever decide to write more!

  3. I like how you ended your blog series with a post that is very relevant to the state of free speech today. I have found the transition in how our political news is transferred to be rather interesting, and a bit concerning. I think it is particularly interesting, as you pointed out, that some of our most favored political news comes from British sources. It really supports the common trend of questioning where our news sources truly come from and what they are trying to relay. I have really enjoyed reading your civic issue post this semester. Thank you for your insight!

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