A couple of centuries from now (if humans still exist) history textbooks will show how the late 20th/early 21st century mainstream media aided and abetted the destruction of American democracy.
Given the actions of the (No)Justice Dept., do reporters understand that there is a real possibility that they can soon be arrested by the authoritarian in chief?
I used to teach HS Journalism and my reporters asked tougher questions of their principal than Muir and others do of the president. The higher calling of journalism is bastardized by using minimizing descriptors like "access journalism;" it's propaganda plain and simple and Muir and others need to account for it. But, like the president, they won't. We're screwed.
This commentary explains why I like to say that there IS something Donald Trump is right about, believe it or not. The media often are the enemy of the people. It's just that he means it in reverse from the reality. What Muir did fits that category.
Access journalism and a terror of being accused of being biased against conservatives are clearly major factors behind the colossal failures of our mainstream media. I am still appalled that the major media outlets have refused to cover the story about the agents in the NY FBI field office actively interfering in the 2016 election by leaking damaging information about Hillary Clinton to the media. Those agents also pressured Comey and McCabe to make damaging information public, to prosecute her. They pressured DOJ to authorize opening an investigation of the Clinton Foundation based solely on accusations in a book written by Breitbart's Peter Schweitzer.
I was convinced that after IG Horowitz’s Senate testimony last December that he was still investigating those leaks and that he had proof that NY agents had had unauthorized contacts with the media that this story would finally get the media attention it needs. Nope.
Contrast that silence with all the coverage the media gave to the Peter Strzok and Lisa Page story. Those agents got fired even though they hadn’t done anything to interfere in the election. The NY agents obviously did break FBI and DOJ rules and possibly violated the Hatch Act yet the media has protected them. I can only assume that those agents are still in place and ready to interfere again on Trump’s behalf.
The only explanation I have come up with for the media blackout of this story is access. The NY office has long been known for leaking to the media so I assume reporters are protecting their sources and access, not protecting the integrity of our elections.
A comment on the paywall. I understand the need for funding but I feel that it is important that these articles have as wide an audience as possible. Maybe allowing everyone to read the articles but not participate in the discussion would be an option? As far as I know there are very few sites that focus on criticism of the mainstream media. The focus is almost always on Fox and other right wing media outlets. The MSM usually gets a pass.
I don't watch a lot of TV news, but I think TV people like Tapper, Cuomo, Cooper, Nicole Wallace, Reid would be a lot tougher on him. Guess that's why there's only one cable network he deals with.
Access journalism really took off under Reagan. I remember back then reading where a WH reporter admitted they just gave up trying to follow up on his movie confabulations and nonsense (like trees causing air pollution). Of course, the old standards came back for Bush I and especially for Clinton, then went away again under the idiot Bush. Came back for Obama. Now we have the mother of all gutless capitulations under Trump.
A couple of centuries from now (if humans still exist) history textbooks will show how the late 20th/early 21st century mainstream media aided and abetted the destruction of American democracy.
Given the actions of the (No)Justice Dept., do reporters understand that there is a real possibility that they can soon be arrested by the authoritarian in chief?
I used to teach HS Journalism and my reporters asked tougher questions of their principal than Muir and others do of the president. The higher calling of journalism is bastardized by using minimizing descriptors like "access journalism;" it's propaganda plain and simple and Muir and others need to account for it. But, like the president, they won't. We're screwed.
This commentary explains why I like to say that there IS something Donald Trump is right about, believe it or not. The media often are the enemy of the people. It's just that he means it in reverse from the reality. What Muir did fits that category.
Access journalism and a terror of being accused of being biased against conservatives are clearly major factors behind the colossal failures of our mainstream media. I am still appalled that the major media outlets have refused to cover the story about the agents in the NY FBI field office actively interfering in the 2016 election by leaking damaging information about Hillary Clinton to the media. Those agents also pressured Comey and McCabe to make damaging information public, to prosecute her. They pressured DOJ to authorize opening an investigation of the Clinton Foundation based solely on accusations in a book written by Breitbart's Peter Schweitzer.
I was convinced that after IG Horowitz’s Senate testimony last December that he was still investigating those leaks and that he had proof that NY agents had had unauthorized contacts with the media that this story would finally get the media attention it needs. Nope.
https://www.salon.com/2019/12/12/doj-ig-michael-horowitz-investigation-into-anti-clinton-fbi-leaks-continues-to-this-day/
Contrast that silence with all the coverage the media gave to the Peter Strzok and Lisa Page story. Those agents got fired even though they hadn’t done anything to interfere in the election. The NY agents obviously did break FBI and DOJ rules and possibly violated the Hatch Act yet the media has protected them. I can only assume that those agents are still in place and ready to interfere again on Trump’s behalf.
The only explanation I have come up with for the media blackout of this story is access. The NY office has long been known for leaking to the media so I assume reporters are protecting their sources and access, not protecting the integrity of our elections.
A comment on the paywall. I understand the need for funding but I feel that it is important that these articles have as wide an audience as possible. Maybe allowing everyone to read the articles but not participate in the discussion would be an option? As far as I know there are very few sites that focus on criticism of the mainstream media. The focus is almost always on Fox and other right wing media outlets. The MSM usually gets a pass.
I don't watch a lot of TV news, but I think TV people like Tapper, Cuomo, Cooper, Nicole Wallace, Reid would be a lot tougher on him. Guess that's why there's only one cable network he deals with.
Access journalism really took off under Reagan. I remember back then reading where a WH reporter admitted they just gave up trying to follow up on his movie confabulations and nonsense (like trees causing air pollution). Of course, the old standards came back for Bush I and especially for Clinton, then went away again under the idiot Bush. Came back for Obama. Now we have the mother of all gutless capitulations under Trump.