In defense of the press

by Thomas Mills, Politics NC, March 30, 2017.

Yesterday, Peder Zane wrote a piece in the N&O bemoaning the partisan bent of news coverage in the state and nation. He has some legitimate gripes. Reporter bias does often come through and, yes, coverage does occasionally seem to reflect a more progressive view of the world especially when covering social issues. Editors and reporters should step back to ensure that they are focusing on facts and recognizing both sides of stories.

That said, Zane misses an important point. Bias is never going to be gone completely. It’s contrary to human nature. Most journalists are middle class and educated. They have a healthy skepticism of people in power and they recognize discrimination when they see it, in part, because they’re taught to look for bias in their own work. Covering broad discrimination by state government might be a bias but it is also a legitimate story.

Right now, our politicians are re-opening old wounds and condoning discrimination for the sake of political gain. That’s the story. Even Zane admits that the voter suppression bill passed by Republicans is meant to deter African-Americans and others from voting. And House Bill 2 is every bit as big a deal as the reporters covering it say it is. House Bill 2 is a multifaceted law that has had an extremely negative effect on the state with broad consequences.

The overreach of the bill itself is a big story. The legislature didn’t just pass a bill to override a Charlotte ordinance. They passed a bill loaded up with unrelated measures that restricted the ability of all local governments to govern their cities and towns. It was a sweeping bill.

One of those measures prevented municipalities from enacting non-discrimination ordinances that protect the LGBT community. It voided ordinances that had been in effect for years in several North Carolina towns. The only reason to enact such a measure would be to protect peoples’ right to discriminate.

Which leads to another, broader story. The GOP approach to governing is a dramatic shift from the approach North Carolina had taken for 50 years prior to the GOP coming to power beginning in 2010. Unlike other Southern states, North Carolina made a conscious decision to move past the divisiveness of Jim Crow politics and adopt a more welcoming, inclusive attitude.

That approach extended to gay rights. While North Carolina might not have been on the cutting edge of promoting equality, we also weren’t part of the reactionary forces pushing back–until the GOP took control. They pushed through a constitutional amendment to prevent marriage equality. When that was overturned, they protected magistrates’ rights to discriminate against gay couples. House Bill 2 continued to roll back principles that had guided North Carolina for half a century and contributed to its national reputation as a welcoming and tolerant state. That’s a huge story because it’s an attack on norms that were not so much laws but attitudes that defined the character of the state in the eyes of the nation.

Finally, Zane protests that Donald Trump’s declaration that the press is the enemy was directed narrowly at the Washington press corps. That’s incredibly naпve. Trump’s statements are designed to cast doubt on anybody who criticizes him. He’s elevated alternative media like Breitbart, makes scurrilous accusations against his enemies and lies about policies without a thought. Trump is trying to destroy the credibility of the fourth estate for the sake of personal and political gain. He won’t stop with the national media.

The media in North Carolina is currently focused on Republican policies and leaders. That’s pretty normal. The same media outlets and many of the same reporters went after North Carolina Democrats for a decade, leading to scandals, resignations and even jail time. Back then, it was Democrats and progressives cancelling their subscriptions to the N&O. I don’t remember much complaining from the GOP and conservatives back then.

http://www.politicsnc.com/in-defense-of-the-press/