The role of the press is not to be popular but to do its job
Published February 24, 2017
Editorial by Charlotte Observer, February 20, 2017.
How should the press respond to President Donald Trump’s claim that “the fake news media” are “the enemy of the American people”?
By doing its job. And doing it well.
Trump’s comments have pushed the discussion about the importance of the press in our democracy into overdrive. They have also fueled an already simmering fire over what should happen to the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, an annual event designed as a celebration of a free, independent press but often criticized for creating the appearance of a too-cozy relationship with top celebrities and the White House. Who can forget Karl Rove’s rapping performance or then-President Barack Obama skewering then-reality TV star Trump even as questions about the Bush administration’s use of torture or Obama’s reliance on drone warfare swirled?
Scrapping the dinner will give credence to cries of liberal bias, while allowing the event to continue as usual wouldn’t fully take into account the potential threat of Trump’s words. But deciding what to do with a single dinner, no matter how high profile, or even how to process Trump’s words, should remain secondary concerns.
There’s a reason an independent press is expressly protected by the First Amendment. It’s not because the press is – or ever has been – popular. The press reaches into dark places and exposes the ugly that many neither want to grapple with nor even want to believe exists.
It holds to account the most powerful, serving as a bulwark against the powerful’s worst instincts and excesses.
Journalism, at its best, is not a popularity contest. That’s why Trump knew he picked a target-rich environment to try to distract from the many problems his new administration faces.
The media aren’t perfect. No institution is.
Trust in the media fell to an all-time low last year, according to Gallup. Only 32 percent of Americans have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the institution. Part of that is the result of a hyper-partisan environment in which many Americans trust only sources that say what they already want to believe. Part of it is because the press has gotten things wrong and ignored or soft-pedaled stories that warranted more attention.
That’s all the more reason to focus less on Trump’s attacks on the press and more on trying to answer questions about Russia’s ability to reach into our democracy, about what could happen to struggling people relying upon a health care law that might be repealed, about the fate of criminal justice, education and immigration reform. Exploring the effects of policies and personalities is a better use of the media’s time and precious resources than answering every potshot from the president.
Times like these call for serious, sober reporting and analysis.
That’s the mission. That’s the goal. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty.
February 24, 2017 at 9:56 am
Richard L Bunce says:
The press doing it's job is not about putting it's thumb on the scale. For instance you once again worry more about the WikiLeaks information routing data that MAY show a Russian participation in it's release and ignore the contents of the WikiLeaks information that DOES show the Clinton Campaign, the DNC, and their friends in the media manipulated the Democratic Party Presidential Party process and tried to manipulate the Presidential General Election.
I also not that the CO is a part of a for profit corporation whose employees perform press functions within the corporate structure using corporate resources who rely on their First Amendment press protections at the same time these same employees criticize the USSC Citizen's United decision that persons speaking in a corporate structure using corporate resources lose their First Amendment speech protections.
February 24, 2017 at 9:59 am
Richard L Bunce says:
Tom, let's try this version... a 5 minute edit window would be nice.
February 24, 2017 at 5:09 pm
Norm Kelly says:
By doing its job. And doing it well.'
But you haven't been for so long, what excuse do you have for starting now? Is it ONLY because a non-lib non-ally has been elected? Is it only that the 'enemy' is in office? What other excuse can y'all use? Cuz you have lost confidence from the majority of Americans! For NOT doing your job. For misinforming people. For telling outright lies. For NOT telling the truth when your ally WAS in office.
Of course, those of us who retain the ability to think and understand when we are being lied to, we knew from the get-go that suddenly 'main stream' media outlets were going to oppose Donald. We knew from the outset that media allies of the demon party were going to be hard on Trump; harder on Trump than they've been for 8 years. Even harder on Trump than they were on Bush because now they want to prove they can do their jobs. But you should have been doing your job all along, but refused to do it. You've lied for so long, misled for so long, misreported for so long, that starting now simply proves how biased you truly are. We'll know you are intent on doing your job IF a demon makes it back into office again. Cuz if you continue to do your job then, we'll know you were serious. If you fall back into your ally mode, we'll know you only meant to do your job while the enemy was in office. Which actually does make you an enemy of the people!
'Scrapping the dinner will give credence to cries of liberal bias'. But daily showing your liberal bias doesn't give credence to your liberal bias? Seriously?! See, you have trouble being honest about what the problem really is. Just like the demon party ranting, whining about not being able to get their message out clearly or properly. Except your bias is OBVIOUS. Just like the demon party actually DOES get their message out, but their message has been resoundingly rejected!
'Trump knew he picked a target-rich environment to try to distract from'. There you go, showing your bias STILL! Trump didn't pick the press as a target for any reason other than their obvious, ongoing liberal bias and spreading misinformation against non-libs. This is not an attempt to distract. This is an attempt to force libs to stop being libs and to actually do the job these libs are supposed to be doing. Be INDEPENDENT once again, and you will find Trump and the American people less hostile toward you. Try being less hostile toward ALL Republicans, and you will find they are less hostile toward you. When was the last time you questioned what a lib pol said? Yet you CONSTANTLY & CONTINUOUSLY question EVERYTHING that is said or posted by ANY & ALL Republicans. Showing your obvious bias! You are a target-rich environment because you are so obviously biased!
'Anything less would be a dereliction of duty.' Well stated. Hard to say it better. The press is guilty of dereliction of duty. And how does one go about punishing a group so guilty? Trump has decided to call yall out on it, to be selective in who he responds to, and to ignore those who continue to push false news & misinformation. Concentrate on whatever policies you want, but do it honestly and thoroughly. For a change. Stop being biased in your reporting, and start telling the whole story. It's what we deserve! And it's what the Constitution calls for!
