Chuck Todd’s recent article in The Atlantic was an insult to the intelligence of those of us who are ordinary voters and avid media consumers. He blames conservative media and their stars for the unprecedented distrust and credibility problems mainstream media outlets face.
That’s right: he thinks millions of Americans loathe and distrust the national press solely because Fox News, Tucker Carlson, and Sean Hannity regularly—and falsely, in his opinion—tell their viewers about the bias in national media. He is being either clueless or dishonest, and it might be a bit of both.
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Todd says in his article that the public doesn’t fully understand journalistic conventions, and he’s right. We who don’t have pedigreed educations and journalism degrees may not be aware of the minutiae of journalism conventions. But we know the difference between good journalism and bad journalism.
Good journalism follows and investigates truth wherever it may lead, doesn’t have agendas and pre-conceived narratives, and doesn’t try to effect political outcomes. Good journalists present the whole picture to their audience, not a curated version of reality. Bad journalism is the opposite, and we’ve been seeing a surfeit of it in the last few years.
Here’s what even more objectionable: To wear your bias honestly is at least okay, but to present yourself as unbiased purveyors of truth and facts then deceive your consumers with biased coverage is a hundred times worse. According to this argument, I prefer Hannity, as he at least doesn’t pretend to be a journalist and is upfront about being a Trump supporter. But who is keeping Anderson Cooper and his ilk honest? The answer is: no one.
http://thefederalist.com/2018/09/14/chuck-todd-cant-see-medias-fault-americans-dont-trust/
That’s right: he thinks millions of Americans loathe and distrust the national press solely because Fox News, Tucker Carlson, and Sean Hannity regularly—and falsely, in his opinion—tell their viewers about the bias in national media. He is being either clueless or dishonest, and it might be a bit of both.
[clip]
Todd says in his article that the public doesn’t fully understand journalistic conventions, and he’s right. We who don’t have pedigreed educations and journalism degrees may not be aware of the minutiae of journalism conventions. But we know the difference between good journalism and bad journalism.
Good journalism follows and investigates truth wherever it may lead, doesn’t have agendas and pre-conceived narratives, and doesn’t try to effect political outcomes. Good journalists present the whole picture to their audience, not a curated version of reality. Bad journalism is the opposite, and we’ve been seeing a surfeit of it in the last few years.
Here’s what even more objectionable: To wear your bias honestly is at least okay, but to present yourself as unbiased purveyors of truth and facts then deceive your consumers with biased coverage is a hundred times worse. According to this argument, I prefer Hannity, as he at least doesn’t pretend to be a journalist and is upfront about being a Trump supporter. But who is keeping Anderson Cooper and his ilk honest? The answer is: no one.
http://thefederalist.com/2018/09/14/chuck-todd-cant-see-medias-fault-americans-dont-trust/
