“Let me say for the billionth time: Reporters don’t root for any side. Period!” – Chris Cillizza, CNN
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By William Haupt III [Tennessee Watchdog Journalist, Columnist, Author, and Citizen Legislator via The Center Square] –
There was a time when gum shoe beat reporters patrolled the halls of smoke filled meeting rooms and the dark alleys of their communities, state capitals and Washington, D.C., to be the first news hacker to break a story in the morning headlines or on the evening news. Those were the best of times when the scoop-digging newshounds were America’s eyes and ears of their governments.
This transitioned into an era when media made an attempt to keep us informed; even if it was news written by pugnacious reporters who mixed opinions with half-truths and called it news. But sadly, even that tainted era is now a footnote in history. The Fourth Estate has traded its duty of fair and balanced factual reporting for a seat on government’s doorstep to serve as their obedient lapdogs.
At one time, news organizations communicated the difference to readers between the news and opinions. They would reveal the sources of their news and at times clarify they could not divulge their contacts. Today, they mix bits of fact, pieces of fiction and opinions together and call it news.
“Any dictator would admire the uniformity and obedience of the U.S. media.” – Noam Chomsky
A recent Gallop media confidence poll shows since President Joe Biden took office, only 5% of Republicans and 12% of independents believe that media is unbiased in their reporting. Democrats rated the current news coverage a bit higher at 35%. But that is still the lowest on record for all Democrats.
Confidence in TV news is similar. Democrats and independents’ confidence are now at historical low points of 20% and 8%, respectively. Meanwhile, Republicans with a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in television news is at a record low of 6%. These are the lowest numbers on record.
According to Columbia Review, Americans trust in media is less than medicine, education, or major corporations. In the 1970s, faith in the media began its rapid decline. Americans felt media failed to fully cover the Iran hostage crisis as well as Jimmy Carter’s foreign and domestic policy failures.
Edelman’s annual trust barometers revealed over half of Americans think reporters mislead people, saying things they know are false or exaggerations. And 59% feel they slant the news to support their political ideology over the truth, while 71% believe the media no longer tries to be nonpartisan.
“One who speaks portions of truth in order to deceive, is a craftsman of destruction.” – Criss Jami
Former New York Times editor Daniel Okrent wrote, “Today, only 50% of The Times’ readership resides in New York, but the paper’s heart, mind and habits are embedded here. You can take the paper out of the city, but without an effort to take the city out of the paper, readers share our worldview.”
A poll by liberal CNN in early February asked voters what they thought of Biden’s presidency and what he’s done right since entering office. The top answer by a wide margin was “nothing at all.”
Over 50% of those surveyed couldn’t come up with one single success since Biden took office.
You’d have to be deaf, dumb and blind, and living in Dorothy’s Land of Oz not to understand why American’s opinion and trust in newspaper and TV media has fallen so low in the past few years.
The scribbling on the newsroom walls became clearly evident when the New York Times, Politico, The Los Angeles Times and social media giants Facebook and Twitter and others covered up and suppressed accurate reporting about Hunter Biden’s laptop scandal in 2020. Instead of making a mea-culpa to their readers, media said the GOP exploited Hunter Biden’s laptop incident attempting to discredit Joe Biden. They claim a legitimate source said it was trivial “Russian disinformation,” nothing more.
The media blackout worked. Pollster John McLaughlin found that 36% of Biden voters said they were unaware of this, and 4.6% would have changed their minds if they had known about it. This gave Joe Biden the election and the media continues to run cover for Biden’s failed presidency.
The media struggles to prove to its viewers that it is “fair and balanced.” Yet this is the media that competes for fake rhetoric and scandals to criticize Donald Trump during and after the election is over. This same media remains totally unfair and unbalanced towards Biden each day of the week.
For three years news outlets have continued to cover up Joe Biden’s failures and his unpopularity. They’ve been sensationalizing stories about Donald Trump to turn the public’s focus away from Biden’s policy and legislative blunders by heaping scorn on Trump. This keeps Trump in the news rather than Joe Biden.
“In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell
Media downplayed Biden’s catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it “challenging.” The huge spike in illegal border crossings has been excused by Biden’s press allies as “seasonal.” Border security is an ongoing disaster, and Vice President Kamala Harris jokes about it while media hides from it. Media camouflaged Biden’s failed energy policies, blaming Russia for the high cost of petroleum.
The media praised Biden’s American Rescue Plan as a bold move to save the economy. When it caused the highest inflation in decades, media said it was transitory. With record high violent crime fueled by the left’s cries to defund the police, media continues to blame everyone but Biden.
“Defunding the police will cut down on crime and improve community relations.” – Kamala Harris
Since the hulking organs of the mainstream media reside in New York, Washington and other metropolises where liberals run government, they also control the news media. The residency pattern where these news outlets are located are the most politically blue areas of the country.
As they became more liberal, their newsrooms have become biased liberal opinion think tanks.
George Orwell told us, “Our greatest enemies are lies and half truths.” The greatest danger to maintaining democracy is allowing government to abuse their powers with help from the media to mask it from the public. Vladimir Lenin successfully turned the press into his personal propaganda machine to replace the new Russian Provisional Government with his brand of dictatorial socialism, Leninism. And since 1917, Russia has been under some form of totalitarian, tyrannical leadership.
Although media has failed as watchdogs over government, on-line nonprofit news networks have enabled the nation to continue talking to itself about politics. These dedicated journalists have filled the gap created by print and TV media. If you rely on social media, the fishwrap, or TV news to keep you informed about politics and government, you are living in Dorothy’s fantasy Land of Oz. It is time to return to the real world if you care about your freedoms and liberties.
“Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” – George Orwell
About the Author: William Haupt III is a retired professional journalist, author, and citizen legislator in California for over 40 years and now lives in Tennessee. He got his start working to approve California Proposition 13. His work also appears in The Center Square, The Western Journal, Neighbor Newspapers, KPXJ 21 (Shreveport, LA), Killeen Daily Herald, Aberdeen American News, InsideNova, Kankakee Daily Journal, Monterey County Weekly, Olean Times Herald, The Greeneville Sun and more. Follow William on Twitter @iii_haupt.