MINOT, N.D. — It’s become fashionable for journalists to blame Donald Trump and his attacks on “fake news” for undermining the public’s trust in mass media. An example of this are recent editorials from newspapers across the country, coordinated by a call to action from the Boston Globe, criticizing the President’s “dirty war on the…
This Is Why Right-of-Center Americans Don’t Trust the Journalism Industry
I awoke this morning to two stories in my news feed I feel are pretty strongly related to one another. First was the results of a Pew Research study into public perceptions of the media. According to Pew, far more right-of-center Americans distrust the journalism industry than their left-of-center neighbors: Fresh data affirm a long-running…
Hiring Comedians to Insult Republicans Is Not How Journalists Will Regain the Trust of Americans
In January of this year Gallup released a poll showing 84 percent of Americans thinking the press is very important to the health of our democracy, but 43 percent saying journalists were doing a very poor job of supporting it. Flash forward to last night’s White House Correspondents Association dinner where comedian Michelle Wolf berated…
Los Angeles Times Reporter Worried #NoDAPL Coverage Wasn’t Slanted Enough Toward the Protesters
Over at the University of North Dakota professor Mark Trahant – a journalism professor, albeit one sharply biased in favor of the anti-Dakota Access Pipeline protesters – is holding a symposium on those protests which today featured a panel of panelists who covered them. One of the panelists – Los Angeles Times reporter Sandy Tolan…
This Is the New York Times Admitting That They’re a Left Wing Newspaper
Today the New York Times decided to dedicate their letters-to-the-editor section entirely to Trump supporters. A group of people that, by my reading, range from enthusiastic supporters to those skeptical of the President’s behavior but none-the-less supportive of his agenda. But more interesting than the letters is the explanation from the Times for why they did this.…
President Trump’s Threat Against NBC’s Broadcast License Is Stupid and Counterproductive
Our blustery President, in one of his fits of social media pique, suggested that perhaps the broadcast license for NBC News ought to be pulled based on some of their coverage: With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License?…
It’s Time for Kevin Cramer to Give up on His Media Bias Crusade
According to the Associated Press, Congressman Kevin Cramer’s efforts to hold broadcast television outlets responsible for bias isn’t going well. Specifically, the broadcasters are ignoring the Congressman: GRAND FORKS – Months after U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., sent three broadcast news giants a questionnaire on media bias, he’s heard nothing back — and he said…
Objectivity Is a Lie the Journalism Industry Tells Itself
Americans are living through a chaotic time, and a lack of trust is at the heart of the chaos. But it’s not just a lack of trust in the politicians which is driving American angst. It’s a lack of trust in the news media as well. A lack of trust the folks in the news…
Rep. Cramer’s Efforts on Media Bias Are Misguided, but Journalism Industry Should Admit They Have a Problem
“Cramer should stop tilting at this windmill.” That’s what the Grand Forks Herald says today in an editorial about Rep. Kevin Cramer’s efforts to address media bias among the nation’s television broadcasters. This all started back just before the election when news broke that Cramer had sent a letter to the broadcasters promising hearings on media…
Bias in Journalism Is a Real Problem, but Congressional Hearings Are the Wrong Solution
Last week Rep. Kevin Cramer, North Dakota’s at-large member of Congress, wrote a letter to the heads of America’s four major television broadcast companies warning them that he intends to hold hearings regarding their bias in covering the 2016 presidential elections. Cramer’s opponent in the 2016 elections, Democrat Chase Iron Eyes, called the proposed hearings…