# What Should Be the Role of the Press in a Trump Presidency **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 17, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397 "2017-01-17T16:04:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/101 "2017-01-24T14:05:19Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Something the press has singularly failed to do. Indeed, it was explained to me on this board quite recently that the American press is historically and deliberately biased. As opposed to the press where? > [@UltraVires](#): > > ETA: Let’s say that he did actually remove the bust of MLK. That could be done for a variety of reasons, but in reporting it, the media wants the public to believe that Trump is a racist. He probably removed several other decorative items, but nothing was reported on those. That is what I consider media bias; the subtle gotchas. > [@Quartz](#): > > That’s a very good point. Yes, it’s terrible how press bias has resulted in the promotion of manufactured stories about busts being removed from the White House in order to provoke partisan outrage against a President they don’t like. [Simply terrible](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=816993). ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/102 "2017-01-24T14:25:43Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > As opposed to the press where? For what it’s worth, I’ve never seen mainstream media in Australia come out and explicitly say “We support Silly Party candidate Ole F’Tang F’Tang Biscuitbarrel for the state election” the way US newspapers/media seem to do. The BBC isn’t perfect but it’s pretty unbiased, in my professional opinion. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/103 "2017-01-24T16:51:31Z")
Good guidelines for the press, echoing what some Dopers have said. > [@](#): > > Extraordinary times—and we are living in an extraordinary time—do not necessarily call for extraordinary measures on the part of the press, as comforting as a full berserking might make many of us feel. The opening minutes of the Trump administration—the lies told by press secretary Sean Spicer about the size of the inauguration crowd, the president’s whopper at CIA headquarters claiming the media made up his feud with the agency, presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway’s notion that “alternative facts” support Trump’s imaginary numbers—have stirred bladder-emptying panic among some in the press corps. > > But the Trump administration cannot by itself pollute the river of truth with its bogus tweets, its press conferences in which no questions are allowed, or by Conway jibber jabber. Extraordinary times like these call for normal measures: The meticulous, aggressive, and calm presentation of the news. One of our examples should be the Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold. Fahrenthold could have assessed the Trump candidacy by filling Twitter with angry comments or by setting himself on fire. Instead, as everybody knows, he excavated the self-dealing garbage dump that was the Trump Foundation as if he were an archeologist and published a series of patient stories that resulted in a penalty against the foundation and its planned closure… > > [Read the rest here.](http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/journalism-media-donald-trump-214682) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/104 "2017-01-24T17:53:13Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > The BBC isn’t perfect but it’s pretty unbiased, in my professional opinion. According to its critics the BBC is left-wing, right-wing, anti-Israel, pro-Israel, anti-war, pro-war and deeply committed to the status quo. So it’s biased in pretty much every direction. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/105 "2017-01-24T19:22:51Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > According to its critics the BBC is left-wing, right-wing, anti-Israel, pro-Israel, anti-war, pro-war and deeply committed to the status quo. So it’s biased in pretty much every direction. I believe the definition of \*biased \*is “anyone who doesn’t agree with me.” ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/106 "2017-01-24T21:39:17Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I believe the definition of \*biased \*is “anyone who doesn’t agree with me.” You were so close. \*\*biased adjective showing an unreasonable preference or dislike based on personal opinion: _The newspapers gave a biased report of the meeting._\*\* > **[biased](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/biased)** > > 1. showing an unreasonable like or dislike for someone or something based on… ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/107 "2017-01-24T22:03:55Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Really? Do you deny that an apology was made and that Trump ignored that and trashed the reporter unnecessarily or in dick move? (post shortened) The “alleged” reporter entered the room looking for something to whine about, something to trash Trump about. He thought he found it in the missing bust of MLK. He couldn’t wait to share his discovery with his overseers, who were then quick to alert public. Better to be first, than accurate, I guess. If he had placed accuracy over being first (something that would have only taken a few minutes :rolleyes: ), there would have been no reason to apologize in the first place. You consider the trashing of the mistaken/lying reporter to be unnecessary. The Trump administration seems to have grown tired of mistaken/lying reporting and responded in kind. You object to Trump counter-punching the people who attack him. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues forward while the Democrat collective continues to share its sour grapes from the side lines. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/108 "2017-01-24T22:09:42Z")
Hmm… did Trump know of the apology when he criticised the reporter? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/109 "2017-01-24T22:11:01Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > According to its critics the BBC is left-wing, right-wing, anti-Israel, pro-Israel, anti-war, pro-war and deeply committed to the status quo. So it’s biased in pretty much every direction. Different parts of the BBC have different biases. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/110 "2017-01-24T23:32:41Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I believe the definition of \*biased \*is “anyone who doesn’t agree with me.” Exactly. If nearly _everyone_ thinks you’re biased against them, you’re probably doing an excellent job of not being biased generally. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2017, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/111 "2017-01-25T00:39:02Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > …You object to Trump counter-punching the people who attack him. Damn right I do! He’s the freakin’ President of the freakin’ United States of America! He’s supposed to act like a grown-up, not a middle schooler. > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues forward while the Democrat collective continues to share its sour grapes from the side lines. Forward?? Gitchyseff a compass. That’s not what _forward_ looks like. ---
**Author:** ![Settimo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Settimo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Settimo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/112 "2017-01-25T02:02:02Z")
A politican makes statements that are deliberatly aimed at stirring people up, those things including outright lies, and the people have shown time and time again they refuse (at least in sufficient quantities) to raise any significant level of objection. The press, because it’s fallen to pitching for partisan interests, has lost all credibility for shaping the peoples’ moral response to the politician’s statements. The politican meanwhile (like a pig in slop in the resultant wisdom-vacuum), is savvy enough to recognize that all this publicity acts directly as a kind of potential energy, to be used by him later as he wishes. What do you do? ``` Stop reporting those statements. Just stop. The NY Times' front page article referenced in this thread's post #68 ("With False Claims, Trump Attacks Media on Turnout and Intelligence Rift") is a huge mistake. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2017, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/113 "2017-01-25T10:59:05Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Different parts of the BBC have different biases. Individuals and individual programme makers certainly have individual biases, but corporately the BBC’s main bias appears to be to itself and the status quo. It’s not as small-c conservative as it used to be but neither is it the hotbed of liberalism the UKIP contingent insist it is. > [@doorhinge](#): > > The “alleged” reporter entered the room looking for something to whine about, something to trash Trump about. Yes, it’s terrible when someone comes in looking for something to whine about, something to trash his political opponents about, with no regard for accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/114 "2017-01-25T19:11:14Z")
And [here](https://order-order.com/2017/01/25/255199/) is an example of how the press should not act. The linked article reports on a site called Deadspin challenging Ted Cruz, getting answered by him, and being abusive in response. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/115 "2017-01-27T00:19:29Z")
Bannon answers OP question: the press should shut up. > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON — Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s chief White House strategist, laced into the American press during an interview on Wednesday evening, arguing that news organizations had been “humiliated” by an election outcome few anticipated, and repeatedly describing the media as “the opposition party” of the current administration. > > “The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while,” Mr. Bannon said during a telephone call. > > “I want you to quote this,” Mr. Bannon added. “The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.” > … > > Asked if he was concerned that Mr. Spicer had lost credibility with the news media, Mr. Bannon chortled. “Are you kidding me?” he said. “We think that’s a badge of honor. ‘Questioning his integrity’ — are you kidding me? The media has zero integrity, zero intelligence, and no hard work.” > … > > You’re the opposition party,” Mr. Bannon said. “Not the Democratic Party. You’re the opposition party. The media’s the opposition party.”… [Cite](https://nyti.ms/2k8h6Oa) Okay, that’s a plan, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/116 "2017-01-27T12:42:39Z")
There are no easy answers on what the press ought to do now. They had 9-12 months to figure out that Hillary Clinton’s email woes were a crock of shit in terms of rising to the level of “scandal” but they whiffed on that pitch and now they’re stuck with an authoritarian regime that sees reporters as more than just a nuisance, but as an enemy. Maybe this would be the time to stop reporting TMZ-style crap, get rid of the news “personalities” and hire some real investigative reporters who have built a track record of getting the story even at the risk of their own lives or freedom. Maybe people who have a track record of reporting in war zones or in countries with authoritarian regimes – someone like a modern-day Peter Arnett perhaps. That might be a start. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/117 "2017-01-27T14:35:20Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Maybe this would be the time to stop reporting TMZ-style crap, get rid of the news “personalities” and hire some real investigative reporters who have built a track record of getting the story even at the risk of their own lives or freedom. Maybe people who have a track record of reporting in war zones or in countries with authoritarian regimes – someone like a modern-day Peter Arnett perhaps. That might be a start. The problem is, people don’t actually want to read that stuff. Oh, they _say_ they do, but the numbers don’t back it up, which means the ad dollars aren’t there, which means news organisations can’t afford to pay people with the skills to research those stories. Which people likely wouldn’t read anyway. Look at the Panama Papers thing. A team of international journalists spent ages researching and putting that together and pretty much no-one gave a shit about it at all. There’s a couple of well-established news outlets that people trust for Serious News (things like the BBC, Al-Jazeera and The New York Times) but otherwise, people want that sweet, sweet infotainment rather than Serious News - and if they want Serious News, they’re going to an established player to get it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/118 "2017-01-31T09:44:57Z")
Can’t sleep. Just finished looking over CNN, Reuters, Huff Post, NYTimes, and I see that after only a few days of waffling over how blunt their language should be when reporting on the White House, the press has found its sea legs and is having no problem or hesitation calling out the Trump administration on lies and misinformation in just those words. That didn’t take long…what, 10 days? Not that he gives a fuck. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/119 "2017-01-31T14:57:15Z")
I’m waiting for the first one to ask Spicer “Sir, do you seriously believe the steaming pile of bullshit you just served up?” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397/120 "2017-01-31T16:26:45Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I’m waiting for the first one to ask Spicer “Sir, do you seriously believe the steaming pile of bullshit you just served up?” “Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?” “Nope - I’m good, thanks.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-the-role-of-the-press-in-a-trump-presidency/777397.md?page=7)