The press conference last Thursday night between President Trump and the American media was excellent. It is excellent to see the media put in their place for once. President Trump’s remarks and attitude toward them equate to the feelings that so many American’s have for the mainstream media. Just as President Trump has struck a chord with many American’s on his political agenda, so has he about the general unhappiness with the mainstream American media. And just as the mainstream media was out of touch with the needs and wishes of the average American voters, so are they about the feelings the average American has for the media.
The mainstream media has generally gone so far left in this country they can no longer be objective. Journalism altogether is not what it should be and has become an overall truly sorry occupation. Whether it’s CNN, the Washington Post, or ABC News, all have gone far beyond the necessary job of reporting news and current events. They are full of bias, opinions, and a greater focus on sensation than reality. The media has mistakenly and unnecessarily overstepped their boundaries and become agenda setters.
And who are we allowing to set our agenda? They are money grubbing, television networks, newspapers, and magazines; many of which are corporate owned. All of them sensationalize current events instead of reporting on them. The reason is because the more sensational a story, the higher ratings they get; ergo the more money they make. What’s worse is most of the major networks and newspapers act as if they are acting in the best interest of the American people. Many of these reporters and writers view themselves as Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman in “All the President’s Men;” keeping the powers-at-be accountable and seeking the “truth.”
In reality, they are a bunch of biased, opinionated, overpaid teleprompter readers. They are money grubbers just like the people they claim to despise. They have risen too high in our society and have far too much influence on politics. The increase in the power they exercise is ridiculous. When people started giving more credence to what Walter Cronkite told them about the Vietnam War, and less than what their leaders did, that’s where the problem started. Around the late 1960’s, the American media realized they could turn a nation against its own leaders. Considering the liberal, anti-establishment nature of the media, this is a dangerous notion considering current events.
The best example of this is the false reporting on the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War. Militarily, the Tet Offensive was a complete and utter failure for North Vietnam. It was a victory for the United States and South Vietnam. It also proved that no matter what North Vietnam threw at us, victory in the war was not even remotely within its reach. Yet Walter Cronkite, overstepping his bounds and taking on the role of a leader said this, “We are mired in a stalemate that could only be ended by negotiation, not victory.” First of all, this marked the beginning of the decline in overall support for the war. Second of all, just where the hell does a know-nothing, leftist, muckraking journalist like Walter Cronkite get off pretending like he knows anything at all about how war should be conducted!?
In fact, about 4 years later, President Nixon’s administration proved Walter to be completely wrong. In 1972 they decided to do what the American media had made President Johnson afraid to do….wage war the way it should be waged. They conducted a relentless bombing campaign on North Vietnam; bombing on a scale which had not been seen since the end of the Second World War. It was an unequivocal defeat for North Vietnam which forced them to sign a peace treaty they had previously rejected. What do you call that Walter?…stalemate?…negotiation? Absolutely not. That’s called victory, Mr. Cronkite.
By that time it didn’t matter though. For years already, Cronkite and Dan Rather had filled the air with images of American G.I.s burning the huts of Vietnamese collaborators as well as video of executions of Viet Cong fighters. The American media brought the ugliness of war to the doorsteps of Americans in a way that was never really possible before. It did not matter to the American public that the United States won battle after battle in the war. What mattered to them is how the media portrayed the American military as an imperialist force persecuting a poor population of farmers. The media showed the tragedy and horror that war inevitably is; especially when it is fought to win. After that, the American public had a false impression of what war is supposed look like, and they lost the stomach for what war actually is. Congratulations leftist media: you turned American’s into the bunch of wusses they are today.
The media was emboldened by all this; the loss of South Vietnam was their gain. While thousands of South Vietnamese were sent to “re-education” camps, thousands of bleeding heart hippies, and the news media they worshipped like an omniscient being, celebrated the loss. Ever since then, American’s give more credit to the media than their elected officials. There’s no denying America’s elected officials are partially responsible for this. However, any responsibility the politicians have in Americans’ unhappiness is equally shared by the American media and all the more so; because so many in the media act as if they are beyond reproach.
Personally, I am sick and tired of watching news anchors on television and hearing hosts on talk radio giving me their interpretation of current events. It’s easy to sit on your ass, drinking your cup of coffee with your little cliff notes in front of you, and bitch and moan about decisions made or actions taken by big companies, the military, politicians, and other individuals. So many in the media sit around and pass judgment on everyone and everything; doling out their inexperienced and unsolicited advice on subjects they are obviously and shamelessly biased about. I don’t care if you have a law degree or a novel on the best selling list, I’m not impressed. At this point, you’re just part of the problem. Unlike many American’s, I don’t empower you simply because you’re on TV.
If had my way, the news would probably resemble a simple power point presentation on television, with uncommented video feed and photos. The events of the day would be listed in bullet point fashion and presented factually. Reporters in the field would be forced to report only known facts; leaving out their own interpretation and keeping the adjectives to a minimum. It wouldn’t be as entertaining and it is not supposed to be. If people want entertainment, they should tune in to whatever lame prime time comedy or crude, brain-cell-killing reality show that seems to pass for entertainment these days. The media also would not be the extreme money maker it has become either. Nor should it ever be. If so many journalists were really as altruistic as they act, they shouldn’t care.
The election of President Donald Trump proves how dissatisfied the American public (or at least half of it) has become with the media. It also demonstrated just how out of touch the media has been with the American public. Additionally, the media is finally being exposed for what it is. Overall, the mainstream media is a left wing interest group with a political agenda as serious and large in scope as any politician or major corporation. So when I see President Trump telling them what fools they are, I get some satisfaction for once. We have a leader who is not afraid to tell the media like it is and treat them for what they are.
The struggle between President Trump and the media has just begun. The muckrakers will continue to rake the muck because, ironically, as much as they hate President Trump for what he stands, they love the money he generates for him via sensationalism. So America, please just realize that the mainstream media has basically become one giant reality show; albeit with a political agenda and a penchant for painting everything yellow. Or don’t realize it, and allow yourself to be spoon fed your political opinions and values; just don’t preach to me about your moral purity when your mouthpiece is as much a part of the problem as everything else it criticizes.
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