...in other places across the country on January 6, 2021, exactly what it was, coordinated domestic terrorist attack, insurrection, and rebellion. There is a constitutional break down in progress, and in some ways it seems that journalism is part of the constitutional crisis.
With all of the reportation around the Black Lives Matters marches and the violence and vandalism that was attempted to be seeded, the news media had absolutely no hesitation in reporting out the incidences while leaving plenty of space for doubt...
...even when it was crystal clear that peaceful marchers had nothing to do with the negative incidents. Sabotage was the specific goal, and the saboteurs were Proudboys and other racist, anti-government, anti-democratic elements aligned with Trump. But equivocating analysis.
...and false equivalency in reporting persists. Thus, unhelpful even harmful dialogue, discussion and propaganda has been permitted to persist to color the goals and objectives of the marchers, unfairly sway public opinion, and stunt some of the progress of that movement.
Nevertheless, Trump's intent was clear days, weeks, before the Capitol was stormed. He said from the beginning of his presidency exactly what he would do and how he would respond, yet the news media still seemed to never get around to taking him seriously.
That was true even as they reported on every tweet. And, it was being planned in plain sight on the internet, the media is loathe to call it out for what it is, and what the majority of the nation has apparently seen and is willing to identify as the actions and actors involved.
The current version of the press is less about researching, recording and disseminating data, facts, and information than it is about being first to announce hype, promulgate entertainment, self-promotion, clicks, ratings, and profits.
That seems true even when the facts and truth are before their eyes.
If there is so little courage and honesty in the media to address people and events for what they are, then society needs to give serious thought to:
- what the current iteration of the media is,
- what does,
- what value it provides to a democratic society that relies on its reporting,
- if in fact they really are fulfilling their role and responsibility as the fourth estate under the constitution, and
- if it needs to be replaced or significantly modified in that capacity.
It is understood that journalism cannot be active participants in the vast majority of news events and still be expected to be unbiased scribes and reporters. But what is expected is that they distinguish between truth and lie, fact and fiction.
And, the drive for profits must not obscure the reason for their existence - truth and integrity in news - if they expect to remain viable.
