Mainstream Media: Get Back to Your Core Mission!

The opinions expressed in this post are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect opinions or positions held by Indivisible Northampton-Swing Left Western MA.

In their efforts to have “fair and balanced reporting” I think the mainstream media is making a mistake – they are emphasizing the current Democratic administration problems to “balance” the troubles on the Republican side. And they are very different. 

One example is how frequently the media talks about President Biden’s age. How often does the media remind us that Donald Trump is only three years younger? 

Another example is the coverage of the recent visits by President Biden and Donald Trump with autoworkers in Michigan – they looked pretty similar – autoworkers at each plant supporting their candidate. But that wasn’t the truth. As reported by the Detroit News, when Biden joined the picket line, he stood with real auto workers, real union members. Trump visited a nonunion plant, with people holding “Union for Trump” signs who weren’t actual union members – some weren’t even autoworkers. These differences should be reported more clearly and honestly.  

Another problem the mainstream media has to grapple with is that negative news seems to sell better than positive. High gas prices or high inflation– a catastrophe.  Gas prices drop, inflation lowers – ho hum, hardly a mention.  A new plant opens bringing new jobs – not as much fun as the Leader losing the gavel.

To quote Christine Amanpour, a journalist for 40+ years, “Remember at all times what our core mission is: to communicate truthfully, keeping top of mind that we have a public service mission to inform the electorate and hold powerful people to account…we have to be truthful not neutral.”  It is time for the mainstream media to get back to their core mission.