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a free, professional, and trustworthy press is vital for any functioning democracy. through all the rightful and wrongful critiques people have given the press

by ausbah 6y ago

a free, professional, and trustworthy press is vital for any functioning democracy. through all the rightful and wrongful critiques people have given the press over the past 5 years, I wish more people would understand this I unfortunately think that the US is trending towards the likes of countries like Hungary, Turkey, and Russia and how they handle their press

umvi 6y ago
> I unfortunately think that the US is trending towards the likes of countries like Hungary, Turkey, and Russia and how they handle their press We just had 4 years of every major media outlet (besides Fox) raking the president of the country over the coals 24/7... I think we still have a long way to go before we are like Turkey or Russia (how often do you see criticism of Putin or Erdogan in their respective media?).
- ultrarunner 6y ago
  I could be wrong, but the wrinkle I see is that their raking him over the coals is perceived to be in pursuit of their own political goals, not in pursuit of the truth. Their criticisms were trivial (as an extreme example, Melania's performance redesigning the rose garden). Arguably, stories of substance such as police violence were actively suppressed by the state through intimidation. I largely agree, but this isn't a mono-dimensional topic. The press could remain free in trivial matters while becoming more controlled in matters relevant to governmental accountability.
  - jimmar 6y ago
    > "stories of substance such as police violence were actively suppressed by the state through intimidation." Maybe we're thinking of different events, but there was a tremendous amount of news coverage about police violence this past year.
    - ultrarunner 6y ago
      Yes, despite how the police treated journalists. I am not a journalist, so I do not know how they respond to this pressure first-hand. I suspect, though, that there is a silencing effect when it's easier, safer, and less costly to report on celebrity gossip and easily-obtainable police reports than things the police prefer they don't report on. My point is, I suppose, that the media can appear fully engaged and "busy" without generating any of the "fourth estate" corrective pressure that is so vital for a healthy society. We may never know what was not reported on.
  - esyir 6y ago
    Well, you're not wrong. Going to OP's statement of >a free, professional, and trustworthy press is vital for any functioning democracy. through all the rightful and wrongful critiques people have given the press over the past 5 years, I wish more people would understand this It's hard to consider the American press either professional or trustworthy now.

by ausbah 6y ago

umvi 6y ago

> I unfortunately think that the US is trending towards the likes of countries like Hungary, Turkey, and Russia and how they handle their press We just had 4 years of every major media outlet (besides Fox) raking the president of the country over the coals 24/7... I think we still have a long way to go before we are like Turkey or Russia (how often do you see criticism of Putin or Erdogan in their respective media?).

ultrarunner 6y ago
I could be wrong, but the wrinkle I see is that their raking him over the coals is perceived to be in pursuit of their own political goals, not in pursuit of the truth. Their criticisms were trivial (as an extreme example, Melania's performance redesigning the rose garden). Arguably, stories of substance such as police violence were actively suppressed by the state through intimidation. I largely agree, but this isn't a mono-dimensional topic. The press could remain free in trivial matters while becoming more controlled in matters relevant to governmental accountability.
- jimmar 6y ago
  > "stories of substance such as police violence were actively suppressed by the state through intimidation." Maybe we're thinking of different events, but there was a tremendous amount of news coverage about police violence this past year.
  - ultrarunner 6y ago
    Yes, despite how the police treated journalists. I am not a journalist, so I do not know how they respond to this pressure first-hand. I suspect, though, that there is a silencing effect when it's easier, safer, and less costly to report on celebrity gossip and easily-obtainable police reports than things the police prefer they don't report on. My point is, I suppose, that the media can appear fully engaged and "busy" without generating any of the "fourth estate" corrective pressure that is so vital for a healthy society. We may never know what was not reported on.
- esyir 6y ago
  Well, you're not wrong. Going to OP's statement of >a free, professional, and trustworthy press is vital for any functioning democracy. through all the rightful and wrongful critiques people have given the press over the past 5 years, I wish more people would understand this It's hard to consider the American press either professional or trustworthy now.