In case you missed it, CNN’s media roundtable show “Reliable Sources” pulled off something previously thought impossible: it found yet another media bias shark to jump. This time, it was through the bias of omission:
Someone says Trump may be worse than Hitler and Stalin and Stelter doesn't stop him. Doesn't interrupt him. Doesn't rebuke him. He just rolls with it like it's not even noteworthy. And this is the guy he brought on to moderate Brandy Lee. https://t.co/GrOrlTRsuH
— John Sexton (@verumserum) August 25, 2019
After being flayed on Twitter for a while, Stelter tweeted that he should have said something there, but technical difficulties prevented him from hearing what was said. That excuse might be believable if there weren’t dozens — maybe hundreds — of daily examples of people making outlandish claims about the president with no pushback whatsoever from CNN hosts.
While the horrible liberal bias of the mainstream media has long been known to conservative political and social media junkies, it hasn’t been clear if it is becoming known to more casual observers. It appears as if it is:
Distrust of political news reporting remains at a record high, with just over half of voters now convinced that most in the media are out to get President Trump… https://t.co/YQS2dUEljl pic.twitter.com/MOdlhNfhIc
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) August 22, 2019
Despite the ever-more-blatant bias exhibited by all mainstream media outlets, many are still adamantly claiming that they are merely engaging in responsible journalism.
Randomly pick any non-sports story from The New York Times and there will be a case to be made that it is nothing more than an opinion piece masquerading as journalism.
Sunday’s New York Times has an article about Trump supporters who are archiving examples of the bias and — SURPRISE! — they’re not at all happy about it:
A loose network of conservative operatives allied with the White House is pursuing what they say will be an aggressive operation to discredit news organizations deemed hostile to President Trump by publicizing damaging information about journalists.
It is the latest step in a long-running effort by Mr. Trump and his allies to undercut the influence of legitimate news reporting. Four people familiar with the operation described how it works, asserting that it has compiled dossiers of potentially embarrassing social media posts and other public statements by hundreds of people who work at some of the country’s most prominent news organizations.
Two things immediately jump out there.
First, the laughable “influence of legitimate news reporting” line borders on satire.
Second, the tactics described were established by leftists and weaponized with help from their friend in the MSM.
Obviously, the MSM bias has been around for a very long time, especially at the Times. What has changed in recent years is their level of hostility. Their inability to deal with the result of a legitimate election has only worsened over time.
Predictably, the Times‘ publisher played the Victim Card:
A. G. Sulzberger, the publisher of The Times, said in a statement that such tactics were taking the president’s campaign against a free press to a new level.
“They are seeking to harass and embarrass anyone affiliated with the leading news organizations that are asking tough questions and bringing uncomfortable truths to light,” Mr. Sulzberger said. “The goal of this campaign is clearly to intimidate journalists from doing their job, which includes serving as a check on power and exposing wrongdoing when it occurs. The Times will not be intimidated or silenced.”
That Sulzberger and other coastal media bubble types still believe that the public is buying the “fierce, brave, truth-to-power” spiel is further evidence of just how out of touch those who wish to shape political narratives in this country are.
The MSM have had a decades-long, unchallenged stranglehold on the information pipeline. It’s rapidly becoming a sweaty-palm tenuous grip at best and they are terrified.
If more of them would try reporting, rather than making, the news it would be such a refreshing change that people like me might take some time off from writing about how awful they are at their jobs.
But Jim Acosta has books to sell, dammit.
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Stephen Kruiser is the author of “Don’t Let the Hippies Shower” and “Straight Outta Feelings: Political Zen in the Age of Outrage,” both of which address serious subjects in a humorous way. Monday through Friday he edits PJ Media’s “Morning Briefing.”
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