The erosion of truth: Trump’s surrogates are Fox-ifying mainstream television news

One peculiar consequence of the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump is that the mainstream television media has been invaded by marauding truth-free barbarians who have compromised its integrity.In normal times, mainstream television media outlets pursue excellence by seeking to adhere to well-established journalistic standards, such as the code of ethics promulgated by the Society of Professional Journalists.


A central tenet of journalistic standards is that reporting must strive to be accurate and truthful. And presenting the truth is crucial not only to the integrity of news journalism but also to the proper functioning of our entire democratic society itself.

http://www.salon.com/2016/09/11/the-erosion-of-truth-trumps-surrogates-are-fox-ifying-mainstream-television-news/

http://www.salon.com/2016/09/11/the-erosion-of-truth-trumps-surrogates-are-fox-ifying-mainstream-television-news/

How the ‘Great Paradox’ of American politics holds the secret to Trump’s success

In the heartland of the American right, people harmed by polluting industries have instead come to hate the government whose environmental regulations protect them. Now they’re voting for Donald Trump

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/07/how-great-paradox-american-politics-holds-secret-trumps-success

podcast: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2016/sep/19/how-the-great-paradox-of-american-politics-holds-the-secret-to-trumps-success-podcast

In the life of one man, Lee Sherman, I saw reflected both sides of the Great Paradox – the need for help and a principled refusal of it. As a victim of toxic exposure himself, a participant in polluting public waters, now proudly declaring himself as an environmentalist, why was he throwing in his lot with the anti-environmental Tea Party? Not because anyone was paying him to, at least directly. Sherman was putting up Tea Party lawn signs for free.
His source of news was limited to Fox News and videos and blogs exchanged by rightwing friends, which placed him in an echo chamber of doubt about the EPA, the federal government, the president, and taxes.

When Americans moved in the past, they left their homes in search of better jobs, cheaper housing, or milder weather. But, according to Bill Bishop and Robert G Cushing’s book, The Big Sort, when people move today, it is more often to live near others who share their views. People are segregating themselves into different emotionally toned enclaves – anger here, hopefulness and trust there. And the more people who confine themselves to like-minded company, the more extreme their views become. According to a 2014 Pew study of more than 10,000 Americans, the most politically engaged on each side see those in the “other party” not just as wrong, but as “so misguided that they threaten the nation’s wellbeing”. Compared with the past, each side also increasingly gets its news from its own television channel – the right from Fox News, the left from MSNBC. And so the divide widens.

How the ‘Great Paradox’ of American politics holds the secret to Trump’s success

In the heartland of the American right, people harmed by polluting industries have instead come to hate the government whose environmental regulations protect them. Now they’re voting for Donald Trump

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/07/how-great-paradox-american-politics-holds-secret-trumps-success

podcast: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2016/sep/19/how-the-great-paradox-of-american-politics-holds-the-secret-to-trumps-success-podcast

In the life of one man, Lee Sherman, I saw reflected both sides of the Great Paradox – the need for help and a principled refusal of it. As a victim of toxic exposure himself, a participant in polluting public waters, now proudly declaring himself as an environmentalist, why was he throwing in his lot with the anti-environmental Tea Party? Not because anyone was paying him to, at least directly. Sherman was putting up Tea Party lawn signs for free.
His source of news was limited to Fox News and videos and blogs exchanged by rightwing friends, which placed him in an echo chamber of doubt about the EPA, the federal government, the president, and taxes.

When Americans moved in the past, they left their homes in search of better jobs, cheaper housing, or milder weather. But, according to Bill Bishop and Robert G Cushing’s book, The Big Sort, when people move today, it is more often to live near others who share their views. People are segregating themselves into different emotionally toned enclaves – anger here, hopefulness and trust there. And the more people who confine themselves to like-minded company, the more extreme their views become. According to a 2014 Pew study of more than 10,000 Americans, the most politically engaged on each side see those in the “other party” not just as wrong, but as “so misguided that they threaten the nation’s wellbeing”. Compared with the past, each side also increasingly gets its news from its own television channel – the right from Fox News, the left from MSNBC. And so the divide widens.

How the ‘Great Paradox’ of American politics holds the secret to Trump’s success

In the heartland of the American right, people harmed by polluting industries have instead come to hate the government whose environmental regulations protect them. Now they’re voting for Donald Trump

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/07/how-great-paradox-american-politics-holds-secret-trumps-success

podcast: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2016/sep/19/how-the-great-paradox-of-american-politics-holds-the-secret-to-trumps-success-podcast

In the life of one man, Lee Sherman, I saw reflected both sides of the Great Paradox – the need for help and a principled refusal of it. As a victim of toxic exposure himself, a participant in polluting public waters, now proudly declaring himself as an environmentalist, why was he throwing in his lot with the anti-environmental Tea Party? Not because anyone was paying him to, at least directly. Sherman was putting up Tea Party lawn signs for free.
His source of news was limited to Fox News and videos and blogs exchanged by rightwing friends, which placed him in an echo chamber of doubt about the EPA, the federal government, the president, and taxes.

When Americans moved in the past, they left their homes in search of better jobs, cheaper housing, or milder weather. But, according to Bill Bishop and Robert G Cushing’s book, The Big Sort, when people move today, it is more often to live near others who share their views. People are segregating themselves into different emotionally toned enclaves – anger here, hopefulness and trust there. And the more people who confine themselves to like-minded company, the more extreme their views become. According to a 2014 Pew study of more than 10,000 Americans, the most politically engaged on each side see those in the “other party” not just as wrong, but as “so misguided that they threaten the nation’s wellbeing”. Compared with the past, each side also increasingly gets its news from its own television channel – the right from Fox News, the left from MSNBC. And so the divide widens.

Kathy Sheridan: US networks sell their soul for Trump ratings boostv

Irish Times:

American friends wonder why the media cannot ignore the Republican candidate for a week

Last week (September 16) in the US, a Gallop poll suggested that 

only one in three Americans have any trust in the media, the lowest ever recorded. 

Separately, in a vanishingly rare show of dignity, the major television networks staged a minor rebellion against Donald Trump’s mighty media stranglehold.

This stranglehold is fashioned from dollar bills. Not Trump’s own dosh of course – he brags about not spending money on campaign ads – but from the ratings generated by his nonsensical, childish bombast. 

With their round-the-clock, razzle-dazzle coverage of his campaign, network chiefs knew well the destruction they were wreaking on the body politic of the US and its people. 

In February, CBS chairman, Les Moonves, said as much. “It may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS. Man, who would have expected the ride we’re all having right now? The money’s rolling in and this is fun. It’s a terrible thing to say. But, bring it on, Donald. Keep going.”

The networks hit their nadir last week when they accepted Trump’s invitation to an event billed as a major statement on President Obama’s place of birth.

Only after a series of testimonials to the great man from retired military men and more than 20 minutes of priceless, live TV coverage, did he finally step up to acknowledge President Obama as American, in a segment that took all of 33 seconds and included the playground jibe that Hillary Clinton started it.  

“We got played again,” admitted John King, CNN’s chief national correspondent live on air, while America’s news terriers recommenced lashing Clinton for daring to soldier on through pneumonia. 

There are lessons here to be learned by the world’s media. And by all those who say they don’t care how the media works. And, most importantly, by those who routinely call for big, mouthy businessmen to sort out the country’s problems. Watch next week’s debate.