#250 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Monday January 17)
Good morning!
JOURNALISTS IN SERVICE OF THOSE IN THE STORY
This month saw the ignominious departure of Chris Cuomo, one of the stars of CNN, for actions inconsistent with the journalistic standards we have grown to expect and respect (well, most of us) that those who report the news cannot also be players in the very news they and their institution are covering.
Although the involvement of Cuomo with his brother’s sexual harassment claims was wrong from a journalistic standard, and while there seemed no course for CNN to take other than that which it did, I can’t help but have some empathy for him. He was, after all, trying to help his brother. I’m betting that this began exactly as Cuomo initially reported, as simple support for a family member. It likely morphed from there, until it encompassed too much. He probably could have served his brother while also serving his journalistic responsibilities, had he taken a leave of absence to advise his brother and later return. I’m sorry to see him go but know that he must.
THE SAME STANDARD SUGGESTS LAURA INGRAHAM AND SEAN HANNITY MUST GO
Amidst emails and documents delivered by Mark Meadows, former Chief of Staff to President Trump, to the House Special Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol contains smoking guns that warrant the immediate dismissal of these two reporters and Brian Kilmeade, from Fox News who claim to be journalists, held to the same standards (and, by the way, demanding other journalists to adhere to these standards).
These “journalists” have served as “informal advisors” to the Trump campaign and the Trump White House. But they also were in regular communication with the White House on January 6th and then, notwithstanding their advice in that context, reported completely differently on their shows. Here is the New York Times article: Fox News Hosts Sent Texts to Meadows Urging Trump to Act as Jan. 6 Attack Unfolded
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/13/business/media/fox-news-trump-jan-6-meadows.html?referringSource=articleShare
WHAT THEY SAID
“Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home,” Ms. Ingraham wrote. “This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”
Kilmeade texted: “Please, get him on TV. Destroying everything you have accomplished.”
Sean Hannity texted: “Can he make a statement? Ask people to leave the Capitol.”
That Ms. Ingraham then spread misinformation on her show, trying to further the discredited “false flag” theory that ANTIFA and anti-Trumpists were involved in the attack said on her show later that evening:
“From a chaotic Washington tonight, earlier today the Capitol was under siege by people who can only be described as antithetical to the MAGA movement,” She went on, “Now, they were likely not all Trump supporters, and there are some reports that antifa sympathizers may have been sprinkled throughout the crowd.”
These people are not reporting the news. They are part of the news. What distinguishes these behaviors with those of Cuomo in shaping his brother’s responses?
Plus, what they were saying on December 6th is in contrast to their later reporting that it wasn’t so bad, that it was a “false flag,” and that the whole escapade was being overblown by the media. Their prior analysis and advise suggests otherwise.
THE DOUBLE STANDARD
I think back to poor Al Franken, discredited and hounded from the Senate for a joke—that didn’t involve sexual harassment or touching—just a comedian hamming for the camera. His indiscretion seems positively juvenile and inconsequential when measured against the claims against Matt Goetz, accused of having sex with actual juveniles and the statements and behaviors of Mr. Trump.
I’m not sure what to make of the double standard…
AND ANOTHER
For all the complaining about the “main stream media bias,” there are few Republican or Trumpian voices suggesting that FoxNews or the various right wing vehicles are biased at all. Those who say that traditional media is opinionated in their reporting of the facts nonetheless are unconcerned when Fox reports things that are clearly counter-factual (e.g., the election was stolen, masks don’t help and vaccines are dangerous).
SUCH GOOD NEWS
A Recent headline make me giggle and then made me wonder. It announced that Tesla has decided to disable drivers’ ability to play video games in the car. I was alarmed this ever was permitted…
Have a good day,
Glenn
From the archives: