Can Mainstream Media (MSM) be trusted?

Can the current spectrum of mass media news, both left and right, be trusted? The answer to the question is a short “no”. There is a very big problem with mainstream media (aka MSM) news. No one trusts it anymore. CNN has been running a series of propaganda pieces on its own channel as to why CNN is not fake news and should be trusted. However, once lost, you can’t regain trust by telling people you can be trusted. Other MSM outlets have been attacking accusations of fake news as fake news. The problem is so deep-rooted that the MSM cannot see their own bias even when it is up on a screen in front of their very own faces. They are in denial.

If you ask any journalism graduate from any major university program what the role of a journalist is, their response would likely parrot “to change the world”. That is what was taught to them. Would-be journalists are instilled with the idea that the news press is the bulwark of democracy and that it is their obligation and their inherent right as the “Fourth Estate” to challenge and keep the establishment honest. This is all well and good on its own. However, this belief must therefore start with the assumption that it is right for the journalist to mold and shape popular opinions (for better or worse). What is worse, is it assumes the journalist has the high intellectual knowledge and moral capacity to tell the people what is right and wrong. After all, they are influencing public opinion for the betterment of society.

Unfortunately, these high ideals in the journalistic circles ignores the ugly truth and history of their profession, one of unfair bias and false reporting for the sake of ratings and influence. Most recently, the MSM news accused several teenagers of verbally assaulting an American Indian activist veteran of the Vietnam war. The media tripped over themselves denouncing the incident and stood in line to interview the Indian activist on his horrible treatment by the teens. The MSM media then targeted the teens and their school prompting death threats on the teens. Now the truth has come out that the teens took no such actions and it was the adult activist who was the aggressor. The activist as it turns out wasn’t even a veteran of Vietnam and had no real veteran status to speak of. Lawyers for the teens have filed a large lawsuit against the Washington Post with more MSM outlets to be named. In another incident, the actor Jussie Smollet claimed he was attacked by two white Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats. The media again tripped over themselves in an effort to paint the story that Trump and his supporters are racists only to find out that Smollet made the whole thing up. He allegedly paid two extras from the show where he worked to stage the entire attack. Smollet has since been arrested and the media coverage suddenly becomes muted when compared with their initial exuberance to embarrass President Trump and his supporters. These two incidences happened within a month of each other and are clear examples of MSM bias.

A fundamental problem with journalism is with the belief that in order to change the world, they must tell a story. To tell a story implies that the journalist-storyteller must weave together a coherent story for or against a topic or position based upon their limited understanding of the facts. As we know, it takes decades or maybe a lifetime of study to really understand any complex situation or issue and that doesn’t translate well to a 10 minute interview or hit piece on television by people with journalism degrees. This means any information counter to the story is likely thrown out because it doesn’t influence the readers or point viewers in the desired direction or simply doesn’t fit in the few minutes allowed for a story.

Other professions such as doctors, lawyers, and accounts already have independent review boards and standard setters which are given mandates to enforce accuracy and appropriateness of industry practices. There are some journalism organization that purport to promote fair journalistic practices but they have no enforcement power and they are focused on protecting the reputation of the journalism profession. Before anyone can trust MSM with news again, the journalism and news industries must be professionalized through a framework that ensures news stories are not tainted by the personal or corporate bias of the journalist. Important news should be about presenting a balanced set of facts versus one-sided opinions or storytelling. Opinionated storytelling should still be allowed but they should be appropriately labeled as such.

Another example of overt MSM bias is when we have actually had active members of political parties involved in the news and journalism business. In many cases, MSM executives are related to or married to political operatives of the political parties. How can you possibly trust news that effectively comes directly from the political parties? MSM news should be independent in fact and in appearance. At one time, Donna Brazile was the active Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) while at the same time she was a political analyst and contributor at CNN. The the news broke out through a non-MSM source (Wikileaks) that proved she had passed CNN debate questions to Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager prior to Hillary’s debate with Donald Trump. After this fact became public, Donna simply resigned from CNN and not much else was said about this in the media circles despite such a vile attempt at rigging the elections by the MSM media itself. It would appear that the MSM media outlets cover for each other. How can we possibly trust MSM media news with such activities going on?

What is needed before MSM news can be trusted:

1. Establish an independent news oversight board for the news media industry similar to what exists for certifying professionals like doctors, lawyers, and accountants. This board would be responsible for the oversight of all news organizations and journalists to promote bias-free and accurate news and the board will have the power to censure or punish members for biased behavior.
2. Professionalize the industry with formal certification of bias-free news organizations and reporters as to whether they are generally free of bias and one-sided storytelling as it applies to their coverage. This would apply to organizations with over a certain level of readers/viewers with national and international reach.
3. A professional Code of Ethics for news journalists to remain neutral in news presentations and an independent review and enforcement system with penalties for those who violate ethics.
4. Establish definitions of a news story versus opinion and opinion pieces must be clearly labeled as such within the article or broadcast.
5. Guest and so-called expert interviews must include information such as who the guest works for and a tag as to which political party the guest supports (or votes for).
6. Politicians and political operatives that actively work for or previously worked for any political parties are banned from working within the news organizations. This includes people who are related by family or by marriage to political persons.

Those on the political left see the media as a tool to influence public opinion while those on to the political right see the MSM news as “fake news” and propaganda. We as American cannot and should trust the MSM news corporations as real news until some real reforms take place within their industry. However, whether that will ever happen is highly doubtful after two centuries of fake news.