Well, we'll comment! This is everything we've been thinking but haven't known how to express. Mark does it perfectly. Now, who here has the connections to make sure that this is read by reporters and editors so that Mark's excellent message sinks in?
Mr. Jacobs, I can’t thank you enough for this post. A person with the knowledge of reporting has finally said out loud what is seeping into our democracy. As an avid reader, I have given up on reading the major newspapers in the country and no longer watch network or cable news.
I have posted on social media repeatedly about the all-news outlet’s no longer reporting news rather following the loudest bait-clip story weather it requires reporting at all.
I will share your piece over all my social media platforms and hope my friends will do the same.
To David Brooks, Gail Collins, Ross Douthat, Maureen Dowd, Megan McArdle, Dana Milbank, David Ignatius, Erin Burnett and every cable news anchor and every network news anchor. Please do the journalist reporting that is needed in the United States today.
Jul 10, 2023·edited Jul 10, 2023Liked by Steven Beschloss, Mark Jacob
THIS! I am so glad to see this highlighted. The media must wake up and stand up for our democracy before it falls. There are master propagandists manipulating vast numbers of people with lies. We have one political party: the Democrats. Call the former conservative “Republican “ party what it is: an authoritarian movement within a democracy working to destroy that democracy. If they were to succeed, the free press we take for granted would be abolished. It is more accurate than not to compare where we are now to Germany before Hitler cemented power. (I just shared this on Post.News)
I'm glad someone from the media is speaking up. I've been very frustrated by the way major news organizations have been covering politics. The New York Times is one example of being seriously tone deaf at times. I had to stop watching the PBS Newshour some time ago because they let Republicans come on and lie without any challenge. The times aren't normal, and news media need to wake up to that fact.
I've wondered how journalists can ignore what is happening and pretend that this is about philosophical differences between conservative and liberal ideas. Journalists covering 2016 and therefore the media in general got a lot of viewers by the crazy behavior of Trump. During the time he loitered in the White House, every day was filled with outrageous stories, outrageous behavior. It got a lot of viewers because of the fascination with the outrage. Reasonable people were alarmed and wanted to see what journalists had to say about it. Cultists enjoyed the outrageous behavior and delighted in seeing it covered extensively. It was like a carnival show.
MSNBC-Rachel Maddow was hugely popular between 2016-2021 because she also covered trump's antics and bumbling strongman aspirations but did call it what it was-an autocrat, a lazy office holder, someone who was indifferent to democracy but focused on retaining personal power.
Now I feel that even MSNBC is more devoted to stoking the outrage machine regarding trump's legal drama than they are in naming the now multiple efforts at state level to undermine democratic freedoms as a nationwide threat.
Print media, especially long-researched stories by Washington Post and New York Times, would examine the impacts of the actions and the spread of autocratic disease to state governments but never would come out and say that this was a crisis.
Everything gets condensed for Twitter, which is now a machine for autocracy and an unreliable format.
Excellent piece. Thanks for sharing it, Steven. How does Mr. Jacobs get his excellent piece to the people who need to hear it? Oh, I long for the days of Walter Cronkite! We need a few heroes in the media, as well as in the political world to start reaching the Fox News crowd to tell them they are being used.
Excellent work, Mark. If only more people would read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair which is the gut wrenching story about the harsh working conditions and the exploitation of immigrants in Chicago and other industrialized cities in the early 1900’s.
I follow you and Steven on Twitter, just retweeted this. Thank you both for your excellent journalism.
"A balanced treatment of an unbalanced phenomenon distorts reality." Everyone here should be following Mark Jacob and Jay Rosen. Google this quote and read everything you can find about it. Lester Holt spoke to this. A huge thank you to Mark Jacob for writing this and to Steven Beschloss for sharing this today. Here's my own little thought about all of this: if democracy doesn't prevail, something else will.
I heartily agree. There are journalists and educators who are trying to open the eyes of the persons sitting on the political fence, by warning of our slow “creep “ towards Fascism.
What needs to be done now is to dramatically open eyes and minds with visual images of the loss of freedom, the horrors that become the norm and the promises that prove worthless.
I share the following excerpt from one of my essays, written October 2017: "The United States of America is under siege. The saboteurs of our democratic Republic are corralled in the White House under the tyranny of Donald J. Trump. The actions of this president and his cabinet members reach to the level of treason. Trump’s treachery, fueled by his unbridled hatred for his predecessor, Barack Obama, has set this nation on a path toward widespread social disorder and destruction. He has disinherited himself from his fiduciary duty, as stated in his Oath, to the people."
The MEDIA has been its own worst enemy, failing to call the Trumpian tyranny that was and continues to stare us "square in the face". This piece from Mark Jacob is superbly done. Yet, I must ask: What has taken you so long? Republicans have become the bully on the block, while Democrats have recoiled in fear and confusion. Democrats have not learned that today's politics is pugilism; a blood sport; gloves off. One does not "bring a knife to a gun fight." Trump is all but celebrated by the MEDIA where Biden is perpetually criticized. The MEDIA is not only it's worst enemy. The MEDIA also is the enemy of the people because of its failure to call out the obvious. Take a quick look at Germany circa 1933. Europe was saved by the Allies. Who will save the United States?
Thanks to Mark Jacob. Your voice should be sounding alarm bells across our land. Perhaps the MEDIA fears telling truth to fact, concerned over the blowback. If that is so, they should get out of the business.
I had a thought as I read your column this morning about news coverage. One big void I note is that the professional pollsters (I use that term loosely) completely fail to survey independent voters. In my state, Arizona, independent voters are now the largest group of registered voters. For the most part they don't get polled or surveyed, but they DO vote.
Great article. My two cents: In my view, journalists use "short-hand" and meaningless terms and rank speculation. Ex 1: Is it possible something will happen? Indictment, WW 3? a recession? YES. Anything is possible. So what? It's not news. It's speculation. Ex 2: the "conservative wing of the court." What is "conservative" about diminishing health care rights for half of America, allowing "social media" to be infiltrated by foreign interests designed to destabilize the country and spread falsehoods? Ex 3: Biden is too old, etc. How about, instead of using age as a proxy, they say "he is physically frail." Maybe? But maybe not. Of is losing his mental acuity? I don't think so. And Ex 4. How about basic English. E.g., I have a big "ask." How about, "I have a request." Or what's your "spend?" How about, what's your budget? Listen to reputable broadcasters and journalists of time past. Far more factual. Far less lurid speculation, except on the front pages of lurid tabloids given away in grocery stores. IMHO.
Well, we'll comment! This is everything we've been thinking but haven't known how to express. Mark does it perfectly. Now, who here has the connections to make sure that this is read by reporters and editors so that Mark's excellent message sinks in?
You have as much influence as anyone else, post this story on all of your social media platforms and send it in email to all of your database.
Already done with enthusiasm!
Sent in the last ten minutes to my fam and friends.
It doesn’t even have to sink in. Everybody knows.
Print it far and wide.
Mr. Jacobs, I can’t thank you enough for this post. A person with the knowledge of reporting has finally said out loud what is seeping into our democracy. As an avid reader, I have given up on reading the major newspapers in the country and no longer watch network or cable news.
I have posted on social media repeatedly about the all-news outlet’s no longer reporting news rather following the loudest bait-clip story weather it requires reporting at all.
I will share your piece over all my social media platforms and hope my friends will do the same.
To David Brooks, Gail Collins, Ross Douthat, Maureen Dowd, Megan McArdle, Dana Milbank, David Ignatius, Erin Burnett and every cable news anchor and every network news anchor. Please do the journalist reporting that is needed in the United States today.
THIS! I am so glad to see this highlighted. The media must wake up and stand up for our democracy before it falls. There are master propagandists manipulating vast numbers of people with lies. We have one political party: the Democrats. Call the former conservative “Republican “ party what it is: an authoritarian movement within a democracy working to destroy that democracy. If they were to succeed, the free press we take for granted would be abolished. It is more accurate than not to compare where we are now to Germany before Hitler cemented power. (I just shared this on Post.News)
I will be sharing this on every site I visit. Thank you!
I'm glad someone from the media is speaking up. I've been very frustrated by the way major news organizations have been covering politics. The New York Times is one example of being seriously tone deaf at times. I had to stop watching the PBS Newshour some time ago because they let Republicans come on and lie without any challenge. The times aren't normal, and news media need to wake up to that fact.
I've wondered how journalists can ignore what is happening and pretend that this is about philosophical differences between conservative and liberal ideas. Journalists covering 2016 and therefore the media in general got a lot of viewers by the crazy behavior of Trump. During the time he loitered in the White House, every day was filled with outrageous stories, outrageous behavior. It got a lot of viewers because of the fascination with the outrage. Reasonable people were alarmed and wanted to see what journalists had to say about it. Cultists enjoyed the outrageous behavior and delighted in seeing it covered extensively. It was like a carnival show.
MSNBC-Rachel Maddow was hugely popular between 2016-2021 because she also covered trump's antics and bumbling strongman aspirations but did call it what it was-an autocrat, a lazy office holder, someone who was indifferent to democracy but focused on retaining personal power.
Now I feel that even MSNBC is more devoted to stoking the outrage machine regarding trump's legal drama than they are in naming the now multiple efforts at state level to undermine democratic freedoms as a nationwide threat.
Print media, especially long-researched stories by Washington Post and New York Times, would examine the impacts of the actions and the spread of autocratic disease to state governments but never would come out and say that this was a crisis.
Everything gets condensed for Twitter, which is now a machine for autocracy and an unreliable format.
Excellent piece. Thanks for sharing it, Steven. How does Mr. Jacobs get his excellent piece to the people who need to hear it? Oh, I long for the days of Walter Cronkite! We need a few heroes in the media, as well as in the political world to start reaching the Fox News crowd to tell them they are being used.
Precisely. Way past time for newsrooms to finally bury bothsidesism and casual false equivalency. Thanks, Mark.
Excellent work, Mark. If only more people would read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair which is the gut wrenching story about the harsh working conditions and the exploitation of immigrants in Chicago and other industrialized cities in the early 1900’s.
I follow you and Steven on Twitter, just retweeted this. Thank you both for your excellent journalism.
Totally agree let’s spread it like wild fire!
"A balanced treatment of an unbalanced phenomenon distorts reality." Everyone here should be following Mark Jacob and Jay Rosen. Google this quote and read everything you can find about it. Lester Holt spoke to this. A huge thank you to Mark Jacob for writing this and to Steven Beschloss for sharing this today. Here's my own little thought about all of this: if democracy doesn't prevail, something else will.
I heartily agree. There are journalists and educators who are trying to open the eyes of the persons sitting on the political fence, by warning of our slow “creep “ towards Fascism.
What needs to be done now is to dramatically open eyes and minds with visual images of the loss of freedom, the horrors that become the norm and the promises that prove worthless.
“...slow creep?” Aren’t they already here? The highest court in the land wants to turn women into livestock.
Slow creep until they control the Presidency, then the creep becomes the nightmare
The court is now covering two of the three branches, yes. All they need now is the Executive.
I agree.
I share the following excerpt from one of my essays, written October 2017: "The United States of America is under siege. The saboteurs of our democratic Republic are corralled in the White House under the tyranny of Donald J. Trump. The actions of this president and his cabinet members reach to the level of treason. Trump’s treachery, fueled by his unbridled hatred for his predecessor, Barack Obama, has set this nation on a path toward widespread social disorder and destruction. He has disinherited himself from his fiduciary duty, as stated in his Oath, to the people."
The MEDIA has been its own worst enemy, failing to call the Trumpian tyranny that was and continues to stare us "square in the face". This piece from Mark Jacob is superbly done. Yet, I must ask: What has taken you so long? Republicans have become the bully on the block, while Democrats have recoiled in fear and confusion. Democrats have not learned that today's politics is pugilism; a blood sport; gloves off. One does not "bring a knife to a gun fight." Trump is all but celebrated by the MEDIA where Biden is perpetually criticized. The MEDIA is not only it's worst enemy. The MEDIA also is the enemy of the people because of its failure to call out the obvious. Take a quick look at Germany circa 1933. Europe was saved by the Allies. Who will save the United States?
Thanks to Mark Jacob. Your voice should be sounding alarm bells across our land. Perhaps the MEDIA fears telling truth to fact, concerned over the blowback. If that is so, they should get out of the business.
Or their salaries are paid by the Enemy of democracy. Our enemy.
I had a thought as I read your column this morning about news coverage. One big void I note is that the professional pollsters (I use that term loosely) completely fail to survey independent voters. In my state, Arizona, independent voters are now the largest group of registered voters. For the most part they don't get polled or surveyed, but they DO vote.
What makes you think they don't get polled?
Perhaps because they don’t seem to be reported on much?
Great article. My two cents: In my view, journalists use "short-hand" and meaningless terms and rank speculation. Ex 1: Is it possible something will happen? Indictment, WW 3? a recession? YES. Anything is possible. So what? It's not news. It's speculation. Ex 2: the "conservative wing of the court." What is "conservative" about diminishing health care rights for half of America, allowing "social media" to be infiltrated by foreign interests designed to destabilize the country and spread falsehoods? Ex 3: Biden is too old, etc. How about, instead of using age as a proxy, they say "he is physically frail." Maybe? But maybe not. Of is losing his mental acuity? I don't think so. And Ex 4. How about basic English. E.g., I have a big "ask." How about, "I have a request." Or what's your "spend?" How about, what's your budget? Listen to reputable broadcasters and journalists of time past. Far more factual. Far less lurid speculation, except on the front pages of lurid tabloids given away in grocery stores. IMHO.
I don't use the term "conservatives" anymore. The fascist right isn't trying to conserve anything.
Do you think these Fascists are trying to prod us into making the first move so they have a reason to call out their Militias?
Peaceful protest and active participation in elections are the answers. People power.
Yes. P E O P L E
P O W E R.