You make it sound like the media has played no part in their being demonized. It’s no longer about getting the whole story. It’s become getting it out first and interjecting their opinion in everything. Present the facts and let the people decide. Don’t try to sway them one way or the other.
Actually, I mentioned that people dislike the press, and by that I meant that the media, broadcast and print, are held in very low esteem at this time in our history, I just did not spell that fact right out.This did not start with the ascendency of Trump, but he has certainly elevated and enhanced it through his "enemy of the people" meme.
Every president has had to deal with adversarial press. If they are critical in their reporting, their opinion pieces, their editorials, their talking points on the cable shows in our own era, I do not expect them to sugar coat that reporting or those opinions. We have had corrupt presidents and scandals affecting administrations. I would much rather have an adversarial press then a media landscape that is 100% compliant in its reportage.
And there is plenty of good, solid investigative reporting that is not subjective opinion spouting at all. The Times article above is as good an example as any. If the evidence shows that Trump attempted to interfere in the investigations led by the Southern District of New York, that should be reported, and if it is factual, then it's not opinion. Is it complimentary of Trump? Of course not, but it is the press fulfilling its watchdog role, and it has been present since the earliest days of our republic.
Further, the above revelation is very likely to result in Whittaker being recalled by a congressional committee, since it implies that he might have perjured himself in his recent testimony. Again, this would result from the press fulfilling its function as a watchdog in a democratic country.
I have a few complaints where the media is concerned, both press and broadcast. Some of my complaints involve profit motive and ratings driving motivation. Even in the 2016 election, if I remember correctly, a higher up for CBS news stated point blank, in so many words, that Trump's tweets and behavior was great for the bottom line. The media was absolutely complicit in helping Trump suck the oxegen out of the room. And all of tbe media, but esp. the talking heads on cable, were simply too taken by every tweet they regarded as outrageous. The news has become more about entertainment, all too often.
