How Is Trump's War With the Press Affecting Democracy?
My former colleagues at the Washington may be exhausted right now from the workload, but they’re not conflicted.
How will Trump's ongoing war with the press affect politics and democracy in America? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.
President Trump has waged a relentless and cunning campaign to demonize the press for his personal self-aggrandizement and political advantage, and in the process he has done enormous damage to one of the pillars of our democracy. Nonetheless, mainstream news organizations such as the Washington Post (my old alma mater) and the New York Times have risen to the challenge, joined by countless smaller news outlets, broadcast news programs and online start-ups, providing readers and listeners with the news they need to make informed decisions. The fundamental mission of news organizations is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable for their actions. Lord Northcliffe, a British press baron, once wrote that “News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising.” When the President of the United States—-the most powerful man on earth—- brands the mainstream press as “the enemy of the people,” I believe journalists can take pride and understand they’re doing something right. I was a journalist for some 35 years, 27 of them at the Washington Post, and I believe fair, evenhanded, independent journalism is a sacred mission, enshrined in our constitution. Its value has never been clearer. My former colleagues at the Washington may be exhausted right now from the workload, but they’re not conflicted. Their role is clear and they’re doing their job.
Glenn Frankel is the Pulitzer Prize winning author of High Noon and The Searchers.
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