The weakness of the media was on full display this Sunday on Meet the Press when the host introduced Stefanik as some shining star in Congress. There was no need to be so welcoming to that traitor. Turned it off immediately. Growing up with Walter Cronkite it's hard for me at this age to see how weak the media has become since Trump came into our lives non-stop everyday. The media is addicted to him. My fear is if he is elected again, we will be living with state run news media filled with a lot more propaganda than we see now on many outlets.
I agree with you that many in the media are addicted to TFG and the money his coverage brings in, but there's more than that in play. Given how TFG can incite his followers to violence, there's probably a lot of fear that negative coverage of him can can make journalists/the media targets, as so many public officials have been of late. That doesn't completely excuse their weakness, in my view.
Kristen Welker needs to have guests who talk about day to day needs such as: good transportation systems, advancements in airlines & airports, trains & tracks, cars & roads, trucks & distribution systems; gardening for the planet, - small gardens enrich the oxygen we breath; collecting rain water, the use of rain barrels; education equity across America; etc.
Ms. Welker does not need Rep. Stefankic on her show ever again. She can do better.
I can not thank you enough for exposing the disaster that is Corporate Media. They have learned nothing since 2016 & may be worse. We must all be citizen journalists & expose the facts & truth. But when they lose Freedom of the Press? They have only themselves to blame
Thank you for this article. I got out of the habit of viewing Meet the Press, but viewed it and agree that Stefanik owned Kristen Welker. Stefanik talks so fast, cramming as many falsehoods into a few seconds as she can. Welker seems too nice and not prepared for the onslaught. Maybe that’s why she did not challenge the notion of “hostages.” I agree with the comment that Stefanik should never again be invited to appear on Meet The Press or Welker needs to learn to be much more aggressive in these confrontational interviews.
Valuable prescient piece, thanks Mark. I find the rewritten headline, "Trump signals....," still to be ambiguous. It doesn't come out and say that what the liar in chief signals is a lie. But yes, we live in hopes you're right and that the doors are cracking open. (Mark, when are you coming to @threads? Been looking for you there and hope you will.)
Trump saw an opportunity and took it. The biggest opportunity, and the best, as he might say. He did not create this miserable environment, but he has shown how to exploit it better than anyone else before him. The ones that come after who will learn from his example are what we need to prepare for. The Stefaniks and their ilk.
I'm no scholar, but it seems to me that MAGA feeds off the (previously) simmering rage from the closing off of opportunities and undermining of communities created by the financial strip-mining of our economy from the hyper aggressive 1% squeezing nickels out of every facet of life, commodifying every transaction and taking their cut. I've heard the number $50 trillion transferred from the middle classes to the top earners over the last 30 or 40 years. Maybe that's left-wing counterprogramming, but it rings true for me.
This corresponds, of course, with the "Reagan revolution," curse his name. We now live with obscene levels of wealth inequality, which fuels rage and syndromes of despair, that Trump senses like a shark smells blood and feasts upon. The madness of it all is he is just the latest pitchman and promoter of exactly those government policies that exacerbate this mess in a self feeding cycle. Contrast to Joe Biden, who in my opinion is working mightily to break the back of this narrative and prove there is a smarter and fairer way. For which he is getting scant credit.
This is the story I want to see more of in the media. Although I'm not sure where it will fit, to be honest. It is more about educating the population about our history, and cause and effect, than about day to day reporting of political events. I hope someone is figuring this out, because we badly need this narrative to be told.
thank you for the story, which deserves wide-spread sharing (which I will do on social media). Mark’s story did provide the impetus for the excellent collection of comments, including those those point out the few media that are stepping up-to defend democracy. Here in Iowa, I have acquaintances and friends who believe Trump, when Trump shouts that Biden is the threat to democracy. I do think the media has had since 2015 to learn how to respond to Trump’s lies and his demagoguery. I add fault also lies with the Democrats and other anti trump groups and they have failed in getting in Trump’s face.
Mark - Love your take! Always right on the mark. We are in an epidemic of “Info-tainment”! The media is hepped up on crack for headlines as you state. Gotta stop or news totally becomes propaganda. Thanks for fighting this good fight!!
As a lifelong lefty I agree with your points 100%. But I’m simultaneously watching the media go off the rails with no pushback on the concept that anyone can say they’re a woman and that puberty blockers and double mastectomy on physically healthy children is healthcare. #PoliticallyHomeless.
The weakness of the media was on full display this Sunday on Meet the Press when the host introduced Stefanik as some shining star in Congress. There was no need to be so welcoming to that traitor. Turned it off immediately. Growing up with Walter Cronkite it's hard for me at this age to see how weak the media has become since Trump came into our lives non-stop everyday. The media is addicted to him. My fear is if he is elected again, we will be living with state run news media filled with a lot more propaganda than we see now on many outlets.
I agree with you that many in the media are addicted to TFG and the money his coverage brings in, but there's more than that in play. Given how TFG can incite his followers to violence, there's probably a lot of fear that negative coverage of him can can make journalists/the media targets, as so many public officials have been of late. That doesn't completely excuse their weakness, in my view.
Kristen Welker needs to have guests who talk about day to day needs such as: good transportation systems, advancements in airlines & airports, trains & tracks, cars & roads, trucks & distribution systems; gardening for the planet, - small gardens enrich the oxygen we breath; collecting rain water, the use of rain barrels; education equity across America; etc.
Ms. Welker does not need Rep. Stefankic on her show ever again. She can do better.
I can not thank you enough for exposing the disaster that is Corporate Media. They have learned nothing since 2016 & may be worse. We must all be citizen journalists & expose the facts & truth. But when they lose Freedom of the Press? They have only themselves to blame
Thank you for this article. I got out of the habit of viewing Meet the Press, but viewed it and agree that Stefanik owned Kristen Welker. Stefanik talks so fast, cramming as many falsehoods into a few seconds as she can. Welker seems too nice and not prepared for the onslaught. Maybe that’s why she did not challenge the notion of “hostages.” I agree with the comment that Stefanik should never again be invited to appear on Meet The Press or Welker needs to learn to be much more aggressive in these confrontational interviews.
Valuable prescient piece, thanks Mark. I find the rewritten headline, "Trump signals....," still to be ambiguous. It doesn't come out and say that what the liar in chief signals is a lie. But yes, we live in hopes you're right and that the doors are cracking open. (Mark, when are you coming to @threads? Been looking for you there and hope you will.)
I think part of the problem with news media is that they believe Trump will win and don’t want to face retribution.
I hope not.
Trump saw an opportunity and took it. The biggest opportunity, and the best, as he might say. He did not create this miserable environment, but he has shown how to exploit it better than anyone else before him. The ones that come after who will learn from his example are what we need to prepare for. The Stefaniks and their ilk.
I'm no scholar, but it seems to me that MAGA feeds off the (previously) simmering rage from the closing off of opportunities and undermining of communities created by the financial strip-mining of our economy from the hyper aggressive 1% squeezing nickels out of every facet of life, commodifying every transaction and taking their cut. I've heard the number $50 trillion transferred from the middle classes to the top earners over the last 30 or 40 years. Maybe that's left-wing counterprogramming, but it rings true for me.
This corresponds, of course, with the "Reagan revolution," curse his name. We now live with obscene levels of wealth inequality, which fuels rage and syndromes of despair, that Trump senses like a shark smells blood and feasts upon. The madness of it all is he is just the latest pitchman and promoter of exactly those government policies that exacerbate this mess in a self feeding cycle. Contrast to Joe Biden, who in my opinion is working mightily to break the back of this narrative and prove there is a smarter and fairer way. For which he is getting scant credit.
This is the story I want to see more of in the media. Although I'm not sure where it will fit, to be honest. It is more about educating the population about our history, and cause and effect, than about day to day reporting of political events. I hope someone is figuring this out, because we badly need this narrative to be told.
thank you for the story, which deserves wide-spread sharing (which I will do on social media). Mark’s story did provide the impetus for the excellent collection of comments, including those those point out the few media that are stepping up-to defend democracy. Here in Iowa, I have acquaintances and friends who believe Trump, when Trump shouts that Biden is the threat to democracy. I do think the media has had since 2015 to learn how to respond to Trump’s lies and his demagoguery. I add fault also lies with the Democrats and other anti trump groups and they have failed in getting in Trump’s face.
Mark - Love your take! Always right on the mark. We are in an epidemic of “Info-tainment”! The media is hepped up on crack for headlines as you state. Gotta stop or news totally becomes propaganda. Thanks for fighting this good fight!!
As a lifelong lefty I agree with your points 100%. But I’m simultaneously watching the media go off the rails with no pushback on the concept that anyone can say they’re a woman and that puberty blockers and double mastectomy on physically healthy children is healthcare. #PoliticallyHomeless.
Stefanik is just another putschy broad...
And unfortunately MSNBC chose to get rid of Medhi Hasan, who is the ultimate "push-backer". He should be hosting Meet the Press.