The
media, in general, has taken a beating. Whether or not you think it's deserved,
it is being held accountable for what it did and/or didn't do during the
presidential campaign.
Yes, we agree with those who believe that the candidates, especially (and almost exclusively) Trump, should not have been able to distract the news outlets from reporting on the facts, from keeping their eye on what was really going on. In this way, media contributed to the distribution of 'fake news' of the worst kind. We're not talking about the rumor-mill tabloids that captivate readers with a bottom feeder approach to discourage them from doing their homework.
We are referring to how media outlets let themselves became part of the soap operatic nature of this year's carnival like campaign season. Were they dazzled? Did the ratings sway their -and our - focus? Have they become agents of entertainment?
Here at Karen Pierce Gonzalez Public Relations we feel misled. But not necessarily by the media itself, although they did not do enough to keep independent thinking/news coverage alive. Even so, we realize that we, as consumers, bear some responsibility, too.
By and large, sensational sound bites and bullet points best fit my short-term easy-to-reach needs. We, too, enjoyed laughing at the buffoonery, not realizing that we were also being distracted.
This begs the question for me - for all of us: What do want our news coverage to provide us with and, more importantly, what are we willing to do to make that happen?
Yes, we agree with those who believe that the candidates, especially (and almost exclusively) Trump, should not have been able to distract the news outlets from reporting on the facts, from keeping their eye on what was really going on. In this way, media contributed to the distribution of 'fake news' of the worst kind. We're not talking about the rumor-mill tabloids that captivate readers with a bottom feeder approach to discourage them from doing their homework.
We are referring to how media outlets let themselves became part of the soap operatic nature of this year's carnival like campaign season. Were they dazzled? Did the ratings sway their -and our - focus? Have they become agents of entertainment?
Here at Karen Pierce Gonzalez Public Relations we feel misled. But not necessarily by the media itself, although they did not do enough to keep independent thinking/news coverage alive. Even so, we realize that we, as consumers, bear some responsibility, too.
By and large, sensational sound bites and bullet points best fit my short-term easy-to-reach needs. We, too, enjoyed laughing at the buffoonery, not realizing that we were also being distracted.
This begs the question for me - for all of us: What do want our news coverage to provide us with and, more importantly, what are we willing to do to make that happen?
In
short, can we step up and take ourselves more seriously?
We think we can. And it begins with thinking for myself; taking time to research
issues and statements (via reliable news gathering sources, such as Associated
Press) rather than just glibly gliding along... and for now, that's a start.
What
plans do you have?
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