The Media and Political Analysts

CNN President Jeff Zucker has said, “If we made a mistake, [it was] we shouldn’t have put on as many [Trump] rallies as we did,”.  CNN gave Trump a massive amount of coverage during the 2016 presidential campaign.  Today when a CNN commentator complains about Trump it’s like Dr. Frankenstein complaining that there’s a monster terrorizing the countryside. Who do you think helped to create the monster?

News outlets can help set the public conversation when they make choices as to what to cover … or not cover.  The internet and cable television offers a great variety of news related sites. A tremendous amount of information (and misinformation) is available.  Viewers may choose media that offers a rational critique of the news that puts information into perspective. Renato Mariotti and George Lakoff offer such perspective in their various media offerings.

Other sites offer not political analysis but rather political entertainment that reinforce the viewer’s beliefs through emotional triggers, regardless of the truth. InfoWars is an example of such political entertainment. Such biased media are so widespread that fact checks sites exist to counter misinformation and lies.

Adding to the misinformation are trolls who for mean spirited fun post comments designed to inflame passions.

Viewers must choose what kind of information they want; news analysis or news entertainment.  Biased media is plentiful. Good political analysis is out there, but like anything good in life, you have to search for it.