The media thinks the power it has is covering things positively or negatively. If that was ever true, it's not now.
The media is an amplification machine. Our biggest impact is in choosing what to cover. If we amplify lies — even to fact check them — they often gain power.
The media is an amplification machine. Our biggest impact is in choosing what to cover. If we amplify lies — even to fact check them — they often gain power.
The media is better than it used to be (though not perfect) at avoiding both-sidesism. What we haven't caught up to is that negative coverage can actually strengthen populist demagogues, so long as it lets them control the conversation.
I don't want to be flip. This is an *extremely* hard problem to solve, particularly when the president is one of those demagogues.
This piece, relying on @wphillips49, @jayrosen_nyu, and others is an effort to work through some of the issues: vox.com/policy-and-pol…
This piece, relying on @wphillips49, @jayrosen_nyu, and others is an effort to work through some of the issues: vox.com/policy-and-pol…
@wphillips49 @jayrosen_nyu You can't just ignore politicians who lie as a matter of course,. The fact that the president lies so much is newsworthy. But if you cover the liars so much that they crowd out everyone else, you effectively give them control of the conversation.
It's no coincidence that Trump and Boris Johnson are in power at the same time. They both understand how to use lies, offense, and outrageousness to control the conversation. That gets them power, which makes their lies, etc, more newsworthy, which gives them yet more control.
