Investigative Reporter Warns of a “Pretty Scary” Development in the Media

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“Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government: When this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved,” wrote Founding Father Benjamin Franklin in The Pennsylvania Gazette.

Sharyl Attkisson currently works for Sinclair Broadcasting as an investigative reporter after leaving CBS over CBS’s change in policies. She has a new book in which she discusses the American fake news which is dedicated to manipulating Americans.

Ms. Attkisson appeared on Fox News for an interview to discuss her new book. People should find one of her key points very disturbing. It won’t be a surprise for discerning consumers.

Smear merchants, she said, “will tell you, and this is pretty scary when you think about it, virtually every image you come across, whether it is in the news, on social media, or elsewhere, even on comedy shows, is being put there for a purpose by somebody who wants you to think something that might not necessarily be a consensus at all or may not even be true. There are well-funded actors that use fake accounts, social media or powers of persuasion, and a ton of money to try to manipulate what you think,” Ms. Attkisson said.

She said if you are reading that the majority supposedly agree on some issue, do your own research. And if you think it doesn’t sound right, “trust your own cognitive dissonance.”

About the attacks on the President by the media, Ms. Attkisson says the reporters engaging in the attacks feel Trump is that much of a threat they must do what they are doing.

The problem with the media’s he believes, is we are in an era where most don’t believe anything at first blush. It’s because of the many serious errors by formerly highly respected news outlets.

Quid Pro Quo Journalism

Interviewer Shannon Breem brought up an exchange between the NY Times’ Glenn Thrush and President Trump on Twitter.

Trump harshly criticized the NY Times on Twitter for posting a false story about a false story as he put it. It’s not clear what he was specifically referring to because there are a lot of choices. Glenn Thrush immediately responded that the Times just today ran stories by many on Trump’s staff.

This is the exchange.

Attkisson was asked about it and said the problem is Thrush might be right but people don’t believe him.

Glenn Thrush called himself a hack in an email released by Wikileaks, she explains. Instead of being condemned, he was given a job at the NY Times to attack Trump. Attkisson calls it transactional journalism. It’s not journalism, it’s quid pro quo.

 

https://youtu.be/iTymApHXh_g


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bydesign001
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bydesign001
6 years ago

I have to read her book but she’s right, the media has thanks to the internet and one being able to do one’s own research can no longer control the message. As far as the strategic placement of everything on the net, it does not surprise me.