Continuing in the great modern tradition of journalists writing about their favorite subject, themselves, NBC News and MSNBC chairman Andy Lack has posted an opinion piece to NBC’s website arguing that “at this dark hour,” when Americans are scared and journalists are under attack from the White House, journalists are winning the battle.
Opinion | Andy Lack: Journalism is under attack from coronavirus and Trump. But we're winning. https://t.co/KctEU98VHP – @NBCNewsTHINK
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 27, 2020
Trump’s daily briefings, which sometimes include pertinent and significant information, have also frequently become a sideshow, filled with false and misleading statements, compulsive boasting and self-promotional videos. That’s why with each live briefing, many news outlets, including ours, are aggressively fact-checking in real time, assessing the value to viewers minute to minute and cutting away when warranted.
Despite these challenges, what has become powerfully clear during this pandemic is that the heart of journalism has never been stronger. As ever, journalists are asking tough questions and going where the facts lead. Not looking to win any popularity contests — just doing what Woodward and Bernstein inspired my generation and the generations that followed to always do: seek the best obtainable version of the truth.
What Woodward and Bernstein inspired generations of journalists to believe is that taking out a Republican president is the grand prize. And about those tough questions journalists are asking: “If an American president loses more Americans over the course of six weeks than died over the entirety of the Vietnam War, does he deserve to be reelected?” and what do you think about the rumor that a White House official called the coronavirus the “kung flu”? Important stuff.
It's hard to think of a piece better-designed to underscore the public's perception of a narcissistic journalistic culture https://t.co/tAgxukoAsL
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) April 28, 2020
This is like the journalistic equivalent of that Stuart Smalley SNL sketch, where the chairman of NBC News and MSNBC looks in the mirror and tells himself, "I'm good enough, smart enough, and doggoneit, people like me!" https://t.co/87tcaTQePI
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) April 28, 2020
More like the exact opposite. What was (mildly) comic about Franken's Smalley schtick was that the character so obviously didn't believe his own plaintive self-affirmations–unlike the pompously self-important Lack.
— I Could Be Wrong (@dansblog1) April 28, 2020
Journalism isnt under attack, changing the narrative to distort facts and create panic is under attack. Manipulating context is under attack. Failure to report non bias is under attack. And the attack of the constant attack of @potus is under attack. #MSM
— doesntmatter (@duzntmaterneway) April 28, 2020
You aren't under attack. You've shot yourselves in the foot with your partisan, juvenile, unprofessional, "gotcha" journalistic malpractice. We the people are sick and tired of it.
— Arthur Pogonatus (@Arthur06619602) April 27, 2020
They don't employ one single journalist.
— Rich (@MrBeachHB) April 27, 2020
FYI, you’re confusing journalism with activism
— USAF Retired (@ysBones) April 27, 2020
“We’re winning” ??
Ok, junior — whatever you say
— Sebg1111 (@sebg11111) April 27, 2020
What a bunch of self-bloviating bovine excrement. You're "winning" and the American people are losing. Congrats?
— aquaman (@aquamaniac006) April 28, 2020
‘Journalism’ dug it’s own grave. Let’s see a story on the current approval rating of media.
— goodtimeguy78 (@goodtimeguy78) April 27, 2020
No one cares about smug media.
— JimmyTheKid (@JimmyTheKidUF) April 27, 2020
Says the guy who killed the Weinstein and Epstein stories.
— Chad McDaniel (@ichoosechad) April 28, 2020
Journalism is dead. Not one MSM org has asked Biden or any of his supporters about #TaraReade, and this only one example of your failures.
Trump has exposed what we all knew, so spare me your crying about how Trump is mean.
— Abortion is Murder (@JoeSchm19964270) April 27, 2020
The only thing under attack is the smugness, sense of superiority and self importance of journalists.
— Kevin Remsen (@giggity170) April 28, 2020
Has anyone ever done a survey about what percentage of news articles are "news" articles about reporters?
— Meiji_man (@Meiji_Man) April 28, 2020
“Humbled by the responsibility we bear, we try our damnedest to serve our audience.”
— It really doesn’t look like it.
— Brian Lohmeier (@BrianLohmeier) April 28, 2020
“In many respects, the 21st century hasn't been kind to journalism.” – 1st sentence. Finished.
— conservative in Japan (@phillyprnc) April 28, 2020
Yeah, they even closed the Newseum, and journalists have been further triggered by seeing T-shirts reading “Fake News” at Bloomingdale’s. And mean ol’ President Trump even made MSNBC sit in the back row at a joint press conference in the Rose Garden.
So much journalisming (with a lisp)
— Jeff Browning (@Jebrowning007) April 28, 2020
Maybe next time they can put out a side-by-side photo of some journalists drinking wine next to the US Marine Corps War Memorial.
— Sgt_Hulka???? (@HulkaSgt) April 28, 2020
The photo of WaPo journalists raising a beer and wishing each other “Merry Impeachmas” will do.
TLDR pic.twitter.com/8YsVZMvSbB
— Preferred pronouns: Thee/Thou/Thine (@bsbonney) April 28, 2020
This is WHY their reliability and trust levels are so high. No mirrors in MSM buildings are there?
— Rstevendad (@RStevendad) April 28, 2020
They don't even hide it anymore.
— Jeff Diecidue (@jeffdiecidue) April 28, 2020
Sometimes it’s not a badge of honor for someone to tell you that you’re bad at your job. Sometimes it just means you’re bad.
— Electile Dysfunction (@ElectileDysfx) April 28, 2020
Related:
Forget about doctors and nurses for a minute and take in Chris Cillizza’s ‘America Needs Journalists’ sweatshirt https://t.co/Ev62BzFIL0
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 31, 2020
Join the conversation as a VIP Member