Media and the Fight for Democracy
What to watch for in media coverage of the assassination attempt, and how the news is fueling anti-democratic efforts. Plus, an Israeli diplomat, an iconic broadcaster, and Kissinger.
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When big news happens, media organizations clamor for your attention -- even if they don’t have any new, concrete information to share with you. This breeds mistakes, hypocrisy, and more. In this episode, I explain what I’m watching out for in the coverage of the attempted assassination at a Trump event.
Political violence operates against democracy.
Inspired by my interview on conservative radio host Marta Zoller’s show, I looked into the news media’s role in the fight for democracy, and discovered something: The media’s effect on anti-democratic forces is different in America from what it is in Europe.
In this episode, how TV news and phone apps are fueling anti-democratic efforts. Also, how the media ignore the fact that Israel is one of the world’s oldest democracies, and that democracies are necessities for journalism. Anat Sultan-Dadon, Israeli Consul General to the Southeastern United States, has a fantastic response to ridiculous complaints about Israeli media from Christiane Amanpour and WNYC’s On the Media. Plus, you’ll hear from Henry Kissinger and famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow.
Some links I mention in the episode:
-Here’s a map of the world’s oldest democracies. And here’s a piece of it, from Visual Capitalist via the World Economic Forum:
-Here’s a fascinating analysis I discuss, Watching the News and Support for Democracy: Why Media Systems Matter. It discusses how news, particularly in the United States, fuels support for anti-democratic leaders.
-Some prescient people saw long ago where society was headed. Among them: Henry Kissinger. Here’s the clip I discuss from a 1979 documentary, Information Overload, by David Hoffman:
-Columbia Journalism Review looked at the role of the media in the failure of the “Arab Spring.”
-The clip I share of a Tunisian activist pleading with the media to help the fight for democracy can be found here.
What you can do
When you see any news agency ignore or downplay a threat to democracy, look online for the email addresses of their top executives. Then, send a note like this:
Does your news agency stand for democracy? If so, why are you downplaying/ignoring the threat to democracy coming from ____? As the podcast They Stand Corrected explains, the media is essential in fighting for democracy. In every report about this movement, you should point out that it stands against the crucial freedoms that come along with democracy — including freedoms that true journalists count on in order to do their jobs.
I also discuss the fact that many of the so-called “journalists” killed in the war between Israel and Hamas were actually propagandists for terrorist groups. Anytime you see a news agency discuss the deaths of “journalists” in this war without providing this information, send a note like this:
In reporting on the deaths of alleged “journalists” in the war between Israel and Hamas, why did you fail to point out that many of them were actually propagandists for terrorist organizations? See this report, and please correct your reporting immediately. As the podcast They Stand Corrected explains, truth requires facts + context. By failing to provide this information, you left your audience without both.
A faster solution: Send me links! I reach out to news agencies all the time. (Case in point: As I mention in the episode, I reached out to WNYC for this episode, asking whether they have ever, even once, pointed out something crucial. I still have not heard back.) Paid subscribers can post in the comments here or message me on Substack. Everyone else can find a link via my website, joshlevs.com.
Notes:
By next week we should be far enough into the coverage of the attempted assassination that I should be able to bring you an analysis of how the media is doing.
Also, I’m working on an episode about political polls. What questions do you have about political polls? Send me your questions here or via the form.
In the meantime, take deep breaths, take care of yourselves, and let’s keep up the fight against all anti-democratic forces, whether they identify with the political right or left.
JL