The excitement/ravenousness double standard reaction of the media over Kamala Harris’ first unscripted interview this week brought into sharp focus one of its major failings that plagues our understanding of politics; that is, the unfailing focus on new and sensational news against any sort of balanced reporting. As I have said many times, sensationalism always wins out because the media believes “It sells more fucking newspapers”.
Kamala Harris’ interview on CNN, hosted by Dana Bush, was the first time the media had unscripted access to the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. For weeks there had been pressure on her to give such an interview, because the media believes it is their right to demand such a grilling, in order to satisfy their craving for “new and sensational”. They, of course, will maintain that “the people should know”, but the main motivation remains its quest for sensationalism. They were even becoming petulant, and obliquely suggesting that she had something to hide, because she had not immediately succumbed to their demands. Once the interview was aired, the media then conducted an intimate analysis of her every word at a level that was, frankly, pathetic.
Meanwhile, the more “outrageous-by-the-minute” comments and tweets by Donald Trump went almost unreported. Why? Because his continuous barrage of idiotic, slanderous and lying statements are “old hat” and, therefore, not sensational anymore. The idea that reporting and analyzing such outbursts might help to impress on the electorate what a truly awful personality he is, never crosses the media’s mind, simply because it doesn’t “sell more fucking newspapers”.
This is a blatant double-standard that reflects very badly, if predictably, on the responsibilities of the media and, worse, gives the electorate the impression that Trump’s behavior is somehow acceptable.
Even Geoffrey Goldberg, the Editor-in-Chief of the Atlantic magazine and the host of PBS’s “Washington Week” program, which airs nationwide every Friday evening, and who is usually one of the more balanced reporters out there, after raising the question of a double-standard on his program this week, then proceeded to spend most of his, and his guests, half-hour, focused on the details of Kamala Harris’ words. What happened to balance? Sensationalism and “newness” always wins out, to our, the public’s, understanding of events that will directly affect our lives; namely the abhorrent idea that we might actually have to succumb to a Trump dictatorship.
Even Trump’s latest outrage of using Arlington Cemetery for a commercial, which is federally illegal, while he continues to malign the U.S. military, was way down the reporting list compared to Kamala Harris’ every word. At least the U.S. Military, in a rare rebuke of any former president, lodged a formal complaint over his disgusting sacrilege of the Nation’s most revered cemetery; over 400,000 military personnel are buried there along with several hundred who have received the country’s highest military honor. How dare he? If Kamala Harris, or anyone else, had done that, it would have ended her/their candidacy for President right there and then. How can the media let Trump get away with such continual outrageous behavior. Again, simply put, it is their irresponsible homage to their god…..sensationalism.
I wish I knew what to do about this egregious situation, but any attempt is always greeted by the well-worn, and increasingly “old hat”, outcry of “freedom of the press”. Well, I’m sorry, freedom of any sort comes with responsibilities in a supposedly civilized nation/society and the media have seemed to have forgotten that basic tenet.
Any suggestions of what to do about this situation are welcome!
