Mainstream Media's Preferred Narratives Not Panning Out
Good News, Bad News: July 25, 2023. With 103 days left until Election Day we need political coverage that uplifts and defends democracy.
Every week until the election, we’ll compare our pro-democracy election coverage guidelines with ongoing election coverage to highlight which newsrooms are standing up for democracy and which are sleepwalking us towards a dictatorship. We hope this inspires you to make more informed choices about where you get your news and strengthens your resolve to join us in advocating for the pro-democracy media Americans need. And now…
THE GOOD NEWS
Local Journalism Non-profits Lead the Way in Delivering Pro-Democracy Election Coverage
The most important information a voter needs is how to go about voting in their community. Our guideline asking journalists to celebrate and uplift the election process encourages newsrooms to serve as a one stop shop for voting information. Signal Akron did just that in a piece by Frank W. Lewis entitled, “Election 2024 is closer than you think. It’s time to make your Akron voting plan.”
The article is standard practice for most local newspapers, providing resources for folks to learn where and how to vote. But Lewis and Signal Akron go above and beyond by informing Akron residents, four months before the election, how they can find out if they’ve been purged from the voter rolls, and what to do about it. In doing so, Signal Akron is living up to our guidelines and then some, ensuring that the citizens who want to vote will have the knowledge they need to be registered in time.
By comparison, while the New York Times does its own version of “where and how to vote” articles ahead of big elections, it was hard for me to find too many Times stories, running months ahead, about voter registration. The best I could find wasfrom 1862, and it was printed on the same day as the voter registration deadline.
Kudos to Signal Akron, an “independent, community-led, nonprofit” newsroom “backed by a coalition of Ohio organizations, community leaders, and the American Journalism Project” for uplifting democracy.
Another nonprofit news organization, CalMatters, produced an in-depth story on how California voters could impact the lives of prisoners with a choice they make at the ballot box this Fall. The article “If Californians vote to ban slavery this fall, will prisoners get a raise?” by reporter Shaanth Nanguneri delved into the issue of prison labor and “a ballot measure that would change the state Constitution to ban the practice of forced labor in jails and prisons.”
As much as we might try to be informed of all our choices before election day, it’s often hard for the average voter to gain insight into special ballot measures or referendums. I have had the experience of learning about a ballot measure only by seeing it on my ballot as I am actually voting, with no recourse to make an informed choice. That is why this roughly 1200 word piece is important. CalMatters readers aren’t just being made aware of the existence of the ballot measure, they are getting perspective and context that will help them choose in November.
Signal Akron and CalMatters are showing other newsrooms how it should be done.
THE BAD NEWS
Mainstream Media’s Preferred Narratives Not Panning Out
As of Tuesday night, the Kamala Harris campaign raised $126 million dollars. Joe Biden dropped out and endorsed her essentially 48 hours before this figure was reported. In that time, mainstream media pushed an agenda of disarray for the Democratic party.
First of all, the New York Times believes that interviewing three people within six hours of Biden’s announcement Sunday was worthy of reporting a “some Black voters say” story, as if it’s a major, emerging trend? Whatever.
Meanwhile, as the narrative alchemists performed their dark arts at the Democratic Party’s expense, by late Monday, only 36 hours after Biden endorsed Harris, the Associated Press was reporting that a survey revealed Harris already had the support of enough delegates to win the nomination.
What this speaks to is a mainstream media machine that is out of control. When narratives are cooked up in newsrooms and run with, before any evidence exists to support them, no wonder Americans lack faith in political journalism.
As a further example of this, Donald Trump gave a horrendous acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, full of grievance and lies and bizarre adoration for Hannibal Lecter. But newsrooms had deadlines to make for their printed newspapers that night, and so, in an echo of “Dewey Defeats Truman,” many American voters were treated to a completely different reality on their front pages the next morning, all because the first 30 minutes of Trump’s two hour speech fed into the “unity” narrative GOP operatives hammered and reporters happily typed up.
Here’s how it panned out for newsrooms choosing to blast talking points handed to them by the PR team of the world’s most well-known liar:
Americans deserve better from newsrooms. We deserve in depth coverage of important issues, not endless speculation that turns consequential politics into dumbed down sports reporting. Horse race style reporting—who’s in the lead, who’s coming up from behind—does nothing more than crowd out the substantive information we require.
What’s Harris’ platform? What was her record as a U.S. Senator from California? What are some major takeaways from her time as California’s Attorney General? What is she saying she will do for Americans? What does the Times think of Donald Trump’s age or fitness for office? Or in the case of Project 2025, what is Trump saying he will do to Americans? Those are the things good, pro-democracy journalists should be focusing on.
As always, check out our pro democracy election coverage guidelines, linked up top and below, and be sure to sign on to our Open Letter to newsrooms. We’ll be sending them to the executives at our major newsrooms next month, so don’t miss the chance to make your voice heard.
Extra Credit: Pro-Democracy Quote Of The Week
Democracy’s Survival Requires That Newsrooms Reset to Focus on What’s at Stake
You can be part of the solution. We’re attaching our pro-democracy guidelines to an open letter for you to sign on to. This letter will be distributed to the leadership of all major news organizations. The guidelines serve as a model of what pro-democracy election coverage can—and should—look like. Signing our letter ensures that your frustrations with media’s failure to stand up for American democracy will be heard loud and clear.
Help others advocate for positive change. Share the letter and guidelines with friends, civic organizations, and everyone who cares about the future of America. Ask them to sign on. Demanding better media is an action we must all take.
Tired of paying for corporate media that doesn’t stand up for democracy? Redirect those funds to quality local journalism. Use our Local Journalism Directory to find an outlet and subscribe.
Another excellent summation! Thank you.
The MSM wants the Bloated Yam re-elected.
Bigger profits for the owners.
Tax breaks for the owners.
Better copy for the reporters.
It's that simple.