PRESIDENT TOOK 400+ EDITORIALS AS A CONSPIRACY AGAINST HIM

…Our narcissistic, authoritarian dunce of a leader

The 400+ newspapers did show that they could work together.

As expected, when over 400 local US newspapers got together and they all wrote editorials saying the free press was “not the enemy of the American people”, Trump took it all the wrong way.  The always predictable president basically tweeted that: “See, it’s all a collusion of the fake news media.”

However, as Jesse Eisinger of ProPublica, wrote: “I, for one, am not stirred with optimism, that the nation’s newspapers have all had to remind people in unison that a free press is important. Next we’ll editorialize that smashing your face against a brick wall is a bad idea.”

Oh, there were some of those out there that thought it was a great idea such as Frank Sesno, director of George Washington University’s media school, who called it praiseworthy and, in its wide scope, “astonishing.”

But as the predictable president had decided that it was all a conspiracy, Jack Shafer of Politico had properly predicted what the president would do and that it would all backfire: “It will provide Trump with circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to oppose him.” As if on cue, the president had immediately starting tweeting about media collusion.

Let’s face it.  It was symbolic and I was one of those that initially thought it was a good idea.  As predictable as Trump is, even I thought that 400 newspapers might get through to our narcissistic, authoritarian dunce of a leader.  But for Trump, all it apparently did was put kerosene on a raging fire.

I have yet however, given up that there must be ways to get those sitting on the fence to eventually start making some noise against this anti-democratic president.

I do believe that if the newspapers and journalists could “consistently and powerfully get their act together” in truly meaningful collaboration, realizing their own strength in numbers, they could actually bring on some real examples of power.

In addition, news organizations could collectively decide how they want to deal with today’s gigantic social media platforms.  “If there isn’t cake for everyone, then no one gets cake,” author Nikki Usher, who teaches journalism at the University of Illinois, has stated that it should be.

As an example, together the print media could take on huge tech platforms such as Facebook. These social companies have been so destructive to publications as businesses, taking away much of the ad revenue that at one time sustained traditional media outlets.

If they would all worked together, they might do serious battle against the crushing tariffs that are jacking up prices for all Americans.  They might be able to force those giant tech platforms to treat their editorial content with real respect. 

Unfortunately, in today’s highly competitive fractured print industry, that’s under siege in so many ways, that doesn’t seem very likely.

But those that got together for that one day of editorials against the president’s false rantings, it did show that they can actually work together….sorta.

Was it is a small positive victory that could be built on?

I hope so……but I’m not holding my breath.

Copyright G.Ater  2018