Fair and Open Media Coverage of Trump Administration Paramount for Trust

Now in Charge of the Trump Empire

(Soon only two will be in charge)

Leader of the Trump Empire

(As he sees himself)

There are several must-read articles in this posting starting with the first two below. 

Now the public, after Trump has been elected, starts to see and find out more key things about him that we should have known all along – but didn’t. Blame us and the media equally. The board media for not covering him in great detail and us for not asking for more information. Thus, a failure on both parties.

This first article is from the NY Times on Christmas Eve – it deals with Trump’s potential and in some cases, real, conflicts of interest.

Then the second article on Christmas Day and also from the NY Times takes us deep inside the “Trump Company” as an organization with all the in’s and out’s and tactics of their business dealing and so-called strategy. Most compelling to read while trying to understand the precise mechanics.

Both articles kind of reminded me of reading about organized crime with Trump as the “mob boss” designed for a new Al (Godfather) Pacino movie. I know that may sound rough, but that’s is how I read the two above articles and especially the examples of how the Trump team gets things done, including threatening people, or who knows, maybe worse.

Reading all of this now, after the fact of the election as I said, is troubling about how now with the media’s zeal, they hunger to tell the public what is going on.

However, keeping the public informed, in a fair, open, and honest way could be more of a serious problem from here on out considering this NY Times headlines and article about the questions of open media coverage of the Trump administration. 

All-in-all that is a bit worrisome in a lot respects based on this story:

“Changes Coming to White House Press Room: Who, Where, When and How”

This part from the newly-named to be Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, kind of bothers me – what about you?

Spicer said in an interview with Fox News (I note: Worrisome since the GOP uses Fox almost exclusively to “get their message out” that is troublesome for me and I suspect for many others) that the new regime wanted to be “innovative, entrepreneurial” about its media operations.

Spicer said he believed there would be daily briefings, but then he suggested the format could change, perhaps by adding new elements, eliminating some television coverage, and bringing “more people into the process.” (I note: TV coverage allows for an unfiltered view of what and our government responds – it must not end with this new administration – not one bit).

Spicer’s remarks have stirred concern among journalists who say seemingly small changes to the system could lead to the diminishing of other traditions as Scott Wilson, the national editor for The Washington Post who was a White House correspondent during the Obama presidency said:

“Beginning to suggest the daily briefings shouldn’t happen every day in the format that they are, I think, begins to establish a slippery slope. There is value in having a formal setting where the administration’s position is stated and can be referred to and can be archived.” (I note: I totally agree).

Since his election, Mr. Trump has shown few reservations about ignoring the norms of presidential media coverage. He has defied convention by refusing to allow journalists to travel with him on his plane — including on his flight to the White House (PBS segment) even for his first meeting with President Obama.

Let me see if I get the drift of this about what we get from the “new Trump media room.

A carefully scripted and controlled message about when they want to give it and how to inform the public through the media that he so much dislikes (I note: Except Fox of course). 

The public does indeed a compelling right to know things about our President and his policies and proposals that impact our lives, and not to have it spoon-fed or highly filtered to fit the some agenda and perhaps not even be factual before it is presented to the public. 

Not having or allowing live broadcasts or TV coverage of things (obviously not everything can be covered that I fully understand) in W/H press coverage is hardly to say the least, the best to keep the people informed. 

 We do have a right to see and hear for ourselves – not through some carefully controlled script as I said. To do that would be a serious breach in public trust.

I’m done now. Comments always welcome and as always and thanks for stopping by.