Sep 20, 2023·edited Sep 20, 2023Liked by Robert Reich
As a retired broadcasting professional and expat American living in Denmark since 1991, I'm embarrassed how crass and commercially minded America's three private broadcasting companies are. The bottom line is always the big bucks. Public service broadcasters such as the BBC or Denmark's DR seldom pander for profits. Shame on you, NBC!
Tim Russert was a lawyer who knew how to cross examine his guests. Did extensive research on the featured guest prior to each Meet the Press show. Loved to dig up old quotes and video clips to spring on the unsuspecting guest to catch the guest in a lie. One of journalism's best! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Russert
Everything that only benefits him and nothing else matters. The scary fact that his polling numbers are as high as they are can be highly blamed on the media like the sham, lie fest Meet the Press interview.
The Republican party is currently attacking these agencies in an attempt to defund and dismantle both. My question is why? Any normal person you would meet on the street holds these bodies in high esteem. The FBI and the DOJ aren't 3 letter acronyms we use to frighten people into following the law. They are respected elements found within our Government that help regulate the truth in this country. To attack them on any level is suspect. I feel there are elements within our own Government that believe having the FBI and the DOJ in good standing would be counterproductive to their objective. Their discontent is aimed at weakening the opinion most people have of the agencies. Why??????????
Well, as they've stated many times, they want the government to be "small enough to drown in a bathtub."
Government is their bugbear, more specifically, the bugbear of their very rich donors. Governments tax, regulate, supervise, prohibit, and criticize, thus cutting back on profits fat cats can't get enough of. Government is their sworn enemy; anything to hurt them, shrink them, defang them is good. And they've been pretty successful at it.
Trump is running an excellent defense for them with his endless diversions. He mainly wants the attention, the power, and money it brings for himself, but he at the same time helps other big dogs succeed. It's a tribe, even if they hate each other and are jealous of each other; they all want the same things: money and power. Their heaven is right here on Earth, so they're going all-out to make their glitzy lives spectacular. If you don't do likewise, you're a loser.
Karen--Whoever was in charge of that hearing should never have let the members of the GOP badger Garland in that manner. It was disrespectful, but you have to remember those people are Republicans. What ever ingredients you put in the soup you will find on your spoon when you sample your effort.
Karen, yes they both did, and somehow, being Republicans, the charges were dropped practically before they were even investigated, which means they weren't really investigated. It seems that is the "good" one can get if the courts are stacked with Federalist Society junkies. They do best if they don't really know the law and can make it up as they go along. If one is not sure, check out what has been going on in Texas and the Supreme Court. It seems even their clerks are pretty much either ignorant or go-alongs. Gates was credibly accused of taking a minor across state lines for sex and Jordan was a coach when all kinds of sexual abuse was going on at his college - of course, he knew nothing about it. Trump has been the pioneer and the rest of the Republicans have jumped on his train and are riding along behind. They do have the lying, cheating, gaslighting, sexual harassment, and abuse down pretty well and projection is coming along nicely. The abuse of interviewers is still being developed. DeSantis is working on it (OK, he is a terrible interviewee, but is working on the lying and deflecting a bit). Interviews with Republicans or Trump wannabees of any party should be avoided.
Jeannette--Did you know, as an octopus lover, that these invertebrates only have 6 legs? All the while we gave them credit for having 8. The front two are actually arms not legs. However, in total they do have 8 appendages, giving them the right to be classified as arthropods.
Mary Ellen, I would like to see Mehdi Hassen interview those Trump wannabees. I would especially like it if he had no network to control what he asked and how he cross-examined. I found his book about winning arguments an excellent summary of how to keep an argument from sinking into lies and misinformation.
Savannah Guthry(sp?) is a former lawyer who defended Eron and is employed by NBC. I don't think she'd do a very good job, ethically, nor would any getting an NBC paycheck. This UAss corporation is just too $$$ profit oriented and cowardly.
Look at salaries. They are overworked and under paid for their hours. Those who don't toe the company line are bullied to the side. It's too simple to ask why someone isn't doing their job. At this point many journalists only get paid and work for content click based stories.
School? Well they are now self teaching. It's called collaborative learning. That's a whole another post. No, they do not teach in schools anymore - much. Those teachers aren't getting paid either.
What are we going to do? Tax Wall Street for health care for all so we can change jobs. And, a minimum salary every month so that people feel like they can speak up at their jobs.
I agree. Nicole Wallace is incredibly well-prepared for her shows, on top of the news, and doesn't hesitate to inject her own informed views as she interviews her panelists. Sometimes her questions are so long and nuanced that we wonder whether a panelist will have time to answer, but she's the best of the moderators I've seen.
We set our recorder to never miss one of her shows. We like a lot of the commentators on MSNBC. they actually ARE "Fair and Balanced" although of course they are more left than right, but mostly always "right"! :o)
Nicole won't allow right wingers to come on and lie. She will challenge them immediately and she is always better informed than them. I saw one show where she warned the guest just before a commercial that is he continued to lie, she'd have him leave. They came back on, he continued to lie and she had him leave.
They won't come on her show anymore because they know they'd be challenged. Laurence O'Donnell is the same way.
William, I do like Nicole Wallace, and there are other good journalists, but so often they are straight-jacketed so they can't do the kind of interview that would actually inform people of where the candidate or official stands and what they stand for. I have experienced that even on NPR which tries usually to be "neutral." Republican and conservative interviewees are asked questions that are general and have predictable answers. Democrats and progressives as well as officials from Democratic administrations are asked complex questions with maybe 30 seconds to answer, which, of course makes them seem incompetent, uninformed, or otherwise pathetic. I keep hoping I am wrong about this, but I have seen it so often I know it must be a requirement. Maybe the questions are actually given to the interviewers. We could stop that if we cared enough as citizens to protest and demand better.
The right wingers won't go on certain shows because those commentators won't allow lies. That includes Nicole but also Joy Reid, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes. I don't feel these people ae straight jacketed. I've never seen Stephanie Ruhl interview them so I don't know about her. Katie Tur lets them roll all over her.
CNN has no one to stand up to them. Perhaps Abby Philip.
I don't fully trust NPR. They try too hard to equate both sides and that means equating lies with truth.
William, I also like the folks you name. Iin addition, I like Jen Psaki, Mehdi Hassen, and Terry Gross of "Fresh Air." Rarely do Republicans agree to be interviewed by them either. They only want interviewers who will let them get away with their BS and call them on nothing. They think it makes them look strong, but if people actually listen, they will see just how bankrupt they are in ideas, policies, and even thinking. It is too bad so many people have chosen not to think. They have decided "feeling" and their "gut feeling" is more accurate than their actual brain. They're wrong, but how do we get that point across to them. They are already worshipping at the Trump altar, mentally drugged into a stupor of ignorance.
As a general statement, most of us are under paid these days in comparison to the cost of living. Generally, it motivates people. Did I get a salary from her company, no. It's a general statement of our country at the moment based on RR classes.
Janet, if you are referring to news gatherers and local reporters, you are correct. But TV anchors are STARS. their pay is in the millions, plus enormous expense accounts. Same with columnists in print news
It is not the role of a journalist to cross-examine a witness. Their role is to elicit the views of the person interviewed so the audience has information about the views of the candidate.
BS. Who, what, where, when and how. Must consider the context. Starts with an examination of the history, and identification of inconsistent statements. and outright lies.
Wonder what orange one would do if the interviewer turned to the camera saying the interview is over due to his uncooperative behavior. Then, run a previously filmed video outlining all the answers the interviewee gave to the current questions but with conflicting answers. In other words, show how orange one lies, constantly, about everything and anything.
The role of the journalist is to elicit accurate and informative facts. Ask follow-up questions to get clarity. If the answer is evasive, ask for more focus. If the answer is a substantiated lie, give evidence and ask for clarity. DO NOT MOVE AHEAD TO A NEW QUESTION.
Setting all the outrage aside for a moment, keep in mind that all ol' P01135809's recorded public statements will likely become evidence in his trials that demonstrate at very least his "mens rea" - the guilty mind. He's got >plenty< of rope to hang himself with, and it's a'drivin' his attorneys - who'll likely end up needing attorneys themselves, if previous events are any guide - nuts. Just a'sayin'.
Kind of hilarious in a terrifying sort of way, especially when you consider how he refers to the press as the “enemy of the State.” That news sites are more concerned with profits than this criminally nihilistic lying sack of manure and keep falling all over themselves to give him a platform tells me that wealthy America isn’t quite as concerned with keeping our democracy intact as they are funneling in uber profits. During the course of his interview with Welker, he said at least three or four times that multiple democratic states allow post birth abortion and what does Welker say? She says, “the democrats don’t want to do that.“ Welker is a dimwit who couldn’t fight trump out of a paper bag.
I would have preferred Welker to solicit these kinds of statements but not challenge them. Voters are smart enough to know BS when they see it. Welker's would have done better by allowing the BS to stink up the room. The more BS, the better.
Certain voters (apparently at least half according to the polls) eat up all his crap. They seem to be unaware that he is lying to them or they don't care. NBC should not have given a pathological liar a platform.
I'm less optimistic than you about voters. The people on this group do live up to your assessment. I'm surrounded by culties in my region of the country. The same cannot be said for them. They hear only validation and truth when they hear 45 speak. They hear their strongest advocate, their savior. They grow only more enthusiastic and hateful, more determined than ever to see their emperor back in power.
I agree Barb, but do magas watch the sunday morning talking heads? i don't watch network infotainment, but i've seen clips on this travesty. i always thought welker belonged on faux news. anyway, the oligarchs who control the media don't care about democracy. they want to dismantle the gov't so that they can privatize everything, and rape, pillage, and loot at a faster rate. because more than enough is not enough for them apparently.
No, they don't. You're right about that. Some we know get a lot of their info from church radio, which has taken over the FM band in our region. When I first moved here 30 years ago, there were only 1 or 2 church channels, way down on the low end of the FM band. Easy to skip over. Now they're everywhere and impossible to avoid. Even a longtime hard rock station has now converted to church radio. And by "church" I mean more than just religion--it's politics. I try to take heart from our recent local success recalling 3 of our 5 rogue ultra-"conservative" school board directors. Sanity restored, with last of the vacated seats appointed last night. It's a glimmer of hope. But the recall was really hard work in a place like Eastern WA.
i'm not sure they're coherent enough to explain. my sister is a prayer warrior for drumpf, and it's not possible to talk about facts, or democracy, or anything substantive with her.
Most of us on this thread are fed up with all hypocrisy and untruths spewed by Trump and his gang. Assuming maybe Meet the Press would have a broader audience than most MSNBC shows it would be nice if the news commentator had the skills to push back in Trump and him. On the other hand allowing him free license to spew one untruth after another does provide the prosecutors with bullets to ensure Trumps prosecution.
Trump was the hero of the right because he (purportedly) was anti-abortion. Now he smells how the wind is blowing after roe v wade was overturned and is pandering to the other side.
Thank you for stating clearly what many of us not in this profession suspect is the primary objective. Sensationalism sells, and Trump himself understands this very well. Although Fox seems to be the most blatant with this tactic, the recent interview on NBC demonstrates that standards are failing for all. Do we need to legally require that anything presented as "news" follow specific standards, starting with fact checking? If a guest being interviewed presents a lie as fact, should the news presenter, regardless of medium, be required to present information that contradict the lies? Such a legal requirement could raise First Amendment issues, but giving a platform to liars is dangerous. If the broadcast or publication is publicly labeled "news" it needs to follow defined standards. Or, instead of legislatures venturing into First Amendment territory, would class action lawsuits help turn this around? If Facebook can be fined for content, why not NBC?
Thank you. The Fairness Doctrine!! Imagine that! Due to corporation lobbying dollars, let's face it, we have lost one of the greatest communication tools forever. Now there is no way to bring back decency , respect and trust to communications with commuity.
A bad choice of word, perhaps. The rule had a very complicated history. It had its had its roots in the Radio Act of 1927, was interpreted as a mandate by the FCC in 1949, was attached in part to the Communications Act by Congress in 1959, upheld by the Supreme Court in 1969, repealed in part by the FCC in 1987, leaving some provisions in effect until 2000. There was move by Congress to revive it, but President Obama opposed it. The FCC finally got rid of it in 2011 after Obama ordered agencies to review their rules for those that were unneeded.
I think the next big media event should be to trade trump for Edward Snowden! Think of it, prisoner for imprisoned . Putin can have trump and we can benefit with Snowdens’ unique talent concerning National security. And the media can just have a gab fest that means absolutely nothing.
Please read WikipediA on Edward Snowden.... I thank him for his dedication to the American public concerning being spied on by our own government.
I would gladly trade trump’s lies for Snowden’s facts.
I can get the BBC and other news on PBS here, but local news is full of fires, crashes, ambulances, and pity stories about sick people. I don't know if we get decent local news because how can we tell? Neighborhood newspapers used to provide some of this.
With your phone or computer you might be able to get BBC (or PBS)? Then get a 15-year old to show you how to “cast” from computer or phone, which means to play (cast) your computer show on your TV to watch on TV.
How can we effectively get the message across to major media that we don't want to see trump, and that they are flirting with destroying the country by pandering to the republicans again and again? Negativity unfortunately sells more than good news does, like watching a car crash and thinking about it rather than enjoying having a smooth ride.
The same thing with good news about Biden's administration and positive successes he and other Democrats have had. This is why I make a point of clicking on good news articles to show major media that yes we care and we will support positivity.
Stop. Just stop giving that bigot any air time at all. It is only feeding his lying flames. It’s ruining out democracy. The media is an accomplice. Period.
Rachel Olson ; Yes, the media love him and helped him 'win' the first time. Those who are greedy have enjoyed big tax breaks as reward for boosting him. Taxpayers get robbed for the installation of a tyrant and would be dictator.
Sep 20, 2023·edited Sep 20, 2023Liked by Robert Reich
"How can we effectively get the message across?"
The media are comprised for the most part by for profit corporations, that are subject to government regulations. Broadcast stations are governed, in part by the FCC, Federal Communications Commission. Corporate affairs are governed in part by by the SEC, Security and Exchange Commission. Some dealigs fall within the ourview of the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission. All of these agencies have rules about fair dealing. There are bodies of other laws that may apply. I heard, among others Sarbanes Oxley/Dodd Frank whistleblower cases involving corporate fraud.
IMHO the media have been giving Trump imporoper free publicity in "covering" his escapades. Until the Fox vs Dominion defamation civil case, it was difficult to prove "actual malice" on the part of the media. That case applies, in part, to situations where, as reported members of the media fraternized with Trump before the Republican candidate debate, https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a44891839/milwaukee-reporters-trump-team-rare-steakhouse/. IMHO this leaves those people open to being investigated, themselves.
NBC and Comcast have to be fearful. At Fox, shareholder derivitive suits have been filed regarding bad management. When Trump's lies are repeated as fact, the media need to be placed on notice. Internally every SEC company has auditors who are supposed to report on contingent liabilities for the company.
As has been discussed here many times, the media also receive advertising money and the sources of that money should be placed on notice that Trump is poison. Each of the comapnies buying the ads have shareholders and customers who can object. The media are also aware of market ratings. IMHO many of the ratings are inaccurate.
NBC is owned by Comcast. Where I live, in order to get cable, in order to watch local sports, because my service comes through my condo association, I must use Xfinity, owned by Comcast. As a customer, I can and do complain. https://support.xfinity.com/svp-contact-form
I complain about my service, about the programming, about the fact that Fox and other right wing outlets and whacko religious networks are part of our cable package, etc.
I don't want to pay for Fox and these other networks.
To really get agressive, companies can be threatened with lawsuits, shares can be shorted etc. If the states of New York and Oregon are suing Fox in a derivitive suit, why arren't other large innstitutional investors?
What actions can we take to end this dangerous nonsense?!? A lawsuit? Sign me up:
-The People of the United States v NBC.
-The People of the United States v CNN.
-The People of the United States v FCC
-The People of the United States v __________????
I am far from an attorney (communication strategist and designer), so PLEASE, I need help here. How to begin?!? Class Action suit? I’ll chip in. It’ll create notoriety for whomever takes this on.
HELP THE USA! Please, help yourself. Help me.... pretty please?
I plead for concrete, informed responses. Am ready to add what I can to the effort.
Sincerely, Therese
ps: Prof Reich, thank you for so clearly calling this spectacle what it is!!! A nightmare and endangerment to democracy.
Me too!! Tell me how to join up. I believe we should let them know that we won't watch Meet the Press anymore, that means dollars to them. Boycott the show.
Fortunately we now have other options. You can subscribe to Apple TV, for instance, and get a device that allows you to stream content on your television screen, and you can do so on an 'a la carte' basis.
Simple, turn it off and don't fall for the click bait. Money has been such a generalized positive reinforcer that it has become a dominate and controlling motivator. Now that people have less of it for their needs, it's created a competitive situation. That's a hypothesis anyway.
Give them some reinforcer back. Union strikes. Don't buy it. Don't click it.
I refuse to watch any TV program that shows Trump or his ilk. I'm only one person but if more people would refuse to watch such garbage perhaps the money hungry so-called news outlets would show real news.
Here's one group that is working hard at bringing back 1st Amendment rights to the People's media. Media And Democracy (MAD) project. www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org Heard their executive director, Milo (Mee - lo) speak. Very articulate, dedicated, and proposing actions we can take to bring back the media to be fair, unbiased news rather than rich/corporate messaging. We use to have news with a minute or two of commentary. Now its ALL commentary and a bit news buried in the rubble of corporate messaging. We now have a Theocratic Oligarchic Kleptocracy -- a theolikle I call it. DT is their Useful Idiot keeping people occupied with chaos and keeping the fabulous things the Biden administration is doing buried in silence. What the oligarchs and monolithic corporations don't understand is that hollowing out the middle class means you don't have consumers to support capitalism. So, eventually capitalism will collapse. After Milo's speech I decided to donate to the Texas Tribune which is a non-profit and the only newspaper worth reading in Texas. We need more not-for-profit media.
All we can do is positive action. And the same should be said for the leaders of our Democratic Party. Let’s all stop reacting to Trump and the Republican Party. Stop giving them oxygen!!!
A corporate culture of short term optimization of profit is going to do us all in if we don’t stop it. What can we do ? first don’t watch stations that are irresponsible with respect to Trump. Perhaps the ultimate fix here is to create legislation to pricing in external costs to society. In the meantime, let’s all keep watching those people dance on TV. How does one fix a culture ? First, we have to recognize the problem and understand human behavior individually and collectively and elect officials who work to solve the problem, rather than simply reflecting it.
You are very much correct. I don't know in real life how to do that, all are behind digital walls in towers beyond reach. I only can just stop watching the program and ask others to do the same., right?
That is why I ask how to write directly to the corporate officer and tell him/her that I will no longer watch the program. I am betrayed by Meet the Press.
US must NOT allow a seat at the table for self-identified enemies of democracy. Shockingly, we have such individuals as sitting members of Congress. It's a travesty and an outrage. IF you're an enemy of democracy, you are de facto an enemy of the United States and a traitor.
I think Narcissistic Personality Disorder Trump sounded like he is mentally ill. Speaking in word salad incapable of generating actual sentences. He also admitted that the big lie was his idea so this helps Jack Smith’s case against this fruitcake. Trump is not only a clear and present danger to the United States and our democracy, but he is mentally ill for crying out loud.
I know plenty of people with a mental illness. All rational citizens with functioning ethics. Trump is not “Ill,” he’s Bad. We don’t see that too often, a person who’s chosen to give up his humanity and gratify himself through cruelty and violence alone. That’s why we have trouble recognizing it. But I think it needs to be said. I didn’t even think Nixon was simply bad—it’s rare. But voila, it’s been our fate to find such a rare bird in a position of mesmerizing power over millions, and until recently over our whole country. “Never again.”
I hope you didn't think of mental ilness during your career as something to accuse somebody of as you accuse Trump here. I'm just trying to sort out moral failure from illness. I do not excuse Trump on account of illness. Most mentally ill people I know are able to make moral decisions--and make them correctly. Trump is flagrantly not.
Yeah, it would have been great if Welker said “Sir you are speaking a word salad that just doesn’t make any sense.” Break the norms of civility, or let him run rough shot over you as a bully.
‘For crying out loud’ - great phrase to punctuate your feelings; I haven’t read/ heard that for awhile. I’m sure you didn’t mean Trump was crying out loud. (But given his mental state maybe he is) we’ve got to stop him.
The news media should not interview him. He is a traitor who embraces our enemies and is guilty of an attempted overthrow of the government. He should not receive any airtime in person, only reporting on what he is up to.
“He is a traitor who embraces our enemies and is guilty of an attempted overthrow of the government” Harold, in this sentence you express the nugget that points to the larger issue. The larger issue is not simply the media nor the corporations that control the media. It is about the possibility of the United States’ willingness to come under the thrall of a person or personality that would transition from democracy to anocracy.
“Anocracy” is a real word describing “a regime that mixes democratic with autocratic features…” “Such regimes are particularly susceptible to outbreaks of armed conflict and unexpected or adverse changes in leadership.” (Wikipedia) Currently the polls point to a tight race between a Biden and Trump. If Trump wins, he will put us on the express train to anocracy. We certainly saw an outbreak of armed conflict with the attempted insurrection that pointed to a possible “unexpected or adverse changes in leadership.” If a foreign country is an anocracy and has political parties formed around identities rather than ideology, the CIA puts them on a “Watch List" for countries that have a high risk for civil war. (Barbara F. Walters, professor at the School of Policy at Strategy U.C. San Diego. Former member of the CIA’s “Political Instability Task Force”) The CIA is prohibited from involvement in domestic affairs so it could not put the United States on the Watch List in December of 2020 when it met that criteria.
Walters asserts that civil wars are not started by the underclass rising up, but by those in power seeing themselves losing that power. We must look farther than Trump. Political Democracy in its current deteriorated form has become so weakened that we are only one election away from morphing into anocracy. It is time to look towards the true solution which is the next higher level of democracy such as "economic democracy.” For an explanation of Economic Democracy, follow this link to
Write and tell the media station that you will no longer watch. We don't need repeat, repeat Trump when so much more is important. Like affordable childcare. and food for the children losing the Covid dollars that hsve now ended.
Simple. Trump sells. This is not a moral decision on the part of the network. Corporations have no morals, they only have regulations. Individuals might take an ethical and moral stand, but corporations aren't people (legally perhaps, but that was another failure of politicians and judges), they are entities dedicated to the benefit of their shareholders and recognize no other stakeholders, not even their viewers. The little orange one is entirely a creation of the media. He knows how to get attention. The type of attention does not matter. If he gets attention, he wins. Unfortunately, that gets ratings and the great orange blob gets on TV. Make their ratings go down, don't watch.
Quite right Wayne. Trump in some respects represents the ultimate triumph of capitalism. The system transcends any ideas of morals, ethics or considerations of right and wrong.
No matter how individuals within the corporate media may feel about Trump and his destructive path, they behave like automatons in the service of profits and stock prices.
Wayne Teel ; tRump may sell, to some, but I won't buy and don't want to see him all the time. It is impossible to watch most news sources without seeing or hearing about him and his supporters. I record news shows and when he is featured, I fast forward past the ugly sight/sound.
I can stand when the Medias touch reports about his lies and then talks about what Biden is doing. Anytime they actual show clips of Trump I am wincing and mentally tune out.
Down the block a forever trump guy no longer has the banners up. Its wearing thin on the faithful. This is an ongoing trend in a conservative town. Only one thats I notice still left is a hard to miss tiny house with all the trump flags and a biden profanity sign.
The lies would have no power if they weren’t circulated loudly and relentlessly. No one who has swallowed the Koolaid believed in or pays any attention to fact- checkers. I know all I need to know about the dangerous psychopath who wants to become our first King.
The media pays attention when they get sued or when they can't get defamation insurance coverage or when their auditors tell them that the lies are a liability.
Sadly, I’m finding both PBS and NPR, not to mention the NYTIMES to all be compromised. Not the public service networks I used to depend on. The Atlantic, however, has regained her footing after a couple of years on the lam.
The CEO of my company talks incessently about the customers and adapting to the needs of the customer. He could give a rat **** about the actual customer. Customer in his words is a euphemism for shareholders and thats all the CEO ever does, whatever the share holders want. Actual customers be damned.
Its tough when you get smart people toting the line. There are so many myriad ways to not care, hide head in the sand, hang out with others who all believe the same wrong thing or worse being complict. My sympathies. It makes it easier to understand the nutty statements of shareholders (like warren buffet) who give sympathetic lip service as they assign 10,000 employees to the unemploymemt lines not for the survival of the company but for a "higher ROI" (return on investment).
Between the previous CNN “ Town brawl” , the nauseating staged production of Trump’s triumphant motorcade to Fulton County, and now this sickening debacle, I am totally turned off by the media’s celebration of this pathological narcissistic.
Janet Perini, thanks for the "town brawl" laugh! And. following every step on the journey to the courthouses is I agree, nauseating. And ridiculous I would add.
yeah...I caught that too...It made me sick to my stomach to see an experienced journalist pandering to and flattering the infinite ego of the orange glob, just to keep him talking.
TFG gave his usual lies with his narcissistic bombast! His dislike and disrespect for women showed through out this media farce. In respect to Welker she got Mr. Know-It-All to help J. Smith with his instance that he made the J 6 decision all by himself. Hang baby!
I never understood, until now, how our MSM fails us. They do this over and over for money. They are literally complicit in continuing this Trump nightmare.
I strictly stay away from any broadcast news.I would wreck my TV with whatever object I could find in my reach to hurl at it.
Reading about it is quite enough,at least I can delete what I don't care about or else know more already than I wish I did.
Too bad the rest of the world won't shut off the broadcast news,maybe tfg would finally just go the hell away.Ignoring him would just tear his shriveled heart out.Besides,it ain't like he says anything that's actually worthwhile to listen to.
Tho I'm glad you always tell us the truth about tfg,and for sure more people need to hear it.
I also strictly stay away from any broadcast news also. It makes me fuming angry if i see not only TUMP, but any other Fascist/NAZI GQP bung hole. I can't stand to see, hear, or even mention of them. All broadcast news is totally biased toward TUMP, and it seems they don't even acknowledge that is he is a corrupt, life long criminal. I have read that some newscasters even call him, ''Mr. President'' and that really angers me to no end.
I agree he’s just an open spigot of lies, but whether she intended to or not, she got him to admit that claiming the election was fraudulent was all his idea, and he wasn’t following someone else’s advice.
In the future, any interviewer needs to stop him at his first lie and continue correcting it with facts over and over again. Don’t let him avalanche you with more and more lies, just keep him debating the first one at nauseam.
You speak the truth. But I disagree with your last line. It is indeed today's story. It is the reason Trump was given a free soapbox.
Meet the Press is an aging institution that Chuck Todd attempted to resurrect. Now they are trying to jump start it with a sensational guest. Tim Russert is spinning in his grave. But not even his reincarnation could pull network news back from the brink. Most people don't watch it now...
Todd’s pandering for money by trying to speak out of both sid s of his mouth to garner more listeners has caused the general decline of Meet the Press! Years ago I quit watching it because of his wimpy reporting.
I’ll give Welker a pass on her first show as I think the blow back may wake up NBC’s management!
As a retired broadcasting professional and expat American living in Denmark since 1991, I'm embarrassed how crass and commercially minded America's three private broadcasting companies are. The bottom line is always the big bucks. Public service broadcasters such as the BBC or Denmark's DR seldom pander for profits. Shame on you, NBC!
The big story is his lies. Documented. 91 criminal charges in 4 seperate jurisdictions.
For some reason, they don't teach the art of cross examination at journalism school. Every succeeding lie is the news.
Dateline America. Today Trump lied again!
Tim Russert was a lawyer who knew how to cross examine his guests. Did extensive research on the featured guest prior to each Meet the Press show. Loved to dig up old quotes and video clips to spring on the unsuspecting guest to catch the guest in a lie. One of journalism's best! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Russert
Trump is like an octopus on steroids. He has his tentacles in everything.
Everything that only benefits him and nothing else matters. The scary fact that his polling numbers are as high as they are can be highly blamed on the media like the sham, lie fest Meet the Press interview.
The bashing of Garland by Gaetz and Jordan was inexcusable. Gaetz is one "Matt" I wouldn't waste my time wiping my feet on.
The FBI and the DOJ--
Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>
11:51 AM (0 minutes ago)
The Republican party is currently attacking these agencies in an attempt to defund and dismantle both. My question is why? Any normal person you would meet on the street holds these bodies in high esteem. The FBI and the DOJ aren't 3 letter acronyms we use to frighten people into following the law. They are respected elements found within our Government that help regulate the truth in this country. To attack them on any level is suspect. I feel there are elements within our own Government that believe having the FBI and the DOJ in good standing would be counterproductive to their objective. Their discontent is aimed at weakening the opinion most people have of the agencies. Why??????????
Well, as they've stated many times, they want the government to be "small enough to drown in a bathtub."
Government is their bugbear, more specifically, the bugbear of their very rich donors. Governments tax, regulate, supervise, prohibit, and criticize, thus cutting back on profits fat cats can't get enough of. Government is their sworn enemy; anything to hurt them, shrink them, defang them is good. And they've been pretty successful at it.
Trump is running an excellent defense for them with his endless diversions. He mainly wants the attention, the power, and money it brings for himself, but he at the same time helps other big dogs succeed. It's a tribe, even if they hate each other and are jealous of each other; they all want the same things: money and power. Their heaven is right here on Earth, so they're going all-out to make their glitzy lives spectacular. If you don't do likewise, you're a loser.
The answer to your question, Donald - they're (DOJ and FBI) doing their jobs.
Because they have and probably still are investigating Trump.
(also maybe some of his cronies)
I don't get it that Gaetz and Jordan both totally got away with some real criminal behavior? Didn't they?????
Karen--Whoever was in charge of that hearing should never have let the members of the GOP badger Garland in that manner. It was disrespectful, but you have to remember those people are Republicans. What ever ingredients you put in the soup you will find on your spoon when you sample your effort.
Karen, yes they both did, and somehow, being Republicans, the charges were dropped practically before they were even investigated, which means they weren't really investigated. It seems that is the "good" one can get if the courts are stacked with Federalist Society junkies. They do best if they don't really know the law and can make it up as they go along. If one is not sure, check out what has been going on in Texas and the Supreme Court. It seems even their clerks are pretty much either ignorant or go-alongs. Gates was credibly accused of taking a minor across state lines for sex and Jordan was a coach when all kinds of sexual abuse was going on at his college - of course, he knew nothing about it. Trump has been the pioneer and the rest of the Republicans have jumped on his train and are riding along behind. They do have the lying, cheating, gaslighting, sexual harassment, and abuse down pretty well and projection is coming along nicely. The abuse of interviewers is still being developed. DeSantis is working on it (OK, he is a terrible interviewee, but is working on the lying and deflecting a bit). Interviews with Republicans or Trump wannabees of any party should be avoided.
Yes they are both criminals. Daddy bought Gaetz out. I don’t know who took care of Jordan.
Please don't insult octopuses. They are very intelligent creatures.
Jeannette--Did you know, as an octopus lover, that these invertebrates only have 6 legs? All the while we gave them credit for having 8. The front two are actually arms not legs. However, in total they do have 8 appendages, giving them the right to be classified as arthropods.
I believe you have hit on the key. Have an ex-lawyer do the interview.
Mary Ellen, I would like to see Mehdi Hassen interview those Trump wannabees. I would especially like it if he had no network to control what he asked and how he cross-examined. I found his book about winning arguments an excellent summary of how to keep an argument from sinking into lies and misinformation.
Savannah Guthry(sp?) is a former lawyer who defended Eron and is employed by NBC. I don't think she'd do a very good job, ethically, nor would any getting an NBC paycheck. This UAss corporation is just too $$$ profit oriented and cowardly.
Agree. CTodd is why we no longer watch MTP
Margaret Brennan had a cutting edge,she may have given him a run.
Look at salaries. They are overworked and under paid for their hours. Those who don't toe the company line are bullied to the side. It's too simple to ask why someone isn't doing their job. At this point many journalists only get paid and work for content click based stories.
School? Well they are now self teaching. It's called collaborative learning. That's a whole another post. No, they do not teach in schools anymore - much. Those teachers aren't getting paid either.
What are we going to do? Tax Wall Street for health care for all so we can change jobs. And, a minimum salary every month so that people feel like they can speak up at their jobs.
You think she is underpaid?
An example of good journalism is Nicole Wallace.
I agree. Nicole Wallace is incredibly well-prepared for her shows, on top of the news, and doesn't hesitate to inject her own informed views as she interviews her panelists. Sometimes her questions are so long and nuanced that we wonder whether a panelist will have time to answer, but she's the best of the moderators I've seen.
We set our recorder to never miss one of her shows. We like a lot of the commentators on MSNBC. they actually ARE "Fair and Balanced" although of course they are more left than right, but mostly always "right"! :o)
Nicole won't allow right wingers to come on and lie. She will challenge them immediately and she is always better informed than them. I saw one show where she warned the guest just before a commercial that is he continued to lie, she'd have him leave. They came back on, he continued to lie and she had him leave.
They won't come on her show anymore because they know they'd be challenged. Laurence O'Donnell is the same way.
William, I do like Nicole Wallace, and there are other good journalists, but so often they are straight-jacketed so they can't do the kind of interview that would actually inform people of where the candidate or official stands and what they stand for. I have experienced that even on NPR which tries usually to be "neutral." Republican and conservative interviewees are asked questions that are general and have predictable answers. Democrats and progressives as well as officials from Democratic administrations are asked complex questions with maybe 30 seconds to answer, which, of course makes them seem incompetent, uninformed, or otherwise pathetic. I keep hoping I am wrong about this, but I have seen it so often I know it must be a requirement. Maybe the questions are actually given to the interviewers. We could stop that if we cared enough as citizens to protest and demand better.
The right wingers won't go on certain shows because those commentators won't allow lies. That includes Nicole but also Joy Reid, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes. I don't feel these people ae straight jacketed. I've never seen Stephanie Ruhl interview them so I don't know about her. Katie Tur lets them roll all over her.
CNN has no one to stand up to them. Perhaps Abby Philip.
I don't fully trust NPR. They try too hard to equate both sides and that means equating lies with truth.
William, I also like the folks you name. Iin addition, I like Jen Psaki, Mehdi Hassen, and Terry Gross of "Fresh Air." Rarely do Republicans agree to be interviewed by them either. They only want interviewers who will let them get away with their BS and call them on nothing. They think it makes them look strong, but if people actually listen, they will see just how bankrupt they are in ideas, policies, and even thinking. It is too bad so many people have chosen not to think. They have decided "feeling" and their "gut feeling" is more accurate than their actual brain. They're wrong, but how do we get that point across to them. They are already worshipping at the Trump altar, mentally drugged into a stupor of ignorance.
As a general statement, most of us are under paid these days in comparison to the cost of living. Generally, it motivates people. Did I get a salary from her company, no. It's a general statement of our country at the moment based on RR classes.
Janet, if you are referring to news gatherers and local reporters, you are correct. But TV anchors are STARS. their pay is in the millions, plus enormous expense accounts. Same with columnists in print news
true, no one is worth 6K an hour. I bet the do work long hours and sold their souls for it...
It is not the role of a journalist to cross-examine a witness. Their role is to elicit the views of the person interviewed so the audience has information about the views of the candidate.
BS. Who, what, where, when and how. Must consider the context. Starts with an examination of the history, and identification of inconsistent statements. and outright lies.
Journalists are supposed to know better than to elicit more lies from a proven liar.
When the interviewee bridges to a lie instead of answering the question, what is a journalist to do?
Wonder what orange one would do if the interviewer turned to the camera saying the interview is over due to his uncooperative behavior. Then, run a previously filmed video outlining all the answers the interviewee gave to the current questions but with conflicting answers. In other words, show how orange one lies, constantly, about everything and anything.
If I were in charge, I would identify the lie and restate the question. If the jackanapes tried to talk over me, I would cut his audio.
See my response, below. Please.
See my response below, please.
No! You are describing the function of PR. The role of a journalist is to elicit accurate information.
I don’t agree. See my response below. I taught TV journalism for 14 years. I was a TV journalist for 17 years.
The role of the journalist is to elicit accurate and informative facts. Ask follow-up questions to get clarity. If the answer is evasive, ask for more focus. If the answer is a substantiated lie, give evidence and ask for clarity. DO NOT MOVE AHEAD TO A NEW QUESTION.
As a retired journalism teacher, I didagree. We teach the “follow-up” question, designed to go deeper and provide clarity.
Setting all the outrage aside for a moment, keep in mind that all ol' P01135809's recorded public statements will likely become evidence in his trials that demonstrate at very least his "mens rea" - the guilty mind. He's got >plenty< of rope to hang himself with, and it's a'drivin' his attorneys - who'll likely end up needing attorneys themselves, if previous events are any guide - nuts. Just a'sayin'.
Kind of hilarious in a terrifying sort of way, especially when you consider how he refers to the press as the “enemy of the State.” That news sites are more concerned with profits than this criminally nihilistic lying sack of manure and keep falling all over themselves to give him a platform tells me that wealthy America isn’t quite as concerned with keeping our democracy intact as they are funneling in uber profits. During the course of his interview with Welker, he said at least three or four times that multiple democratic states allow post birth abortion and what does Welker say? She says, “the democrats don’t want to do that.“ Welker is a dimwit who couldn’t fight trump out of a paper bag.
I would have preferred Welker to solicit these kinds of statements but not challenge them. Voters are smart enough to know BS when they see it. Welker's would have done better by allowing the BS to stink up the room. The more BS, the better.
Certain voters (apparently at least half according to the polls) eat up all his crap. They seem to be unaware that he is lying to them or they don't care. NBC should not have given a pathological liar a platform.
I'm less optimistic than you about voters. The people on this group do live up to your assessment. I'm surrounded by culties in my region of the country. The same cannot be said for them. They hear only validation and truth when they hear 45 speak. They hear their strongest advocate, their savior. They grow only more enthusiastic and hateful, more determined than ever to see their emperor back in power.
And it is incredible that there are so many of them.
And they're more energized than the rest of us. That's so worrisome.
I agree Barb, but do magas watch the sunday morning talking heads? i don't watch network infotainment, but i've seen clips on this travesty. i always thought welker belonged on faux news. anyway, the oligarchs who control the media don't care about democracy. they want to dismantle the gov't so that they can privatize everything, and rape, pillage, and loot at a faster rate. because more than enough is not enough for them apparently.
No, they don't. You're right about that. Some we know get a lot of their info from church radio, which has taken over the FM band in our region. When I first moved here 30 years ago, there were only 1 or 2 church channels, way down on the low end of the FM band. Easy to skip over. Now they're everywhere and impossible to avoid. Even a longtime hard rock station has now converted to church radio. And by "church" I mean more than just religion--it's politics. I try to take heart from our recent local success recalling 3 of our 5 rogue ultra-"conservative" school board directors. Sanity restored, with last of the vacated seats appointed last night. It's a glimmer of hope. But the recall was really hard work in a place like Eastern WA.
Paul, do the Trumpers see the election as a choice between a democratic republic and an autocracy, class warfare, or something else?
i'm not sure they're coherent enough to explain. my sister is a prayer warrior for drumpf, and it's not possible to talk about facts, or democracy, or anything substantive with her.
Most of us on this thread are fed up with all hypocrisy and untruths spewed by Trump and his gang. Assuming maybe Meet the Press would have a broader audience than most MSNBC shows it would be nice if the news commentator had the skills to push back in Trump and him. On the other hand allowing him free license to spew one untruth after another does provide the prosecutors with bullets to ensure Trumps prosecution.
Trump was the hero of the right because he (purportedly) was anti-abortion. Now he smells how the wind is blowing after roe v wade was overturned and is pandering to the other side.
Of course! Lord only knows how many he has paid for.
Thank you for stating clearly what many of us not in this profession suspect is the primary objective. Sensationalism sells, and Trump himself understands this very well. Although Fox seems to be the most blatant with this tactic, the recent interview on NBC demonstrates that standards are failing for all. Do we need to legally require that anything presented as "news" follow specific standards, starting with fact checking? If a guest being interviewed presents a lie as fact, should the news presenter, regardless of medium, be required to present information that contradict the lies? Such a legal requirement could raise First Amendment issues, but giving a platform to liars is dangerous. If the broadcast or publication is publicly labeled "news" it needs to follow defined standards. Or, instead of legislatures venturing into First Amendment territory, would class action lawsuits help turn this around? If Facebook can be fined for content, why not NBC?
It all goes back to the Communication Act of 1996.
We must reverse this disaster.
Please help spread this information.
As well as the decision to let the Fairness Doctrine go dormant and the Obama Administration's decision to let it be deleted from the law.
Thank you. The Fairness Doctrine!! Imagine that! Due to corporation lobbying dollars, let's face it, we have lost one of the greatest communication tools forever. Now there is no way to bring back decency , respect and trust to communications with commuity.
The Fairness Doctrine was not "allowed to go dormant".. It was killed by RONZO during the 1980s, specifically 1987, if memory serves.
A bad choice of word, perhaps. The rule had a very complicated history. It had its had its roots in the Radio Act of 1927, was interpreted as a mandate by the FCC in 1949, was attached in part to the Communications Act by Congress in 1959, upheld by the Supreme Court in 1969, repealed in part by the FCC in 1987, leaving some provisions in effect until 2000. There was move by Congress to revive it, but President Obama opposed it. The FCC finally got rid of it in 2011 after Obama ordered agencies to review their rules for those that were unneeded.
What did that act do?
Thank you. That is a great suggestion. I will do my best to do so. So much was ruined by that 1996 legislation, and people don't know. Barbara R
Thank you Nancy!
I think the next big media event should be to trade trump for Edward Snowden! Think of it, prisoner for imprisoned . Putin can have trump and we can benefit with Snowdens’ unique talent concerning National security. And the media can just have a gab fest that means absolutely nothing.
Please read WikipediA on Edward Snowden.... I thank him for his dedication to the American public concerning being spied on by our own government.
I would gladly trade trump’s lies for Snowden’s facts.
I can get the BBC and other news on PBS here, but local news is full of fires, crashes, ambulances, and pity stories about sick people. I don't know if we get decent local news because how can we tell? Neighborhood newspapers used to provide some of this.
With your phone or computer you might be able to get BBC (or PBS)? Then get a 15-year old to show you how to “cast” from computer or phone, which means to play (cast) your computer show on your TV to watch on TV.
Thank you!
How can we effectively get the message across to major media that we don't want to see trump, and that they are flirting with destroying the country by pandering to the republicans again and again? Negativity unfortunately sells more than good news does, like watching a car crash and thinking about it rather than enjoying having a smooth ride.
The same thing with good news about Biden's administration and positive successes he and other Democrats have had. This is why I make a point of clicking on good news articles to show major media that yes we care and we will support positivity.
Stop. Just stop giving that bigot any air time at all. It is only feeding his lying flames. It’s ruining out democracy. The media is an accomplice. Period.
Rachel Olson ; Yes, the media love him and helped him 'win' the first time. Those who are greedy have enjoyed big tax breaks as reward for boosting him. Taxpayers get robbed for the installation of a tyrant and would be dictator.
The media will help him promote himself as pro union when the truth is that he was the most anti-union president we've had since Reagan.
If the media would be required to correct every false statement within an hour of broadcast or pay a huge fine, they would stop interviewing Trump.
GREAT idea!
Amen!!!
"How can we effectively get the message across?"
The media are comprised for the most part by for profit corporations, that are subject to government regulations. Broadcast stations are governed, in part by the FCC, Federal Communications Commission. Corporate affairs are governed in part by by the SEC, Security and Exchange Commission. Some dealigs fall within the ourview of the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission. All of these agencies have rules about fair dealing. There are bodies of other laws that may apply. I heard, among others Sarbanes Oxley/Dodd Frank whistleblower cases involving corporate fraud.
IMHO the media have been giving Trump imporoper free publicity in "covering" his escapades. Until the Fox vs Dominion defamation civil case, it was difficult to prove "actual malice" on the part of the media. That case applies, in part, to situations where, as reported members of the media fraternized with Trump before the Republican candidate debate, https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a44891839/milwaukee-reporters-trump-team-rare-steakhouse/. IMHO this leaves those people open to being investigated, themselves.
NBC and Comcast have to be fearful. At Fox, shareholder derivitive suits have been filed regarding bad management. When Trump's lies are repeated as fact, the media need to be placed on notice. Internally every SEC company has auditors who are supposed to report on contingent liabilities for the company.
As has been discussed here many times, the media also receive advertising money and the sources of that money should be placed on notice that Trump is poison. Each of the comapnies buying the ads have shareholders and customers who can object. The media are also aware of market ratings. IMHO many of the ratings are inaccurate.
NBC is owned by Comcast. Where I live, in order to get cable, in order to watch local sports, because my service comes through my condo association, I must use Xfinity, owned by Comcast. As a customer, I can and do complain. https://support.xfinity.com/svp-contact-form
I complain about my service, about the programming, about the fact that Fox and other right wing outlets and whacko religious networks are part of our cable package, etc.
I don't want to pay for Fox and these other networks.
To really get agressive, companies can be threatened with lawsuits, shares can be shorted etc. If the states of New York and Oregon are suing Fox in a derivitive suit, why arren't other large innstitutional investors?
The FCC lost much of its clout when Ronald Reagan nullified The Fairness Doctrine.
Maybi ask ALL of you:
What actions can we take to end this dangerous nonsense?!? A lawsuit? Sign me up:
-The People of the United States v NBC.
-The People of the United States v CNN.
-The People of the United States v FCC
-The People of the United States v __________????
I am far from an attorney (communication strategist and designer), so PLEASE, I need help here. How to begin?!? Class Action suit? I’ll chip in. It’ll create notoriety for whomever takes this on.
HELP THE USA! Please, help yourself. Help me.... pretty please?
I plead for concrete, informed responses. Am ready to add what I can to the effort.
Sincerely, Therese
ps: Prof Reich, thank you for so clearly calling this spectacle what it is!!! A nightmare and endangerment to democracy.
Pure, unadulterated avarice is the endangerment to society.
Yes! Sounds good to me!
Me too!! Tell me how to join up. I believe we should let them know that we won't watch Meet the Press anymore, that means dollars to them. Boycott the show.
Citizens vs. FCC
so refreshing to read a helpful, informative response minus personal venting. Thank you.
Do you think large institutional investors care?
They can recoup losses!!!! They have a fiduciary duty to protect their investors. A failure to do so is probably actionable.
No, most are evil.
The FCC should yank the licenses of any media that do not fact check.
Fortunately we now have other options. You can subscribe to Apple TV, for instance, and get a device that allows you to stream content on your television screen, and you can do so on an 'a la carte' basis.
Boycott the advertisers?
Sure. Fox....https://www.change.org/p/allstate-tell-advertisers-to-stop-putting-ads-on-fox-news
Simple, turn it off and don't fall for the click bait. Money has been such a generalized positive reinforcer that it has become a dominate and controlling motivator. Now that people have less of it for their needs, it's created a competitive situation. That's a hypothesis anyway.
Give them some reinforcer back. Union strikes. Don't buy it. Don't click it.
I refuse to watch any TV program that shows Trump or his ilk. I'm only one person but if more people would refuse to watch such garbage perhaps the money hungry so-called news outlets would show real news.
Here's one group that is working hard at bringing back 1st Amendment rights to the People's media. Media And Democracy (MAD) project. www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org Heard their executive director, Milo (Mee - lo) speak. Very articulate, dedicated, and proposing actions we can take to bring back the media to be fair, unbiased news rather than rich/corporate messaging. We use to have news with a minute or two of commentary. Now its ALL commentary and a bit news buried in the rubble of corporate messaging. We now have a Theocratic Oligarchic Kleptocracy -- a theolikle I call it. DT is their Useful Idiot keeping people occupied with chaos and keeping the fabulous things the Biden administration is doing buried in silence. What the oligarchs and monolithic corporations don't understand is that hollowing out the middle class means you don't have consumers to support capitalism. So, eventually capitalism will collapse. After Milo's speech I decided to donate to the Texas Tribune which is a non-profit and the only newspaper worth reading in Texas. We need more not-for-profit media.
All we can do is positive action. And the same should be said for the leaders of our Democratic Party. Let’s all stop reacting to Trump and the Republican Party. Stop giving them oxygen!!!
A corporate culture of short term optimization of profit is going to do us all in if we don’t stop it. What can we do ? first don’t watch stations that are irresponsible with respect to Trump. Perhaps the ultimate fix here is to create legislation to pricing in external costs to society. In the meantime, let’s all keep watching those people dance on TV. How does one fix a culture ? First, we have to recognize the problem and understand human behavior individually and collectively and elect officials who work to solve the problem, rather than simply reflecting it.
We need to email the news stations and tell them to stop. Ask them if they want to be responsible for a Putin president!
Tell them you will no longer watch their programs, they need your eyeballs for ads.
Good thought! But we need to TELL them, it will be a threat they might consider.
You are very much correct. I don't know in real life how to do that, all are behind digital walls in towers beyond reach. I only can just stop watching the program and ask others to do the same., right?
That is why I ask how to write directly to the corporate officer and tell him/her that I will no longer watch the program. I am betrayed by Meet the Press.
Email:
todaystories@nbcuni.com
tips@nbcuni.com
Call;
1 (800) 622-6397 NBC news
73 million voted for Trump. They may want to see him on TV.
1/3 of the voters who voted and even less of the eligible voters who did not vote!
Thats a good point.
US must NOT allow a seat at the table for self-identified enemies of democracy. Shockingly, we have such individuals as sitting members of Congress. It's a travesty and an outrage. IF you're an enemy of democracy, you are de facto an enemy of the United States and a traitor.
I wish you had been head of NBC.
I think Narcissistic Personality Disorder Trump sounded like he is mentally ill. Speaking in word salad incapable of generating actual sentences. He also admitted that the big lie was his idea so this helps Jack Smith’s case against this fruitcake. Trump is not only a clear and present danger to the United States and our democracy, but he is mentally ill for crying out loud.
You watched? Please, don’t feed the monster with your clicks and viewings!
Trump is an excellent example of mental illness in full bloom. That anyone would vote for him as president shows total ignorance of that fact.
I know plenty of people with a mental illness. All rational citizens with functioning ethics. Trump is not “Ill,” he’s Bad. We don’t see that too often, a person who’s chosen to give up his humanity and gratify himself through cruelty and violence alone. That’s why we have trouble recognizing it. But I think it needs to be said. I didn’t even think Nixon was simply bad—it’s rare. But voila, it’s been our fate to find such a rare bird in a position of mesmerizing power over millions, and until recently over our whole country. “Never again.”
Trump has Narcissistic Personality Disorder that is a mental illness. This retired nurse looked up and he has every attribute.
I hope you didn't think of mental ilness during your career as something to accuse somebody of as you accuse Trump here. I'm just trying to sort out moral failure from illness. I do not excuse Trump on account of illness. Most mentally ill people I know are able to make moral decisions--and make them correctly. Trump is flagrantly not.
You obviously don’t understand Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Yeah, it would have been great if Welker said “Sir you are speaking a word salad that just doesn’t make any sense.” Break the norms of civility, or let him run rough shot over you as a bully.
‘For crying out loud’ - great phrase to punctuate your feelings; I haven’t read/ heard that for awhile. I’m sure you didn’t mean Trump was crying out loud. (But given his mental state maybe he is) we’ve got to stop him.
The traditional meaning. I wanted to say “For F.ck’s sake”
The news media should not interview him. He is a traitor who embraces our enemies and is guilty of an attempted overthrow of the government. He should not receive any airtime in person, only reporting on what he is up to.
“He is a traitor who embraces our enemies and is guilty of an attempted overthrow of the government” Harold, in this sentence you express the nugget that points to the larger issue. The larger issue is not simply the media nor the corporations that control the media. It is about the possibility of the United States’ willingness to come under the thrall of a person or personality that would transition from democracy to anocracy.
“Anocracy” is a real word describing “a regime that mixes democratic with autocratic features…” “Such regimes are particularly susceptible to outbreaks of armed conflict and unexpected or adverse changes in leadership.” (Wikipedia) Currently the polls point to a tight race between a Biden and Trump. If Trump wins, he will put us on the express train to anocracy. We certainly saw an outbreak of armed conflict with the attempted insurrection that pointed to a possible “unexpected or adverse changes in leadership.” If a foreign country is an anocracy and has political parties formed around identities rather than ideology, the CIA puts them on a “Watch List" for countries that have a high risk for civil war. (Barbara F. Walters, professor at the School of Policy at Strategy U.C. San Diego. Former member of the CIA’s “Political Instability Task Force”) The CIA is prohibited from involvement in domestic affairs so it could not put the United States on the Watch List in December of 2020 when it met that criteria.
Walters asserts that civil wars are not started by the underclass rising up, but by those in power seeing themselves losing that power. We must look farther than Trump. Political Democracy in its current deteriorated form has become so weakened that we are only one election away from morphing into anocracy. It is time to look towards the true solution which is the next higher level of democracy such as "economic democracy.” For an explanation of Economic Democracy, follow this link to
https://www.proutinstitute.org/policy-solutions/economic-democracy-the-alternative-to-corporate-rule
Write and tell the media station that you will no longer watch. We don't need repeat, repeat Trump when so much more is important. Like affordable childcare. and food for the children losing the Covid dollars that hsve now ended.
Giving comfort to our enemies used to work against you but, in today's republican party, it helps you.
Simple. Trump sells. This is not a moral decision on the part of the network. Corporations have no morals, they only have regulations. Individuals might take an ethical and moral stand, but corporations aren't people (legally perhaps, but that was another failure of politicians and judges), they are entities dedicated to the benefit of their shareholders and recognize no other stakeholders, not even their viewers. The little orange one is entirely a creation of the media. He knows how to get attention. The type of attention does not matter. If he gets attention, he wins. Unfortunately, that gets ratings and the great orange blob gets on TV. Make their ratings go down, don't watch.
Quite right Wayne. Trump in some respects represents the ultimate triumph of capitalism. The system transcends any ideas of morals, ethics or considerations of right and wrong.
No matter how individuals within the corporate media may feel about Trump and his destructive path, they behave like automatons in the service of profits and stock prices.
Randy Southerland, yes, good description of automation. They are the Stepford Wives of Capitalism.
Wayne Teel ; tRump may sell, to some, but I won't buy and don't want to see him all the time. It is impossible to watch most news sources without seeing or hearing about him and his supporters. I record news shows and when he is featured, I fast forward past the ugly sight/sound.
I can stand when the Medias touch reports about his lies and then talks about what Biden is doing. Anytime they actual show clips of Trump I am wincing and mentally tune out.
but how many are like you I wonder
Down the block a forever trump guy no longer has the banners up. Its wearing thin on the faithful. This is an ongoing trend in a conservative town. Only one thats I notice still left is a hard to miss tiny house with all the trump flags and a biden profanity sign.
Laurie Blair, you're lucky you have the fast forward button handy to avoid the "sight and sound". I'm jealous!
Yes, this is why anyone who clicks or watches is complicit. We can only turn off the garbage by ignoring it.
Need to monitor to point out the lies. As set forth avove, those lies can implicate the media that publish them.
The lies would have no power if they weren’t circulated loudly and relentlessly. No one who has swallowed the Koolaid believed in or pays any attention to fact- checkers. I know all I need to know about the dangerous psychopath who wants to become our first King.
The media pays attention when they get sued or when they can't get defamation insurance coverage or when their auditors tell them that the lies are a liability.
Well that is at any rate true of broadcast news in the private sector. It isn’t true of PBS or GBH or any of the newspapers I read.
As one of my characters in my novels would say, "You no no wha' you no no."
The Koch brothers compromised PBS long ago and they have a board. Bring back Bob Edwards.
Sadly, I’m finding both PBS and NPR, not to mention the NYTIMES to all be compromised. Not the public service networks I used to depend on. The Atlantic, however, has regained her footing after a couple of years on the lam.
trump is still operating under what Bannon taught him. Fill the space with sh*t. Tell lies so fast they don't have time to fact check them all.
Another one (Bannon) who should be serving his sentence. Not being free on appeal.
That is what I am doing going forward. I shut the show off when I saw what was about to transpire. who needs this?
The CEO of my company talks incessently about the customers and adapting to the needs of the customer. He could give a rat **** about the actual customer. Customer in his words is a euphemism for shareholders and thats all the CEO ever does, whatever the share holders want. Actual customers be damned.
I have a cousin who is a Ph.D. economist from Penn and he told me all he cares about is tax cuts. He will vote for anyone who cuts his taxes.
Its tough when you get smart people toting the line. There are so many myriad ways to not care, hide head in the sand, hang out with others who all believe the same wrong thing or worse being complict. My sympathies. It makes it easier to understand the nutty statements of shareholders (like warren buffet) who give sympathetic lip service as they assign 10,000 employees to the unemploymemt lines not for the survival of the company but for a "higher ROI" (return on investment).
But let them know you're not watching,and why!
I agree. Expecting morality from a corporation is a bad bet. All they care about is the bottom line.
Between the previous CNN “ Town brawl” , the nauseating staged production of Trump’s triumphant motorcade to Fulton County, and now this sickening debacle, I am totally turned off by the media’s celebration of this pathological narcissistic.
Janet Perini, thanks for the "town brawl" laugh! And. following every step on the journey to the courthouses is I agree, nauseating. And ridiculous I would add.
I thought she was better than this. This wasn’t about trusted journalism. It was about advancing her fame and garnering attention.
"Mr. President."
yeah...I caught that too...It made me sick to my stomach to see an experienced journalist pandering to and flattering the infinite ego of the orange glob, just to keep him talking.
In addition to being repulsive, it was inaccurate to refer to the orange nazi as such.
My feeling is that everyone who can ridicule the Great Trumpeter mercilessly, repeatedly and loudly.
To that end I repeat my shitty ditty:
If you look carefully you will see
That our own ex Pres Mr T
Is a narcissistic sociopathic fascist
Who favors Hitler that dictator and racist.
Which characteristic do you favor
Voting for as your next president and savior?
Just asking while you're multitasking
In blissful oblivion of our fate that's pending.
BTW what do you get by cross a potato with a penis?
A dictator
Your BTW: LMAO 🤣
Ha ha ha ha
TFG gave his usual lies with his narcissistic bombast! His dislike and disrespect for women showed through out this media farce. In respect to Welker she got Mr. Know-It-All to help J. Smith with his instance that he made the J 6 decision all by himself. Hang baby!
I never understood, until now, how our MSM fails us. They do this over and over for money. They are literally complicit in continuing this Trump nightmare.
I strictly stay away from any broadcast news.I would wreck my TV with whatever object I could find in my reach to hurl at it.
Reading about it is quite enough,at least I can delete what I don't care about or else know more already than I wish I did.
Too bad the rest of the world won't shut off the broadcast news,maybe tfg would finally just go the hell away.Ignoring him would just tear his shriveled heart out.Besides,it ain't like he says anything that's actually worthwhile to listen to.
Tho I'm glad you always tell us the truth about tfg,and for sure more people need to hear it.
I also strictly stay away from any broadcast news also. It makes me fuming angry if i see not only TUMP, but any other Fascist/NAZI GQP bung hole. I can't stand to see, hear, or even mention of them. All broadcast news is totally biased toward TUMP, and it seems they don't even acknowledge that is he is a corrupt, life long criminal. I have read that some newscasters even call him, ''Mr. President'' and that really angers me to no end.
Try Nicole Wallace.
The rest of the world............does not get NBC!
The rest of the world can watch it on YouTube
The rest of the world does not vote in our elections.
I was answering someone else who said 'the rest of the world!'
I see that. My comment still holds-- the rest of the world is not relevant in this matter.
They are because their governments like Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, etc. interfere in our elections.
But they already believe the crap and probably are part of the lies being reported.
Mr. Mendacity is not known
For his veracity
From his mouth spew sewagy Lies
He laps them up like mom's apple pies.
His mouth is like a motor
So fast and full of odor.
What he says is law because he says it.
He can't help himself, so let's confess it.
If one could put a sock in it,
I'd put money down for stock in it.
Will that never happen?
Please someone say you'll batten
Down that blathering hatch and find a way
To lock the latch to stop that jamering jay.
I agree he’s just an open spigot of lies, but whether she intended to or not, she got him to admit that claiming the election was fraudulent was all his idea, and he wasn’t following someone else’s advice.
In the future, any interviewer needs to stop him at his first lie and continue correcting it with facts over and over again. Don’t let him avalanche you with more and more lies, just keep him debating the first one at nauseam.
Well, if nothing else, Kristen proved that impossible. I think she fully intended to make her mark by doing just that. Again, not possible.
The media ONLY cares about making money. Public responsibility is a secondary responsibility.
Of course, only a handful of individuals own or control most of the media outlets.
That is a story for another day.
You speak the truth. But I disagree with your last line. It is indeed today's story. It is the reason Trump was given a free soapbox.
Meet the Press is an aging institution that Chuck Todd attempted to resurrect. Now they are trying to jump start it with a sensational guest. Tim Russert is spinning in his grave. But not even his reincarnation could pull network news back from the brink. Most people don't watch it now...
Todd’s pandering for money by trying to speak out of both sid s of his mouth to garner more listeners has caused the general decline of Meet the Press! Years ago I quit watching it because of his wimpy reporting.
I’ll give Welker a pass on her first show as I think the blow back may wake up NBC’s management!
$$$$$$