Trump and the right-wing media
Nothing negative sticks to Donald Trump when right-wing, billionaire-owned media conglomerates don’t want it to. They find a way to dodge having to directly point out Trump’s irrational and hateful assertions.
Case in point: The Aug. 21 Reuters story with the headline: “Trump pushes tough-on-crime agenda.” Now doesn’t that sound sensible and encouraging?
Reuters claims they use a “value-neutral” approach to journalism. Not really. As an example, in July 2013, David Fogerty, former Reuters’ climate change correspondent, resigned after 20 years. The reason? Because his editor announced he doubted there even was “climate change.” After that, Mr. Fogerty said, “getting any climate change-themed story published got progressively harder.”
N.Y. Times also claims “value-neutral” reporting. Patrick Radden Keefe was the investigative N.Y. Times reporter who broke the opioid story about the Statler family misleading the public regarding the addiction factor.
Then Mr. Keefe was told any further stories on his findings would not be printed. When he found out it was because the N.Y. Times editor had caved to pressure from the Statler family, he quit. Then, he spent five years writing the documented and notated book, “Empire of Pain.”
Think about how much power newspapers have in controlling the message. Gannet is one of the largest conglomerates, owning 390 newspapers — sued for sexual abuse of paperboys between the ages of 11-15 in N.Y. and Arizona. Reporters revealed that an editor told them to “put the story on hold.” (The suit was initiated by 11 boys in 2018, Gannet was found liable, and then their lawyers got the judgment repealed on July 26, 2024.)
This is not to say that all newspapers are corrupt or that all editors favor their own (or the company’s agenda). Our local newspapers are valuable as a way to provide information that enhances community understanding and awareness.
But when it comes to politics, we should be noticing if corporate-dominant media is (1) yielding favor to fellow right-wing capitalist billionaires; (2) hiding the truth; or (3) making sure nothing harmful sticks to Trump — the Republican candidate who grants their corporations tax cuts.
Martha Hodges
Kailua-Kona
Trump a criminal,
a liar and a thief
I usually read George Will’s column out of curiosity.
I am often curious about the spin those on the right side of the political spectrum try to twist themselves into while defending the words and actions of Donald Trump.
Now, Will is tying to convince us all that we are all likely guilty of being felons due to the over-regulated government and judicial system we currently live in.
This is, of course, to ease the minds of those finding it difficult to cast their vote for a 34-time convicted felon to represent the United States on the world stage.
Make no mistake, though. Trump is a criminal, a liar, a thief and a convicted felon. He is not like me or you or any other average American voter, and no amount of twisting and turning by the right-wing media will ever bring us down to his level.
Kevin Roth
Kailua-Kona
