Letters: The Power of the Press
Why a Free Press Matters
Updated on September 10, 2018
The American free press is in a state of crisis, Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner argued last month. The threat, they wrote, has been “years, if not decades, in the making.”
“Why a Free Press Matters” is an impassioned piece from people who obviously care a great deal about their institution and the valuable role it plays. I agree with much of what they say, but at the same time, this Ask any American and they’ll tell you that Donald Trump and Elon Musk have a lot of power, but I guarantee they’ll also tell you that and CNBC have a great deal of power, too. And yet the press can sometimes seem to be composed entirely of people who fashion themselves as heroic little ants up against the massive gears of the powerful. A lot of people are turned off by an arrogant, entitled attitude that essentially seems to say, With power comes responsibility. I would like to see major media sources acknowledge the powerful positions they are in and take corresponding steps to be accountable. Many people can see how the press so often grossly mischaracterizes or distorts in order to push one narrative or another. There is a well-deserved lack of trust among many right now for the media. No one can ask for perfection, but given all the feedback from all sorts of people who are dissatisfied, just one time I’d like to see a media leader get up to say, . It might go a long way.
