Activist Media’s Attitude Towards ‘Citizen Journalists’ Is Exactly Why Nobody Trusts Them
The advent of alternative media has created a whole new world when it comes to disseminating information. But not everyone is happy about this – particularly members of the activist media.
Elon Musk ruffled more than a few feathers when he took over social media company Twitter. But when he tweeted about his vision of making the platform friendlier towards average citizens participating in journalism, at least some members of the once-vaunted fourth estate took umbrage.
On Friday, Musk tweeted:
As Twitter pursues the goal of elevating citizen journalism, media elite will try everything to stop that from happening.
Of course, Musk is right. Those firmly ensconced within the marble halls of the establishment press excoriated the Twitter CEO for daring to suggest that we regular folks could contribute to the national conversation.
Shannon O’Connor, social media editor for The Daily Beast, responded:
Not sure who needs to hear this (Elon) but “citizen journalism” is bad and should not be elevated. Look at how much worse “citizen journalism” made the Boston bombing aftermath (and that’s just one example).
There’s a reason why we go to school for years for this profession…
O’Connor continued, pointing out that “[a]ll legitimate news organizations have fact checkers and editors so that false and misleading information isn’t given to the public.”
Condé Nast’s Luke Zaleski also chimed in, noting that “[j]ournalists are citizens” and that “[t]he vast majority are middle and working class men and women doing difficult and important work.”
Politico’s Bill Scher said: “Twitter apparently is pursuing the goal of being a 2003 blog post.”
What is truly interesting about this exchange is that these media activists didn’t even realize they were proving Musk’s point. They are trying to discredit the notion that regular folks who don’t work for their esteemed media outlets could also bring important information to the American public. Folks like this believe that they – and only they – should be entrusted with the responsibility of informing the populace.
But what most people know is that despite O’Connor’s contention that major news outlets have fact-checkers and editors, mainstream media routinely gets it wrong, oftentimes deliberately so. Trust in the media has declined significantly over the past decade.
There is a reason for that.
The big letter news agencies have shown even more that their aim is to influence rather than inform. Many of these companies have acted as full-on propaganda mills for the Democratic Party while cloaking themselves under the veneer of objectivity, even though they are no longer fooling anyone.
Rather than being honest about their bias, they sell a deceptive image of fairness and balance to their audience, hoping to fool them into believing they are only reporting the facts. Indeed, most people would not have a problem with the media if they were open about their political leanings. But the fact that they choose to lie has been their undoing.
With Americans no longer having confidence in the media as an institution, it can be no wonder these individuals feel threatened. But whether they like it or not, we are in a different age now. Anyone with a camera and a computer can publish information – and there is little the elites can do about it. In fact, perhaps the establishment needs more in the way of fact-checkers on the ground who can fill in the blanks when it comes to facts they would rather us not know.
The outcome of the midterm elections has made alternative media more important than ever. America is entering into a season that could determine the future trajectory of the country. But unlike the giants in the establishment media, sites like RedState need the support of Americans who value the truth. We are at a critical point in our nation’s history, and the elites are working nonstop to control the narrative.
This is where you come in. With your help, we can continue pushing back against the leftist-dominated propaganda that is becoming ever so pervasive in our society. By reading our site and joining the VIP program, you are helping us in our effort to create a better America. The next chapter is already being written, and we will continue making sure liberty-minded Americans have a voice.
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