The Durango Herald joined an editorial chorus of more than 100 newspapers in one giant coordinated primal whine against interference with “freedom of the press.” (“We’re with you,” Aug. 14). The participants validated several charges lodged against today’s major media – collusion, misrepresentation of the facts, mis-characterization of the issues and institutional bias.
By this coordinated publicity campaign, the major media seeks to wrap itself in the protective cloak of the First Amendment to gain insulation from legitimate criticism of bias and erroneous factual content in its reporting. Contrary to the implications of this editorial, the whole media was not labeled “the enemy of the people” by the “leader of the free world.” The Trump accusation was that the “FAKE NEWS media ... is the enemy of the American people.” He named specific news organizations which have been institutionally hostile that have repeatedly headlined articles that were blatantly biased and proven factually inaccurate.
Freedom of the press is more than a right. It is also a responsibility that should compel those entrusted with reporting the news to be accurate, fair, balanced and unbiased.
Fortunately, as consumers of news, we have other sources of information and analysis. For contrast, turn away from the “mainstream media.” Cross check Washington Post and New York Times articles and the daily rants on CNN, NBC and MSNBC with the factual information, opinion and analysis available on Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin and Sean Hannity. Then decide. Anyone unwilling to do this is settling for only half of the story.
Virgil R. Pulliam
Durango
