Trump hits out at Fox News over coverage
Posted by Phillip Dolby on 2nd September 2019
THE cosy relationship between the US President and his favoured news outlet Fox News, is showing signs of strain.
Following a series of complaints to Fox News from the White House over the summer, renowned anchor Neil Cavuto has become the latest on-screen star to frustrate the President’s apparent belief the station is there simply to give him unwavering praise.
According to The Times, Cavuto said on Thursday: “First of all, Mr President, we don’t work for you. I don’t work for you. My job is to cover you, not fawn over you.”
The comment was a reaction to a tweet on Wednesday in which a frustrated Trump called for his supporters to find another news channel instead of Murdoch’s customarily pro-Republican network.
He said: “Just watched Fox News heavily promoting the Democrats through their DNC Communications Director, spewing out whatever she wanted with zero pushback by anchor, Sandra Smith. The New Fox News is letting millions of GREAT people down! We have to start looking for a new News Outlet. Fox isn’t working for us any more!”
Last month Trump ‘took aim’ at Fox News with a number of grievances, including a suggestion that their polling is treating him unfairly.
“Fox has not changed,” political anchor Bret Baier said on his program in response. “We have a news side and an opinion side. Opinion folks express their opinions. We do polls.”
In Thursday’s program, Cavuto uncovered a series of Trump’s lies, dismissing the president’s “fake news” claims – something the President has begun to wield against the traditionally uncritical network.
“Hard as it is to fathom, Mr President, just because you’re the leader of the free world doesn’t entitle you to a free pass. Unfortunately, just a free press,” he said.
Earlier in the week, reports The Guardian, Fox News’ Brit Hume jabbed back at Trump, reminding him that although it may often seem the network is an extension of the administration, that is not actually the case.
In recent weeks, Fox News’ change in tone is being heralded as a new chapter in the president’s tempestuous relationship with the media.
Since his earliest days as a New York property developer, Trump has ‘obsessively’ cultivated media coverage, writes Boer Deng in The Times, encouraging positive press while threatening journalists who might write negative stories.
He frequently uses his Twitter account to denounce media outlets he perceives to be critical of his presidency - such as The New York Times and CNN - as ‘Fake News.’
I wonder: does Trump even understand the role of the press in a free democracy?
It’s so important the media plays its part in freely critiquing and scrutinising power, to ensure those making key decisions in government are held to account and the public is informed with the truth.
We all know what happens when the press is no longer free, and simply churns out pro-government propaganda, which is what Trump seems to desire - that is, if his outbursts on Twitter are to be believed.
Just think of Stalin’s Russia, or communist China, where journalists who criticised the regime were locked up - or even killed.
I don’t think that’s a direction the US wants to take. The USA is arguably the greatest democracy in the world - and however much of a big deal Trump thinks himself - he should really know better.
Take it all on the chin, Mr President. And if you don’t like being criticised, perhaps consider listening to your electorate, and change your policies.
Just a thought..
