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Attacks on the Media Are a Threat To Democracy, Justin Trudeau Says (www.cbc.ca)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a press freedom event in Paris Sunday that one of the bulwarks protecting democratic governments from being undermined is also an institution under stress -- a free-thinking, robust media. From a report: "If a democracy is to function you need an educated populace, and you need to have an informed populace, ready to make judicious decisions about who to grant power to and when to take it away," Trudeau said. "When citizens cannot have rigorous analysis of the exercise of the power that is in their name and they have granted, the rest of the foundation of our democracies start to erode at the same time as cynicism arises." The press freedom advocacy organization Reporters Without Borders has developed a six-page international declaration on information and democracy to establish basic principles for the "common good of mankind." The organization hosted a small event on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum late Sunday afternoon where five presidents and prime ministers, including Trudeau, offered endorsements for this declaration. The Paris Peace Forum, intended to be an annual gathering of political, business and civil society leaders to explore peaceful solutions to the world's problems, was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron to coincide with this weekend's events marking the centenary of the armistice agreement that ended the First World War.
Trudeau, addressing the audience at the press freedom event without a prepared text, also talked about the risk if too many citizens become too cynical about public institutions. "Attacks on the media are not just about getting your preferred political candidate elected," he said. "They're about increasing the level of cynicism that citizens have toward all authorities, toward all of the institutions that are there to protect us as citizens." Citizens are feeling "very real anxiety," Trudeau said, because their jobs are transforming as globalization increases competition around the world. When that anxiety is exacerbated, it undermines trust in institutions and increases cynicism. "One of the bulwarks against that, and one of the institutions that is most under stress right now, is a free-thinking, independent, rigorous, robust, respected media," the prime minister said.
Trudeau, addressing the audience at the press freedom event without a prepared text, also talked about the risk if too many citizens become too cynical about public institutions. "Attacks on the media are not just about getting your preferred political candidate elected," he said. "They're about increasing the level of cynicism that citizens have toward all authorities, toward all of the institutions that are there to protect us as citizens." Citizens are feeling "very real anxiety," Trudeau said, because their jobs are transforming as globalization increases competition around the world. When that anxiety is exacerbated, it undermines trust in institutions and increases cynicism. "One of the bulwarks against that, and one of the institutions that is most under stress right now, is a free-thinking, independent, rigorous, robust, respected media," the prime minister said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
People have a low opinion of them because of the way so many of them have repeatedly been shown to behave when they're held accountable.
"One of the bulwarks against that, and one of the institutions that is most under stress right now, is a free-thinking, independent, rigorous, robust, respected media," the prime minister said.
Interesting how he left out "honest," yet threw in "respected" like it's some obligation on the public.
Wait.. your above comment makes it sound like you *approve* of the media being throttled, controlled, and lacking a robustness? Like, you're on board with reducing the ability for the media to provide strong advice to voters, etc?
Because, you say "we're even then", as if you're on the side of "the media sucks, it should be silenced" or some such.
Or is it just that, like many people today, you see "THREAT!! NOT MY TEAM! ATTACK LEADER!", regardless of what the story says?
Realistically, you're the problem.
Here's how to fix your broken brain. Never, ever decide an issue is right or wrong, based upon the party, politics of the person saying it, etc. No party gets it right all the time, and no party gets it wrong all the time.
EG, pretty much every party out there says "murder is bad". Using your method of response, if party $x or representative $x said "Murder is bad!", you'd say "No, you suck, it's good!"
Because that's what you did right here.
I think it's tough. Trudeau is a typical politician.
He says journalism is important to democracy yet he doesn't mention how media outlets being concentrated in the hands of a few large corporations isn't.
He also was against stopping all arms sales to Saudi Arabia after their government assassinated a journalist.
So I remain confused.... I personally don't consider 90% of journalists real journalist.
Most are just reporters who take popular stories off the wire and repackage it or get a bit more (in fact checked ) information off the internet and social media and use it as sources.
Wait.. your above comment makes it sound like you *approve* of the media being throttled, controlled, and lacking a robustness?
While I'm not the GP, I believe he was implying (badly) that people should feel free to attack (i.e. strongly criticize) the media if they feel that the media deserves it. If a media outlet is mostly objective and honest then it will probably survive such a trial by fire, but if not, well, good riddance. As Trudeau is saying that the media should deserve respect because they're the media, I call bs and counter by saying that he's a shitty PM defending a shitty media (or at least, the shitty elements of it) because it's on his side, and now they're both reaping what they've sown.
There is a difference between saying that x and y statements are inaccurate (and here is evidence that they are inaccurate) or relevant information z has been left out which gives an unbalanced impression and saying [media organisation] is an enemy of the people/country/whatever.
The former is valid criticism which gives the media organisation the chance to defend their assertions and editorial choices or correct the record and generally doesn't put anything beyond reputations at risk. The latter is straight out of the playbook of personality cults and tinpot despots. Rather than being an attempt to bring the facts to the fore, it is a vulgar use of raw power to attempt to crush perceived opponents. As it is leveraged power rather than facts in dispute it is very difficult to defend against and does put people in real danger - as we have seen very real examples of. Notable users of this tactic to to destroy opposition include Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and the Nazis Rather than encouraging a robust public debate it holds a gun to the head of any free speech that does not conform to the views of power.
Trial by facts and evidence should what the media has to deal with. Anything beyond that is straying into very dicey territory.