Sitting at the news desk tracking the feeds, I waited in anticipation for Trump’s News Briefing to start. I hate to say it, but this was the highlight of the day, I’d been looking forward to it.
Such events are always accompanied by uneasy excitement and apprehension. The nature of this President and administration is somewhat unpredictable, keeping the media constantly on their toes. Gone are the days of timing and routine. In 2017, you’re more likely to get a headline from Twitter at 3am than a scheduled briefing with Spicer at 12.
The briefing began and Trump strode behind the podium in his usual self-assured manner and launched into his speech. After a while, he opened the floor up to questions. Hands shot into the air. Trump was all too aware that the room was filled with members of media organisations that he had labelled as ‘fake’ and ‘bad’, discredited and mocked. Rather than brace himself for an onslaught of questions, he decided to preemptively attack.
As reporters questioned his actions as President, he questioned their actions as the media. Media organisations were singled out, labelled and discredited. Most of the time, the questions they asked went unanswered.
A moment that really resonated with me was when a reporter stood up and began to ask his question, his British accent stark against the pool of American voices. Trump stopped him. “Where are you from?” he asked. “The BBC” said the reporter. Trump sighed and rolled his eyes in resignation and annoyance. “Here’s another beauty” he said, “just like CNN.”
Sat in BBC’s Washington bureau, I finally understood the proportion of this problem. I was interning that day on the news desk, so felt slightly offended that the President of the United States had disregarded our work without even a second thought. BBC is not ‘fake news’ and neither is CNN. What even is fake news? The nature of the media is to hold actors accountable, interpret events and inform the public. Yes, it is true that some media might lean to the left, and others to the right, but the idea is that they try to report objectively. It’s one of the fundamental elements of a democracy and through a combination of outlets, the public are able to decipher the truth. But what happens when the majority of these news organisations become ‘fake’, ‘wrong’ and ‘bad’? I've lost count of the number of times during the press briefing that Trump complained of being asked ‘bad’ and ‘unfair’ questions, moaning that other people wouldn’t experience the same treatment that he had from the media. Instead of acknowledging different opinions and responses to his more controversial policies, he humiliated the speakers and discredited their institutions and views, casting doubt over the entire system. This is dangerous. It is dangerous for democracy and dangerous for the freedom of speech. It is dangerous for society, for people who are trying to decipher the truth and figure out who to trust in this nation of inconsistencies and polarisation. It is dangerous now and it is dangerous for the future. Think, what will become of the generation that are being raised in this time? The generation that are taught at school to be kind and respectful. Who are encouraged to compromise and learn from one another, despite conflicting opinions and views. They are told that just because they think they are right, doesn’t mean the other person is necessarily wrong because everyone is different, and in life there will be people who you disagree with. Children are taught to bolster people up, not to put them down, to be kind and understanding, and to not let the bullies win. The responsibility at this point lies on the nation as a whole. I can’t help but feel that some of the core principles that lie at the heart of democracy are at risk, and the events that occur in the next months-and years-and the way we respond to them will be vital in shaping history. Members of Congress need to follow their heart as opposed to their head, the media has to be more attentive than ever, both to the events happening around them and the content that they are producing. Citizens have to be active members of society, and make sure that they are demanding honesty and integrity from those that lead, and those that they chose to represent them. Let’s look at this as an opportunity. An opportunity to show the strength of a nation, and the backbone of a true and thriving democracy.
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