Inaccurate claims of fake news harm Constitutional rights

Inaccurate+claims+of+fake+news+harm+Constitutional+rights

Abby Neal, Web Editor-In-Chief

During his first press conference as president, Donald Trump referred to the media, including press such as newspapers and news websites, as “the opposition party.” This comment from our new president is just one of the calculated and organized attacks the Trump administration has made against the news organizations that work tirelessly to report on the world’s events. As a student journalist and avid follower of the news and current events, I take these statements as direct attacks on our First Amendment right of freedom of the press, and as threats to a transparent and responsive government.

Trump’s statement in his press conference was one of the most overt and public indications that his administration will have a much different relationship with the press than others in recent history. However, this idea of the media as detrimental to the Trump administration is, of course, nothing new. From tweets calling all polls showing Trump losing in the campaign season “fake news” to Chief strategist Steve Bannon referring to the press as the opposition party to warping what was supposed to be a statement in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. into a denouncement of the liberal “fake news” epidemic, it’s clear that the current administration has a hostile attitude regarding the news media.

There have been, of course, instances of fake news circulating through social media, and when the news is indeed fake that poses a problem. However, this “fake news” isn’t coming from NPR or the New York Times, or even the more partisan CNN.

Institutions like this are dedicated to a crucial aspect of a free nation: professional journalism with the goal of informing the public and checking the power of governmental actors. These publications aren’t just made up of whatever millennial blogger waltzes into their offices (the view the Trump administration seems to have); they are made of dedicated reporters who are educated in what their field requires them to do and are invested in the duty of informing the public.

As a student journalist, I have developed an appreciation for what good journalism is and what it means for society. Good journalism is motivated by finding the truth. It takes an open-minded approach and tries to understand all sides of an issue. It follows all potential leads, refusing to leave a single stone unturned just because it would be easier not to. Good journalists are motivated not by personal glory or recognition, but by a feeling of duty and public service.

The publications Trump and his peers tirelessly lambaste are, for the most part, examples of good journalism. Yes, they run opinion articles that don’t align with the president’s interests. Yes, they misread the signs indicating how the election would pan out. But these two actions do not negate the tireless effort they put into writing and publishing in-depth and extensively fact-checked articles.

When I listen to the latest episode of the NPR Politics Podcast or check my New York Times Morning Briefing and hear about the latest instance of Trump criticizing news publications that are crucial to our basic freedoms, it makes me fear for the path our country is beginning to walk. A free press is crucial for many reasons.

First, constant denouncement of reputable news agencies threatens one key facet of the Constitution: freedom of the press. This is an inalienable right that’s named in the most fundamental document of our government, and Trump’s words go against the spirit of what the country represents.

More importantly, a free press is key to an informed populace. It’s necessary for responsible citizens to be aware of what is going on in our country and in the world, and as Trump tries to chip away at the reputation of these institutions many are questioning the dependability of their reporting. This slippery slope is dangerous, as the media play a critical role in making the government more transparent. It’s inevitable that people in positions of power will do things that infringe on the rights of citizens, or that are at least a little sketchy, so it’s important that people are aware of what their leaders are doing and how it affects them. In a world in which Trump’s war on the press has escalated, we may very likely see a populace unaware of what’s really going on in the government. This, of course, enables a government to make decisions that are dangerous to the most basic rights of its citizens.

For example, if investigative reporters from the Washington Post, TIME and the New York Times wouldn’t have worked to expose the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon would have got off scot-free after spying on leaders of the Democratic party. That would have inevitably led to a chain reaction of later presidents further falling into corruption, all with the citizens of the United States unaware.

Although all publications, corporations and institutions have their flaws, disagreeing with the president’s opinions or “alternate facts” is not a large enough defense to warrant the label of “fake news.” In order to avoid a future in which the only media organizations deemed trustworthy are those who accept all governmental actions without blinking an eye, we must reject the labeling of the news media as “fake news.” It is only by staying informed that we can keep our nation’s leaders responsible for their actions and how they affect us.