You may have heard reporters describe their job as simply reporting what people say and do. The implication is that if things are said that are not true it is up to someone else to point that out. Then the press can report it. In other words, it is not the reporter’s job to be the truth police.
But the “new media” and 24/7 cable worlds have demonstrated that reporting endless untruths on both sides only leads to extreme polarization, gridlock, vulgarity, and consumer confusion. In other words, reporting alone has not solved the problem.
The president-elect is fond of Twitter. He tweets day and night. So, does this practice allow him to bypass the press? The press seems concerned. But truthfully the situation is much worse! The press actually has been treating his tweets as “breaking news” press releases. They reprint them word-for-word right up front, and TV reporters display them prominently on the wide-screen.
Just as manipulative has been his practice of inviting all types of people to visit him in Trump Tower. Anticipating a little drama, the press sets-up live cameras in the lobby just to photograph the traffic. Grabbing the most surprising visitors for comments becomes a stream of breaking news blurbs. In the end this is nothing more than brilliant hotel advertising and star building manipulation from the Trump camp.
Maybe the time has come for reporters to face the fact that if they do not call out lies and ethics violations no one else can with enough long-term sustainable visibility? Let’s face it, significant traditional American values are suddenly missing from our political discourse and it’s critically important that this be given ongoing coverage. After all, what is omitted from the founders’ fundamental “idea of America” is also important news!
Maybe broadcast organizations should now borrow from newspapers and establish editorial boards to aggressively investigate and factually report such matters every night in prime time. In the final analysis, when lies proliferate and repeated manipulation is tolerated, news too frequently becomes indistinguishable from “fake news.”
So can the press help us understand this new media world and find the truth in it… or must we suffer the consequences of vulgar language, lies, clutter, and chaos? A better educated media consumer could be another answer, but I am afraid we no longer have enough time.
Larry D. Lauer 
Maybe I’m blindly-optimistic, but I think there is a role in tv news for a truth-teller like Edward R. Murrow. I would argue few reporters have the courage to part with their network’s bias in order to tell the truth.
The most watched pundits are all the most partisan. Interestingly, one of the more level-headed reporters dedicated to the truth lately been Ben Swann, a LOCAL reporter. Because of viral videos, he’s been able to gather a large following. He’s a constitutionalist, and happy to argue against either party.
I think there’s able space in discourse – and an avenue for them to become popular – for truth tellers, but it doesn’t seem the popular tv pundits are interested in that approach.
Viewers reward reinforced opinion over truth. More reporters of overwhelming integrity will have to step up and pick truth over eyeballs and likes.