Mainstream Media Fighting Trump...Don't Count On It

SCRIPT:
In the days since the presidential election, much media attention has been devoted to how Donald Trump will govern, what his priorities will be, who he’ll name to his cabinet - that sort of thing. Instead, I’d like to direct attention on the media itself, and talk about how mainstream media outlets will likely respond, and in fact have already begun to respond, to a Trump presidency.

A confrontational, oppositional press that challenges the powerful is essential for the healthy operation of a functioning democracy. Unfortunately, here in the United States the mainstream corporate media has essentially been co-opted and absorbed into the existing power structure. So now that Donald Trump sits atop that power structure, there’s little chance the mainstream media will do much to challenge him.

So what WILL the media likely do in response to Trump’s presidency? Let’s break it down.

First, what they’re NOT going to do is blame the leadership of the Democratic Party for losing the election.

The establishment, of which the mainstream media are a fundamental element, operates like any other organism - and a primary function of any organism is to protect itself from outside threats. The Democratic Party leadership - Donna Brazile, Chuck Schumer, John Podesta and others - are also key members of the establishment in good standing, so they will not face harsh scrutiny from their friends in the mainstream media, despite what can only be considered a colossal failure in losing a presidential election to a certifiable clown.

As an example we can look to what happened after it became obvious that the Iraq War had become a catastrophic debacle — the architects of and cheerleaders for the Iraq War continued to make regular appearances on the Sunday talk shows, in major newspapers’ opinion pages and on foundations’ and corporations’ boards. You know who we DIDN’T see on TV after the Iraq War? Prominent critics of the war like Phil Donahue, Hans Blix or Scott Ritter. Their disqualifying offense? Questioning the establishment — and being right.

So instead of blaming powerful Democrats for this failure, media representatives will point the finger of blame at the powerless — typically third party candidates, millennials, minorities and disaffected non-voters. Anyone but their fellow members of the establishment.

Next, they will ignore or conveniently forget about many of the extreme and outrageous statements Trump made during the campaign, whether insults directed at Mexicans, Muslims and women, mocking a disabled reporter, bragging about his penis size, whatever. They actually established this precedent during the campaign itself. Early on, when Trump was asked about leading the birther movement, he responded by saying he doesn’t talk about that any more. And for the most part the media looked at each other and said, “Oh, he doesn’t talk about that any more, OK.” Late in the campaign, during a debate, CNN’s Lester Holt DID ask Trump about his questioning of Obama’s legitimacy, but only after Trump himself had brought the topic of Obama’s birth certificate back up, albeit to inaccurately blame Hillary Clinton for starting the birther movement.

Next, the corporate media will seek to normalize what, previously, would have been considered unacceptable treatment of the press by a presidential administration. We can see this already happening as the Trump transition team is traveling without the “protective pool” of journalists who traditionally accompany the president at all times in case a crisis arises that they need to cover immediately. It’s a small thing, but it’s the beginning of much more to come.

[stark]

The level of dishonesty in this video is over 9, 000.

[iloveeritrea]

Blacks for Trump. Never voting liberal again.

[hebablo]

MSM has never stopped fighting Trump. He is just recently in trouble for him not telling the media he wanted to go out to dinner and eat a steak.

[kairimartinez]

I will say this in a respectful way. Young Turks you are out of touch.

[billybobthornton]

MSM loves Trump. He's an all day, every day news story.

[achicken]

this guy is reading the teleprompter like a robot

[Shyliht]

Not fighting trump? They been doing this for the entire year. It's pretty obvious to anyone that owns a tv

[LinkMEP]

The media constantly criticizes whoever the current president is. WTF Is this guy thinking?

[somebody]

Here before the Trump trolls with their busy social lives get here!

[larryb]

This is exactly way I've lost complete respect for MSM & TYT. I guess, TYT is trying to show everyone they can be main stream too - new slogan "come lie with us"

[oldersol]

Start telling truth instaid of propaganda

[bigbadborders]

You are part of the media, you have the same bias.

[OldKnightAMV]

yeah these guys only see what they want to see. ignorance is bliss

[carlperry]

Your tricks and lies won't work anymore

[zathorg]

You should watch this vid again, you sound exactly like the media

[gazoo-plnx]

why are we not talking about Protesters in large cities all
across America that have been disrupting public transportation, looting
stores, hurling objects at the police and burning Trump in effigy? what happened to love and peace?

[tapolna]

This is an excellent overview of US corporate media.
Thanks, Malcolm Fleschner

[zathorg]

I hope they read the comments! You need a new, non biased reporter!

[WangWing]

So, judging from the comments people don't want trump to do what he said he would and think that one election makes everything great. if you are celebrating a trump win but don't care if he does what he said he would, you should go back to your safe space and cry about people saying happy holidays

[raygoodsell]

Watching you is better than any comedy.