Obama's negative effect on journalism

[LongTimeListener]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/report-obama-brings-chilling-effect-journalism-20528717

The Committee to Protect Journalists, headed by former Washington Post executive editor Leonard Downie, finds that Obama Administration's pursuit of leaks and other combative steps with the media have resulted in a chilling effect for journalists, far different from his promises for transparency.

"In the Obama administration's Washington, government officials are increasingly afraid to talk to the press," wrote Downie, now a journalism professor at Arizona State University. "The administration's war on leaks and other efforts to control information are the most aggressive I've seen since the Nixon administration, when I was one of the editors involved in The Washington Post's investigation of Watergate."

Don't know if this can be discussed here, but it's definitely about journalism.

 

[Boom_70]

"Yeah sure troll. Try harder" / Starman

 

[Mizzougrad96]

That's a great find. Thanks for posting that.

 

[Armchair_QB]

To date, six government employees and two contractors have been targeted for prosecution under the 1917 Espionage Act for accusations that they leaked classified information to the press. There were just three such prosecutions under all previous U.S. presidents.

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

Definitely should be discussed -- as long as it stays as a journalism discussion.

That stat about the Espionage Act is embarrassing.

 

[Boom_70]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Many journalists should be happy after calling for prosecution of those who leaked grand jury info in the PED cases, namely Bonds.

 

[Alma]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

 

[Boom_70]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

More than offset by major outlets like The Times, WAPO, and MSNBC carrying the
water for him.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

So it's the media's fault Obama is lying to them, spying on them and persecuting them when he doesn't like what they write or report?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

So it's the media's fault Obama is lying to them, spying on them and persecuting them when he doesn't like what they write or report?

No, but they're less likely to call him out for it than they would be if he was from the other party.

Comparisons to the paranoia in Nixon's White House are very telling.

 

[Boom_70]

The narrative has hit a bump in the road.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I think people were so in love with Obama's story that there was no way his presidency was going to live up to the hype. Supposedly, he cares deeply about his place in history, and he'll always have that because he was the first. But, I have a feeling history will not be kind to President Obama. He's definitely not going to be remembered at the level of Reagan and Clinton, and that probably bothers him.

 

[Morris816]

I think people were so in love with Obama's story that there was no way his presidency was going to live up to the hype. Supposedly, he cares deeply about his place in history, and he'll always have that because he was the first. But, I have a feeling history will not be kind to President Obama. He's definitely not going to be remembered at the level of Reagan and Clinton, and that probably bothers him.

This. And Reagan and Clinton had plenty of flaws too.

With Obama and George W. Bush, their Presidencies came during a time in which 24/7 networks dominated the news cycle. Plus blogging and social media both rose to prominence while Bush was in the White House and have arguably become more so during Obama's term. It's worth asking ourselves how revered Reagan or Clinton would have been if 24/7 news and Internet-related material had been all over the place during their terms.

As far as the OP goes, you have a few journalists out there who understand what it means to do their job while the more prominent ones are getting lazy -- as in, it's easier to either to get caught up in the euphoria of victory or grumble that your side didn't win but must find a way to win somehow. It's those few journalists who are becoming targets (unfairly, I will add) while the lazy ones get either a pat on the back or a roll of the eyes, depending on which side they happen to take.

 

[Boom_70]

One journalist who holds up well during The Obama Presidency is Glenn Greenwald.

 

[Alma]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

More than offset by major outlets like The Times, WAPO, and MSNBC carrying the
water for him.

Honestly and objectively? Not really.

The right-wing networks are so far to the right -- by design -- that they've pulled candidates to the far right. The Tea Party was the invention of some Jean Teasdale-type in Seattle. FNC made it real and used Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck -- always up for a buck and 15 minutes of fame -- to sell crazy over two years before, more or less, discarding Beck and playing down Palin.

None of the "left-wing media" is that...invested. It just isn't.

 

[exmediahack]

I think people were so in love with Obama's story that there was no way his presidency was going to live up to the hype. Supposedly, he cares deeply about his place in history, and he'll always have that because he was the first. But, I have a feeling history will not be kind to President Obama. He's definitely not going to be remembered at the level of Reagan and Clinton, and that probably bothers him.

For the modern era, unless there is a major economic turnaround in the next three years, he will probably land within the GW Bush/Jimmy Carter neighborhood. Superb pre-election narrative, divisive (GW Bush), ineffective leader ala Carter.

 

[da man]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

More than offset by major outlets like The Times, WAPO, and MSNBC carrying the
water for him.

Honestly and objectively? Not really.

The right-wing networks are so far to the right -- by design -- that they've pulled candidates to the far right. The Tea Party was the invention of some Jean Teasdale-type in Seattle. FNC made it real and used Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck -- always up for a buck and 15 minutes of fame -- to sell crazy over two years before, more or less, discarding Beck and playing down Palin.

None of the "left-wing media" is that...invested. It just isn't.

It is, however, far more read/watched and far more influential. And while it might not be as "invested" (and some outlets are), it is nevertheless often carrying the same sort of message as its conservative counterpart -- but with a wider impact.

 

[Alma]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

So it's the media's fault Obama is lying to them, spying on them and persecuting them when he doesn't like what they write or report?

No, it's not their <i>fault</i>. The problem is more nuanced than that.

If you had a college basketball program, for example, that was just hammered on a weekly basis by a few news outlets in particular, you'd better believe the rest of the media would feel the chill and distrust. Practice would be closed. Leaks would be checked. Publishers would be called at the offending outlets.

The difference, obviously, is the right-wing media has created and nurtured a market of people who want that proverbial basketball program to fail out of sheer ideology. Say the team runs a motion offense. Imagine a group of people so financially invested in the sport that they lobby for the triangle offense mercilessly and relentlessly.

Obama's weakness -- and it is a weakness -- is that he doesn't really love the game. Some people love this ****ing game. Clinton loved the game and was damn good at it, and his fiercest enemies would admit that. JFK, LBJ, Nixon -- they loved the game. LBJ might have been as good as there ever was. Obama acts as if he's above it. And if you're a Democrat, you have to be an operator. Obama, despite all the crap that's been hung on him about his "community organizing" has always been a bit a light touch when it came to work ethic, and the Beltway, quietly, resents that.

 

[Boom_70]

Kind of ironic and kind of funny that the media who has been in
the tank for Obama is now being shut out from doing their job.

I do think there has been a bit of a blow back to the administration
which accounts a tad for Obama's sinking public ratings.

There is not as many favorable stories as there once was. Many now
turning down The White House Kool Aid.

If the media was in the tank, you'll agree only one part of it was.

Fox News, every conservative Web site and 99% of talk radio has been against Obama since day one, with fury.

Let's face it: Part of the chilling effect is that FNC openly pursues impeachment of the man. It's the driving force behind the success of the Tea Party. For several years, it employed Glenn Beck and let him snuffle and cry and bleat about the demise of America until even conservatives couldn't buy his quackery.

The presidency is under a daily siege. The president's men and women respond with less grace than I'd prefer, obviously, but their response is not all that surprising.

More than offset by major outlets like The Times, WAPO, and MSNBC carrying the
water for him.

Honestly and objectively? Not really.

The right-wing networks are so far to the right -- by design -- that they've pulled candidates to the far right. The Tea Party was the invention of some Jean Teasdale-type in Seattle. FNC made it real and used Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck -- always up for a buck and 15 minutes of fame -- to sell crazy over two years before, more or less, discarding Beck and playing down Palin.

None of the "left-wing media" is that...invested. It just isn't.

Left wing media is more subtle in their approach and more widely accepted
as "main stream". Cause the NY Times said it carries more weight than if
Fox said it.