This arming teachers "debate" illustrates a structural weakness of the mainstream media

[kpete]

This arming teachers "debate" illustrates a structural weakness of the mainstream media that has dogged them for the entire Trump presidency, that because he is president, what he "proposes" must be taken seriously, but some things should simply be mocked, dismissed, shitcanned.

...........

If Trump suggested going to the moon to harvest the green cheese to feed the homeless, rather than dismissing it as the ravings of a loon, they would bring someone on to talk about the logistics of getting to the moon, and someone else on the dangers of a moon cheese diet.

Meanwhile, the core delusion persists, and rather than dealing with the underlying issue, guns, we're having a sober discussion about ridiculous nonsense. If the media can't filter out nonsense, what good are they?

I actually think a bunch of journalists are doing their best on this front, which is why I identify the problem as structural. They're "required" to take these things seriously because to be scornful seems like bias or a violation of journalistic balance.

This is why the systems need re-examining. Maybe CNN needs to hire a designated John Oliver or Trevor Noah type as an "opinion" contributor who isn't constrained from mocking the ridiculous. The reason The Daily Show and Last Week feel like such antidotes is because they are.



MORE:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/967929048520421382.html

[FarPoint]

1. This problem is serious...

The media " normalized" tRump during Primaries, General Election and Presidency.. ..all for ratings...they relish his tweets like a heroin addict...never effectively holding any of the Cult 45 Gang accountable ....I'm in knots every day.

[lostnfound]

2. Media, we know this stems from desire for journalistic integrity but OP is right..

If a president presents a 45 degree angle as a right angle, at what point do you cut to the chase and describe it as “he does not know geometry” or state “he is using this as a distraction”? You should not be trying to give equal airtime to Sarah or others to explain how this could support better buildings or wax on about Shakespeare’s roses.

Cut to the obvious common sense and then move on. If you spend time treating his controversy du jour seriously, other outlets echo you.