Eric Boehlert: Complete failure -- the media's critical race theory debacle gets worse

[babylonsister]

https://pressrun.media/p/complete-failure-the-medias-critical

Complete failure — the media's critical race theory debacle gets worse
Regurgitating the GOP
Eric Boehlert
2 hr ago


Did you know the entire “country” is now “panicked” about critical race theory? That absurd claim was laundered in a New York Times headline this week, as the newspaper tried to unpack the current, manufactured outrage being fueled by conservatives in their never-ending bid to wage cultural wars.

The ginned-up moral crisis continues to rage because news outlets like the Times are doing a monumentally awful job framing the story and making nonsense claims like the “country” is “panicked” about an obscure, insightful academic pursuit, usually only taught in colleges and graduate schools. (Spoiler: Most of the country has no idea what critical race theory is, let alone “panicked” by it.)

Last month, I noted how the media were helping to fuel the critical race theory hysteria. Since then, the problem has become exacerbated as news outlets defy common sense and simple journalism standards by refusing to be clear about what the controversy is really about. It’s about deep-pocketed players on the right once again hijacking the national debate by pushing manufactured outrages, and watching the mainstream media relentlessly echo their claims. (The conservative Washington Examiner has published more than 40 critical race theory pieces — this month.)

Instead of forcefully debunking, journalists remain overly impressed with how the GOP has been able to turn critical race theory into a big news story — while journalists themselves help turn critical race theory into a big news story. The press has become part of the problem. When the right-wing freaks out over a narrative, the press instinctively asks how high should they jump.

Today the answer is, quite high as the media attention continues unabated. The nonstop reportage and commentary represent a red flag because the American media, and particularly the political press, typically couldn’t care less about what’s being taught in U.S. schools. But with Republicans and the entire right-wing media infrastructure obsessing over the made-up classroom dispute, suddenly the media are laser-focused on the academic issue.

snip//

Education writer Alexander Russo recently offered up some timely advice for how to cover the critical race theory story: “Think carefully about how you frame the story, make sure to assess the extent of the problem, and give context to readers. Address the heated emotions without necessarily taking them at face value —or making them your central focus.”

Unfortunately, most of the wise counsel has been ignored as the media dutifully pumps up the hollow GOP smear campaign.

[ck4829]

1. Hmmm, in 12-15 years, some of these children of these "panicked" parents are going to bring home

a non-white partner to meet the family during the Holidays.

I wish we could see see how truly "concerned" they were about how "divisive" and "Marxist" that critical race theory will be.

I just hope everyone remembers what they said right now in this day and age for when this happens.

[RAB910]

2. The Dems and the Left need to learn to do a better job framing stories in the media

Part of the problem is the lack of discipline on the left/Dems. There are a million jumbled counter points. The left should have uniformly repeated over and over again that "critical race theory is some obscure college topic the right/GOP latched on to so they can justify their racist pursuit to remove racism and slavery from the history books. Just go on every show and repeat it over and over again.


Sure the message is hyperbole, but you need hyperbole for the media to latch on to it.

[Pepsidog]

5. I agree. Seems only The Lincoln Project and Don Winslow know how to fight back.

[Caliman73]

7. Disagree (somewhat): The Media needs to do a better job at framing stories in the media.

Democrats can go out and give statements all day, but as Boehlert said, if the media frames the story as "just a disagreement" then people will think that Republicans are just disagreeing in good faith.

All of these stories about "Critical Race Theory" need to be prefaced with, "Republicans are lying about CRT to provoke fear in their White base."

It is the media's job to determine if the situation has any merit. Republicans are lying about CRT. NO child is taught CRT. CRT absolutely does not say that "all White people are racist". There is absolutely nothing to this story, except for Republicans FALSLEY using racial issues to gin up their base and other White people who have "racial anxieties".

I do agree that the leaders of our party need to use straightforward language when speaking about the Republican efforts. They need to stop defending CRT or multi-cultural education and just come out and say that "Republicans are lying to gin up racial animosity because they have no plans to actually make American's lives better. "

One more thing: The Republican message is NOT hyperbole. It is a LIE. Straight up, no equivocation, a LIE. What they are saying has NO truth and they are spreading the message deliberately. THEY ARE LYING.

[RAB910]

9. Most of the framing the media uses came from the right

if they get a framing from the right, much of the media will simply play along. Either create a better or at least competing framing. Complaining that the media uses the framing the right provides them, does little good.

[Caliman73]

10. The media can frame stories however they want.

They are not just mouth pieces. They determine how stories are reported. Certainly they can be and are influenced by power but you are absolving them of any responsibility.

Here:

[RAB910]

11. I am more concerned about winning than assigning blame

Last edited Thu Jul 15, 2021, 02:14 PM - Edit history (1)

yes, it's lazy journalism, but it's not like the right are some brilliant people. We should be able to beat them by playing their game better than they do it.

[Caliman73]

12. The right's game is lying and getting the media to report it.

How do you suppose we "play the game" better than the right, if their game is lying?

They are by no means brilliant. They just lie and they do not care that they lie BECAUSE THE MEDIA reports their lies along with the facts that Democrats present.

Seems like there is a misunderstanding here. Boehlert is talking about precisely how the media is failing in this situation. The video I linked also discusses how media frames (which are influenced by power and money) dictate how that news is reported and consumed by viewers.

Media are not just neutral and static actors. They choose exactly how to frame the information. For example, the aforementioned Republican talking about CRT can be:

"Republicans denounce Critical Race Theory being taught in school as dividing the nation"

OR it can be:

"Republicans continue to spread misinformation about CRT to divide the nation"

Both are technically accurate but the second one goes into the actual truth of what is happening.

We know that we aren't going to get any kind of accuracy from FOX or right wing outlets, but we should expect better reporting from mainstream outlets.

As I have said on each of my responses. YES, the Democrats can do a much better job framing their responses when they get on air. HOWEVER, if the media chooses to frame their BETTER responses in a way that continues to favor right wing lies, then that is not the Democrats' problem, it is a media problem.

[Thomas Hurt]

3. This is how the christofascists "win". They maintain the narrative and gain selective populism.

They gain the perception that CRT is some disaster and the media plays their part because they want to exploit the controversy as well.

[Wounded Bear]

4. Outrage is seemingly the only thing the Right manufactures in this country...

[wnylib]

6. Most of today's print "journalists"

are just gossip columnists. Broadcast journalists have become knock offs of Maury Povich. They are more interested in creating stories than in reporting news, like wannabe novelists or film directors. So, the more sensational or controversial their stories, the better to gain recognition and draw in readers and viewers. Their reporting is so geared to ratings and profits that their paychecks should come out of their employers' advertising budgets.

[Escurumbele]

8. "The press has become part of the problem." When has the press not been part of the problem, or THE

problem?

They are shameless, it is all about the money and the ratings, that is the reason why Fox has survived so long. Make noise and attract an audience, whether the noise is true or not.

[czarjak]

13. CRT Denial

[certainot]

14. the racists turned it into a big story the same way as always - 1500 coordinated unchallenged radio

stations that democrats continue to ignore

those 1500 radio stations are the real political correctness cops, constantly whining about how they can't use the n-word even though black people use it in their songs, covid masks are for chicken democrats, etc