West Wing Fantasy Camp: Things I'd Like to See Under a New Administration - #4

#4: Fourth Estate of Mind

Much has been made about the state of our press. Even in the time of Jefferson, newspapers were often thought of as sensationalist exploiters and manipulators, more concerned with circulation than verification. Despite all its faults, though, even these detractors knew that when the press was at its best it was the most effective means of uncovering and disseminating information to the public. So valued was this capability that it was protected in the First Amendment to the Constitution, often thought of as the highest ideal of American Freedom.

Though the medium has changed, its value has not. Radio, television, blogs, all of them have added to the forms through which the press operates. 24 hours a day their eyes are watchful, always looking for the cracks that need exposing. Often thought of as the fourth branch of our government, they serve as a check on not only our politicians, but on every facet of our society.

That is, of course, when they are at their best. To cast such a wide net, to cover so much area and so much information, requires a wealth of diligence, funding, and personnel. As such, corners are cut and costs considered. Some stories go uncovered and others oversimplified to make for easier marketing, and always, information is not just the product but is proprietary: the means to making money. In this competitive landscape where the scoop, the exclusive, is what stands between excellence and the also-rans, access is valued like solid gold.

Reporters know that to be successful, they have to be on the inside. Politicians and celebrities have used that to their advantage, opening their doors to those who offer favorable coverage and closing the doors to those that don’t. Nowhere is this more pronounced and more concerning is in the White House. This administration has been notorious for their manipulation of the press corp, keeping them always at arms length and providing exclusives to only the softest of inquisitors.

The results are obvious. In the run-up to the war in Iraq, the press was complicit in perpetrating a fraud on the American people. Each justification for war was covered without critical examination, a trend that since September 11th had followed the notion that you cannot question your Commander-in-Chief in times of war and still be called a patriot. For this reason, the majority of Americans believed that Saddam Hussein had WMD, that he’d colluded with Al Qaeda in planning those terrorist attacks on our soil, and that diplomacy had been exhausted. With this public support, George Bush steamrolled the Congress and took us into an unnecessary and detrimental war that we have still not completed. So effective was the press’s complicity that even after all those statements had been proven false, most of the public still believed it.

Things have improved somewhat since then, but the fact is that the press, in order to do its job effectively, needs unfettered access and opportunity. A new President can improve both the image of his office and the state of our press by treating them not as a hostile opponent, but as a necessary and valuable conduit to the American people; not just as a means to convey a message but as a voice for the people to power. Instead of merely sending the Press Secretary to hold the press at bay, the President should meet regularly with press to take questions and discuss issues. These press conferences shouldn’t be held only when the President has some initiative to put forward, but at regular intervals so that he is always aware of what matters are important to his constituents and so that the press can always ask what it needs to ask.

The President should also use his time with the media to discuss policy and matters of public importance, and not as opportunities to promote their own public image. If the only question that will be asked is what they are doing for the holidays or which team they are rooting for, that time can be better spent. Above all, the President should not pick and choose who gets access by who gives favorable coverage. If a journalist is responsible, is diligent in seeking the truth, and honest in their reporting, then they should be given access.

It can no longer be acceptable to treat responsible journalists as purveyors of bias, or to demand that all sides of an argument be given equal weight regardless of veracity. When the media is treated as the enemy, the quality of reporting will suffer, and irrespective of whether the truth is told, the public will not believe them. A new administration must work with the press; not around them or coercively with them. Just as our government works best when all three branches are at full strength, so too must the fourth estate be allowed to serve its function, so that in all respects the truth may keep us free.