Journalism died in America in 1996
The recent partisan nature of journalism is neither new nor unique, but merely the descendant of decades of corruption by mainstream media titans like New York Times and Washington Post
On October 17, 1986 President Ronald Reagan signed into law a secret scheme to provide U.S. assistance to the Nicaraguan Contra movement in an effort to upend the socialist Sandanista regime. Arms sales to Iran funded the secret program, later known as the Iran-Contra scandal. Reagan came clean about the Iran-Contra crisis in a March1987 in a now famous speech to the American people. He stopped short of admitting responsibility for American support for the Nicaraguan contra group trying to upset the socialist Sandinista government claiming it took place unknown to him, a blatant lie. Then on February 2, 1988 Reagan addressed the nation explaining his reasons for urging Congress to approve aid to the Nicaraguan contra movement, aid which had secretly been provided from 1981 to 1986 by diverting money from arms sales to Iran to the Nicaraguan contras.
Reporter Gary Webb made waves when his 1996 article “Dark Alliance” linked aid to the Contras to drug sales in American communities with complicity of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The reaction of mainstream media was to attack Webb personally, costing him his career, family and ultimately his life. Media titans New York Times, Washington Post, and most cable news outlets piled on defending the CIA and the integrity of the U.S. government. Reagan’s admission that United States was supporting the contras was ignored as history was rewritten to vilify Webb and pretend the massive rise in cocaine usage in black communities in California was unrelated to cocaine’s source in Nicaragua and the use of the same American pilots delivering arms to the Contras and drugs to dealers in Compton. There was no shortage of evidence to the contrary, much of it surfaced by Webb.
Much like the suppression of the Hunter Biden lapstop story in the 2020 election campaign, but in this case on behalf of Republicans rather than Democrats, the New York Times and Washington Post joined the throngs of media titan denying the scandal.
Webb was killed in 2004 and his death was labeled a suicide although the coroner confirmed he was shot twice in the head, a complex task for a suicide victim.
Since the Iran-Contra scandal and the attacks on Webb, I have questioned the truth of articles in New York Times and Washington Post and news coverage on all major cable outlets like CNN, CBS, MSNBC and Fox News. Journalism was on life support in the post Walter Kronkite years, but suffered a permanent death from the cancer of partisan lies when Webb was lambasted for exposing truth.
Truth is no longer an element of journalism in United States and the fifth estate is no longer a viable check on the power of political leaders. Much of the social division in America today results from relentless propaganda and political rhetoric emanating from Administrations (on both sides of the aisle) and amplified by “journalists” who see their job as advancing the interests of either Democrats or Republicans rather than informing the public of important news, issues or events. This breakdown is on the leading edge of the breakdown of the institutions the founding fathers created to build the Republic.
Canada is following in America’s footsteps with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation becoming little more than a government shill dependent on government money to meet its bloated payroll and once storied news outlets like the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post and the Sun becoming cess pools of partisan rhetoric. There is no longer a trusted source of facts or news. Even our once reliable cabinet ministers can no longer be trusted to tell us the truth - far from it - the Liberal cabinet pushes a specious “climate change” agenda and divides Canadians into groups defined by race, religion, sexual orientation and gender and pits the groups agaisnt on another to advance their political agendae.
The last Prime Ministers Canadians could rely on for honesty and transparency may have been Paul Martin or Steven Harper, one a Liberal and one a Conservative, but I am certain that conclusion will find detractors among a hopelessly divided nation where the Canadian electorate chooses to trust or mistrust leaders based on nothing more than the party they represent without a moment’s pause to consider the person, his record in office, personal life or history of accomplishment or failure. There is little doubt Justin Trudeau cannot be trusted regardless of his party affiliation - he is a weak, narcissistic leader who reeks of pretend empathy while overtly damaging Canada with reckless spending, excess debt and an outright full frontal attack on our vital energy industry.
North American democracies are in trouble and the situation will get worse if the electorate doesn’t wake up to the risks of electing incompetent, corrupt or dishonest leaders. I see no evidence of that in 2023.
A free unfettered honest and accurate press is one of the pillars of our western society. It's been deteriorating badly for 50 years. They were accorded freedoms in our constitution which they have relinquished to chase sensationalism instead of truth. I believe it's time for us to revisit the rights of the press and open them to litigation more freely. Since I'm a news freak I can find multiple sources to get opinions that are more balanced, like your input Mr Blair. Most Canadians don't have the time nor inclination sadly.
I am very sorry.
You are correct.
And the implication is that the future is likely bleak, with so many voters so easily deluded.
It is nice to read inciteful views, even if unpleasant, and so I want to take the time to convey my thanks.