The “right-wing noise machine” helped make a mess for Republicans by giving “invaluable aid” to Donald Trump, declared The New Republic’s Jeet Heer in a Friday piece. Nonetheless, Heer thinks that one positive consequence of Trump’s nomination is that “some in conservative media are…taking stock of how their own bad habits have enabled an unfit demagogue to become their party’s standard-bearer.”
For example, noted Heer, anti-Trump Milwaukee radio host Charles Sykes has qualms about how he and other conservative talkers have “demoniz[ed] the liberal mainstream media…A lot of it has been justifiable. There is real bias. But, at a certain point you wake up and you realize you have destroyed the credibility of any credible outlet.” That demonization, Heer contended, “has caused many Republican voters to distrust factual criticisms of their candidates…In contrast to liberals who take seriously criticism made from outside sources, conservatives have created a bubble that allows noxious ideas and politicians to flourish.”
Heer proposed a “reform agenda that could fix conservative journalism.” Excerpts:
-- “Conservative pundits need to become more intellectually honest and not knee-jerk in dismissing mainstream outlets as inherently biased. A moratorium on the whole cliché of liberal media bias would be in order.”
-- “Nurture young writers with an eye to encouraging them to have mainstream careers, not just futures as conservative pundits.”
-- “Conservative media needs to invest in long-form, deep-dive reporting that focuses on policy and not just electoral politics.”
-- “Be more open to unorthodox and contrarian ideas, especially ones that criticize conservative conventional wisdom.”
As to the first point, any ill-considered claims of liberal media bias don’t invalidate research-based arguments (such as the MRC’s) regarding the issue. As to the last, a truly objective media would examine each side’s conventional wisdom and expose its flaws. The MSM’s willingness to skewer the CW of the right but not that of the left is what grates on media-savvy conservatives.
