More than 30 journalism and civil rights groups and journalists have called on the media to report on the rise of authoritarianism and the threats to democracy.
The organization and journalists wrote:
We, a coalition of more than 30 civil society, consumer rights and media organizations, urgently call on the news media to report accurately and unapologetically on the U.S. election, the state of democracy and civil rights in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Trump.Some pundits and politicians have suggested that the media refrain from reporting on the rising authoritarianism in this country. We urge the news media to reject this dereliction of their journalistic duty entirely and to report rigorously on threats to our democracy.
Media coverage shapes both public discourse and people’s understanding of the day’s events, which is especially important in times of contention and extremes like ours. Media coverage can be a powerful force for public engagement and participation in democratic processes. It can also be manipulated for political gain, to promote falsehoods, silence dissent, and promote racism. In response to manipulation and poor reporting, news standards developed over the past century have made extensive efforts to uphold the hallmarks of good reporting through fact-checking, transparency, and other practices best codified by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.
But these measures alone are not enough to meet the political landscape we face today. We have seen a resurgence of white supremacist values on social media and in real-world events like the tragedy in Charlottesville in 2017. We have seen the rise of politicians who fan the flames of bigotry and reject the rule of law. And in the run-up to January 6, 2021, right-wing media outlets have spread disinformation that has served to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.
In these moments, media coverage has failed to adequately expose audiences to these risks. Too often, extremist values and reporting have infiltrated mainstream media coverage, changing what is considered “normal” or “acceptable” in public discourse. This has had devastating effects on people of color, women, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ communities, and other vulnerable populations. Media companies should not falsely equate those who seek to protect democracy with those who seek to subvert it.
Journalistic ethics alone are not enough. The media has done a terrible job of explaining the threats to democracy that our country is currently facing. Too often, the media spends its time normalizing Trump’s anti-democratic worldview.
Democracy is not a partisan issue, and journalists should stop treating it like one. Some journalists seem to fear that supporting democracy will stigmatize them as partisans, but a big part of the problem is that Republicans see defending democracy as liberalism.
Ensuring an informed voter is a core mission of journalism, and we are being tasked with that mission during one of the most dangerous periods in our democracy’s history.
Read the full letter:
