(*DISCLAIMER* This article is not about the future ofTrump as president or the people opposing him winning the election. This is about Trump's war with the media. I'm not here to discredit him as the future president, but rather acknowledge a fight that is going unheard.)
It's been no secret that President-elect Donald Trump and the media have a toxic relationship with one another. From the very beginning of his campaign Trump has bashed reporters for their coverage of him and he has been overwhelmingly vocal about it. From calling out journalists during his rallies to asking his supporters to dismiss what particular media outlets report about him, it's safe to say that Trump has launched a full-out war against the media and shockingly enough, a majority of the U.S. is behind him.
As a journalism student, this frightens me. Trump, belonging to the republican side, is supposed to want to uphold the Constitution. This means adhering to the first amendment. Which, if I'm not wrong, includes five basic freedoms. One of which is freedom of the press. So how does it make sense that Trump identifies as a right-wing conservative, but wants to deny a basic freedom provided to all citizens in the Constitution?
For as long as Trump has been campaigning for the presidency, it has been increasingly difficult to acquire press credentials at his rallies for both professional and student journalists. Even after he won the presidency, he denied the option to have a press pool follow him around, which has been a tradition for a large length of time. Instead, he opted to have a press pool once he is inaugurated.
As we are transitioning into the era of Trump, what does this mean for the media? Some reporters fear that their rights will be taken away and journalism will take a huge hit, especially political journalism. As reporters, we know that the image and reputation of the media has been tarnished. The way journalists are covering news is becoming increasingly biased and this has many people angry. It doesn't help when politicians and celebrities like Trump are adding fuel to the fire either. I cannot blame people for their perception of the media, but there is one thing I want some of you to get straight; the media did not just suddenly become biased, it has been this way since it's creation. So I don't want to hear any of you whining about how biased the media has gotten over the years.
Journalists have the right to cover and translate news how they want so long as they have the correct facts. No matter what, we are going to consume media that only relates to our values and point-of-view. So just because one news source reported on the election a little different than you would have liked, it doesn't diminish the story's credibility.
The future of journalism in America is uncertain, but one thing that is certain is that Trump will continue his fight against the media. It is up to the citizens to decide if they should believe the media or not, regardless of what the president-elect says.
Good luck to my fellow future/current journalists; we're going to need it.
