Visibly upset by the media coverage of these accusations, the White House urged media editors to “redouble” their vigilance. Covering the story by writing “Republicans say this, but the White House says this is a disservice to Americans who rely on the independent press to hold those in power accountable,” the memo states.
“Obscuring the truth”
“In the modern media world, where liars and hucksters spread misinformation and lies every day everywhere from Facebook to Fox,” this type of coverage “fails to explain the illegitimacy of these allegations […] only obscures the truth,” she adds. Accompanying this memo was a 14-page file dismantling seven allegations from Republicans about the investigation denounced as being “purely political and without evidence”.
Behind-the-scenes attempts to influence media coverage are far from rare. But the detailed memo was seen by some as instructions to the press, which could complicate the fight against disinformation ahead of a presidential election in just over a year. It was seen as a “rather unusual” attempt to overtly influence coverage by a White House that “underestimated how it was perceived,” said Roy Gutterman, a professor at the University of Texas. Syracuse.
” Scapegoat “
In an ultra-polarized political landscape, some media outlets have said the memo puts them in a difficult position, exposing them to attack when they report apparent inaccuracies in the impeachment inquiry. “The media which point out the weakness of the Republican Party’s record will now appear to be cowering in the face of pressure from the White House,” estimated the news site Axios.
2023-09-20 05:56:24
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