This is purely an exercise in thinking (a concept which, apparently, has fallen into hard times lately) and trying to project those thoughts into a future world before they disappear back into the mists from which they originally rose. I will state, unequivocally, that I am not a scientist nor a student of the human mind. Just an old guy who has seen a lot of fools come and go, before -or while- becoming one myself.
Someday in the future, when history finally redeems itself as history and not as the currently favored overworked patch of repaired and restructured quasi-facts, our grand/great grandchildren will look at this stretch as a most revealing time for our country.
- “Welcome to the first session of 2040 class … we are going to review the impact te press had in their handling of information during the infamous 2020 pandemic, as it related to an election year” says Ms. Hightone, the US history teacher.
- “Mr. Bleak” continues the class leader … “Please give us your comments on the press, as it reported on the pandemic and its causes”
-“Well, Ma’am (yes, respect has been reintroduced into the classrooms by that time … we can hope, can’t we?) it seems that there were several reports which contradicted previous reports” said young Mr. Bleak “Almost like a constant change of direction”
- “What do you mean by that”, asked Ms. Hightone.
- “At the beginning, as early as December of 2019, there were reports of a virus which had escaped from a city in China called Wuhan” “Then, a bat virus twist was added … but”, continued the student, “while a few press members were writing about an engineered virus, most members of the established press were trying to put distance between responsibility and the Chinese … despite the fact they had originally identified them as the source and culprit”…
- “Frankly” continued young Mr. Bleak, “I am not sure if I understand the flip flop reporting, unless it was re-directed for a reason”.
- “Very interesting, we will come back to that later” added Mrs. Highstone.
A young and usually
quiet lady, Ms. Rodriguez, raised her hand.
- “Yes, Ms. Rodriguez” said Mrs. H.
- “In reviewing the releases of most of the primary news media of the time, it looks like there was a lot of political direction and manipulation” said Ms. Rodriguez quietly.
- “Please explain” said Mrs. H.
-“Taking into consideration it was an election year, it seems that a very large number of press releases that year were meant to undermine the credibility of the presiding government” continued Ms. Rodriguez. - “what sets apart that year from other previous elections is that in all others, releases would balance out in favor of both the incumbent and the challenger; however, in 2020 there seemed to be a coordinated effort to bring down the incumbent”
- “Continue” said Mrs. H
-“I went back all the way back to late 19th century and early 20th century, during the period in which the ‘Yellow Press’ became known as a form of reporting that made up news and sources or exaggerated half-truths in the pursuit of an agenda” – “As a student of journalism” she added “it was truly an eye opener how the press then tried to manipulate people in general and some groups in particular, after these became a target” - ”Analyzing these two periods, what jumps up at me is the similarity in the mismanagement of stories, sources and outright biased opinion of those who were supposed to be reporting news, not making them”
“so …” continued Mrs. H, “what is your take?”
- “My first reaction is that of true amazement as to how several pieces of information were manipulated to the detriment of the administration” “in most cases” she continued “these were proven to be wrong or outright false, but the press continued to push them as ‘facts’” … “After thinking about this, I can only conclude the press was totally willing to forget professional journalism for the sake of -what seemed to be- instigation of fear and hatred”.
- “Well, class” said Ms. H “Seems that we may be running out of time; however, this is a topic which will take several sessions to cover” …
- “What appears to be, according to several sources who have studied and written about this phenomenon” added Ms. H as a parting note to the class, “is that a very large amount of money and time were spent in trying to manipulate public opinion against the incumbent in a most important election year”
- “We will also look at social media; its growth in use and its role in balancing out, to a point, what the general press published as news”.
With that, Mrs. H dismissed the class while remaining behind in a very pensive mood … These children were young and starting; she was old enough to have lived this period and to have survived it.
Under a pseudonym and allowing her directed emotions to dictate her actions, she had been a very vocal part of that press. After, understanding the potential damage that could have been inflicted on the country, she dedicated her time and experience to teaching future generations about the importance of truth, professionalism and fairness in the handling of the responsibilities that go with that most important career of journalism.
Perhaps, she felt, she could in this way atone a bit for past actions.
Be Well … Be Back!!!
Final Notes:
· Pray
for those who are
fighting an illness which may take them away from their loved ones… Every
request is heard, and counts!!
· Any
comments please send
to rjalcazar@gmail.com
