The MSM has been great since the election, but...

[jaxind]

When tRUMP started this whole NFL debate debacle, why didn't even just one person from the MSM say "President Trump likes to talk about the lack of patriotism and respect in regards to the NFL players (which the NFL players are guilty of neither but that's a debate for another time), but as far as patriotism goes, where was his patriotism when he sought to not fight in the Vietnam War?? Where is his patriotism now when he refuses to do anything about the Russians hacking in our elections?? And, why is it that he can speak more strongly against the mayor of San Juan, but can't even speak that strongly against Putin?? And as far as respect, does he have any moral authority to teach anyone about respect?? This is the person who mocked a disabled person. This is the person who disrespected Kizr Khan's son's service to the military. This is the person that dissed McCain, a war hero. So, a person who lacks lacks patriotic character and does not know the meaning of respect has no right to lecture anyone about those things!"

[BigMin28]

1. Those

very pertinent questions would greatly inconvenience the MSM's corporate owners. They will never be allowed to ask such honest questions.

[DK504]

2. It's like they were ordered to stay away from real questions

about this buffoon 3rd rate Richard Dawson game show host, who liked to grope women too, instead of covering real issues. The heads of the networks only thought about the advertising dollars, not the need for the platform.

[unblock]

3. They've not been great at all

They've not been full-on White House propagandists at a time when it doesn't really matter much electorally. That's about all that can be said for them.

They've largely screamed for hillary to apologize, beg forgiveness, take blame and shut up rather than let her be anything like an elder statesman or spokesperson for the opposition.

They've very much underplayed the damage Donnie has done through breaking of law and tradition and process, they can't bring themselves to acknowledge the obvious, which is that he's a white supremacist who ran a white supremacist campaign, has a white supremacist agenda, and the stench of white supremacy runs through every odious tweet.

And that's just the start.

They continue to largely be scribes and happy to repeat right-wing talking points.

They only appear to not completely unreasonable because the right-wing is too disorganized to hand them a consistent message for them to repeat.

[Turn CO Blue]

4. I think it is investigative journalism (print media) that is exceptional. Network and cable news

would barely rate "meets expectations" in my view. I am specifically referring to the news hour on the networks and to the top of the hour news on cable news.

But print media has uncovered NEW news, found links, done plodding, tedious research through records, and ramped up their inside sources to the point that there is a blockbuster story every couple of days.

That is investigative journalism, and what we need more of right now.

Panel shows are so counterproductive and it's the format that is so prevalent that it's become the only format. I'm very, very tired of seeing a table of pundits take the place of detailed stories and deep dives (think pieces) and CNN pretending that is the news or that it's "journalism". The same talking heads getting their talking points out there day after day is NOT journalism. IT'S A TALK SHOW.

And to your point, we need these anchors and other reporters to get there in person. They seem to be able to make time to get blown by rain and wind before a hurricane, but I don't recall seeing any of them waiting outside of Mnuchin's office or Sessions's office with the full weight of the network behind them.

For instance, Price, Mnuchin and Pruitt should not be able to walk to their cars without several reporters, INCLUDING major news anchors calling out the TOUGH questions about their travel etc.

We also need more of the 60 minutes/Rachel Maddow type of deep dives and piecing together other news while asking probing questions.

[Iggo]

5. They haven't been that great, and they were absolute shit before the election.

They've been pretty good to really good since he fired Comey, I'll give them that.

But if they were one tenth as tough on him BEFORE the election, we wouldn't have Trump in the White House.

Oh sure, there'd be a whole other shit show going on because the republicans hate Hillary Clinton. But there would be people in the White House who know how to govern and who give a shit about this country and its people and its future.

So yeah, the they're all up in arms now, but they got fat on that fucker when he was running.

They've got a looooong way to go to make up for that.