Summary:
The New York Times recently published an article featuring accusations from multiple women about sexual advances Republican Presidential Nominee, Donald Trump, made on them. These accusations come on the heels of a tape release that reveals Mr. Trump bragging about sexually assaulting some women. This article details the Trump Campaign's reaction to the report by sending The New York Times a threat that they will sue the newspaper for defamation against Mr. Trump. The New York Times responded by saying they are protected under the First Amendment to publish news worthy information on important topics. The New York Times finished their response by saying "we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him [Mr. Trump] straight."
Connection:
This feud between Mr. Trump and The New York Times details a debate over freedom of speech that mirrors our recent chapter on media. The New York Times refusal to retract their article displays the power that the media has due to the First Amendment. This power can be used for good, like The New York Times spreading important information, or can be used for less good motives, like Fox News.
Questions:
Who is in the right between Donald Trump and The New York Times, why?
Does the First Amendment give the media too much power to disseminate information?
The New York Times is clearly in the right because it is merely presenting the facts and stories of those who were allegedly sexually assaulted by Trump. It's not saying in any way that Trump definitely committed the acts, but is rather presenting the whole story. The New York Times and other media should post investigatory articles on candidates in order to better inform the public of their options.
ReplyDeleteWhile I would agree that it is the media's responsibility to inform the public and present the facts to their viewers, I would add that journalism has been used for malicious purposes in the past. Of course, The New York Times covering this Trump story is the NYT merely fulfilling their duty to the public, but news organizations have had a tendency to stretch the truth or fabricate stories. Recall Yellow Journalism and its effect on the Spanish-American war. The media finds stories that are "juicy"- stories that will drive viewership to a dying industry.
DeleteAlthough print media in its physical form has lost its large stake in the news industry in recent times, the way most news companies (such as the New York Times, Washington Post etc.) have adapted by moving more resources into online journalism allows these news sources to continue to have an effect in the news industry. This is impressive considering the rise of apps like Snapchat, which has been recently implementing quick access to a set list of bite-sized articles during a 24-hour period. This shift goes to show that the First Amendment does not give too much power in terms of a free press, as many Americans still desire information about what's going on in their country and all over the world, and restricting the right to free press would definitely incite mass anger.
ReplyDeleteI think the New York times is validated in its actions and reports of Donald Trump. Trump has a tendency of bashing any source that speaks ill of him or portrays him in a negative light. Trump does not have a right to demand these reports be retracted simply because he does not like them. The job of the media and news outlets is to report investigatory articles as Priya mentioned above. The issue with news outlet is not that the First Amendment gives them too much power. The problem that arises in media is the potential it has to be corrupted by group interest or influential people such as Donald Trump. Trump's lawyer and the legal action they are willing to take demonstrates how media can be influenced by others. Thankfully, the Times refused to bend to Trump's will and stuck to its belief that the American people deserve to know the truth.
ReplyDeletePrint news media will probably retain some relevance in the modern era because of the number of older citizens who are reliant on it for updates on current events. As this market's demand decreases, however, so will the news companies' incentive to produce in that medium. Ultimately, most newspapers will probably shift from standard print editions to online editions. However, this does not preclude the possibility of special print editions (commemorative or collector's editions) in certain cases, or retention of print editions while changing format (traditional broadsheet to magazine, for example.) In any event, it is difficult to credibly deny the growing shift from print to online journalism.
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ReplyDeleteIn this situation, the NYT has it right. Because they are under the protection of the 1st Amendment, they do have the right to publish really anything they want whether it's true or not. Because there are actual accusations from women that Trump may have sexually harassed/ assaulted, then the NYT should publish articles about the topic because it's clearly something important even if it is false. Trump seem to have a tendency to bash any major news corporation that speaks out against him so this is no big surprise, and won't stop the NYT from publishing what they want.
ReplyDeleteAs Henry said, the freedom of the press is an important amendment because it prevents the government/president from controlling what it produced. If the NYT or any media outlet allows itself to be controlled by the government, it essentially can become propaganda. Even though they do have the freedom to report freely, I think this specific article is important because sexual assault allegations are very serious and should be at the forefront of many voters' minds. I personally, as a female, do not want a president who thinks so poorly of women.
DeleteI agree with Henry in that what the New York Times publishes is protected under the First Amendment, and that freedom of the press protects people from the government. After learning about ethical journalism in English class, it is so important for news outlets to present the facts and not try to twist the truth. Something as serious as sexual assault accusations towards Trump should not be taken lightly or at the same time exaggerated in hopes of persuading people to view something a certain way. The media is often biased so it is hard to know how true a story really is.
DeleteI believe that there is no such as thing as too much power to disseminate information. I believe in the concept of privacy of course, but under the circumstances, the New York Times clearly had the right to disperse the aforementioned news about Trump. Spreading information gives people a better understanding of presidential candidates, and people definitely gain a better understanding of who Trump is as a person.
ReplyDeleteAs Melissa said, people deserve privacy, and Trump may feel that his privacy was violated, but that is not true. The original article reported stories that came from Trump's alleged victims. Assuming their stories are true, the women made the decision to make their private lives public by giving the information voluntarily.
DeleteI believe that the print media definitely still has a place in the modern news service. While it is not necessarily profitable due to the shift towards online media, it is still vitally important. Advertising is incredibly cheap online, which means that online news sources don't make enough money to conduct thorough, in-depth, trust worthy investigations. That's not to say that only and all print sources publish complete facts, but the reality is that often, sources online don't have the resources needed to carry out true investigative journalism. These investigations, I believe, are a crucial part of our democracy because they help keep politicians accountable for their actions, which deters corruption.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the first amendment does not give the media too much power. The citizens are reliant on the media for a huge amount of their information regarding our government and politics, because of this we are forced to give the media a huge amount of power. However, like anything balance is needed to make sure that the media does not abuse their power.
ReplyDeleteI believe that New York Times is justified. As Melissa mentioned, privacy is important. However, NY Times is protected by the First Amendment. Additionally, this is important news that needs attention. As a Republican nominee, voters need to know exactly who they are voting for and whether he is qualified to be the next president.
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ReplyDeleteI think that the New York Times is more than justified to release this information about Donald Trump. The media is there to inform our society of important things going on, and it's crucial for us to know how one of our possible future presidents is talking about women. Trump rarely, if ever, admits to his wrongdoings and never apologizes for them. He needs to start taking more credit for the things he says or does instead of trying to brush every little thing under the carpet.
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