Every television executive in America should be watching what Channel 4 in the UK has done: journalism.
Every television news executive at every local TV station in America should ask themselves one question: why doesn't our station hold our members of Congress accountable on anything?
And if you want to find out what your member of Congress thinks of what Cambridge Analytica has done, you'll have to call your member of Congress. Most likely, your local TV reporters never will.
When journalism fails, bad things happen. That's why we had a war in Iraq. There was no imminent threat. Hans Blick's weapons inspectors all found the same thing: nothing here. Unfortunately, journalists didn't do their job. They played cheerleader. Channel 4 in the UK is doing what journalists are supposed to do: journalism.
The best thing about the election of Donald Trump is it has prompted both the New York Times and the Washington Post to do journalism again. That's essential for democracy.
The threat to democracy does not come from terrorism. Terrorists don't have a chance at destroying democracy. The threat from democracy comes from government secrecy combined with corporate greed combined with the failure of the press to do its job.
When journalism fails, bad things happen. That's why Trump is president. Remember when Morning Joe did nothing but play cheerleader for Trump? Now the show is critical and questioning. Too late. Hey Morning Joe, you need to apologize.
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