Cohen gives credit where it's due: "The free press gave America Trump."

[kpete]

"Donald Trump's presidency is a product of the free press," he writes. "Not free as in freedom of expression, I mean free as unpaid for. Rallies broadcast live, tweets, press conferences, idiotic interviews, 24-7 wall-to-wall coverage, all without spending a penny. The free press gave America Trump."

"Right, left, moderate, tabloid, broadsheet, television, radio, Internet, Facebook -- that is who elected Trump and might well elect him again."

https://www.kten.com/story/42595016/in-tell-all-book-michael-cohen-says-trump-hired-a-faux-bama-during-white-house-run

[still_one]

1. In Mary Trump's book she alluded that most of the press has been giving the trump family

free PR that they knew was false for decades

It seems to me that most of the press after the first term of trump are finally pushing back on the falsehoods and lies that they helped create the myth of the trump family

[beachbumbob]

2. US hasn't had a free press in decades, so that line by Cohen is bullshit

the MSM is corporate owned and operated and hence will spin the propaganda as needed from MSNBC to foxnews

[enough]

5. He says specifically in the quote that he does not mean free as in freedom of expression.

He means free as in unpaid endless publicity.

[beachbumbob]

7. it happen because MSM is corporate owned and they saw trump benefit coming

[Yeehah]

8. 100% correct

The sad thing is, a great portion of DU posts are recitals and lamentations regarding the mega-corporate broadcast/cable news media. It seems so many people sit around watching that crap 24/7 and then come on to DU to complain or give their reviews. The mega-corps that own our broadcast media will not allow it to be free. They will project the information they see fit, always attempting to maintain a veneer of objectivity.

There is still some objective journalism and reporting in the print media, but none on TV with the rare exceptions like Free Speech TV, which are not owned by Disney, etc.

https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/democracyondeadline/mediaownership.html

[ms liberty]

3. I am pretty sure that the majority of Americans first heard of Donald Trump

By seeing him on "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." He's been a reality teevee star since before we called them that. Most of the names we call him have been around for a lot longer, though

[abqtommy]

4. The U.S. doesn't have a free press; it's bought and paid for.

[Codeine]

9. Not what he meant by "free". nt

[abqtommy]

11. It's not what he meant, it's what I meant...

[AlexSFCA]

19. nothing is free

he just got sponsored. But I fail to see the benefit to CNN when trump has been consistently labeling the network as fake news. To the point that CNN has now become an opinion “journalism” talk show cable channel.

[rickford66]

6. Hours of empty podiums while ignoring Democratic new conferences.

Media foreplay.

[Lucinda]

10. KNR

[dalton99a]

12. They knew it was bullshit, and they spread it with great enthusiasm - verbatim, at no charge.

[flamin lib]

13. I recall a statement by the President of NBC

'He's a disaster for the country but great for ratings.'

And Morning Joe taking his calls at any time, breaking into regular programming and letting him ramble for minutes.

So, yeah, they over presented Trump while over presenting accounts of Hillary's health and HER EMAILS!!

[hedda_foil]

15. It was CBS, not NBC.

[flamin lib]

16. Thanks for the correction. Morning Joe still did his part.nt

[hedda_foil]

17. Oh for sure! They all did. They showed his rallies every damn day, from preshow to end.

[DSandra]

28. Just one of many examples of the failure of unfettered capitalism in a society

There should be a line drawn that capitalist greed stops when it leads to betrayal of one's country / treason.

[flamin lib]

29. In the early days of broadcast tv the news was considered a

public service and had no advertising. Evening news was about 15 minutes and basic headlines.

Now the news broadcasts are income producers and as such chase sensation at the cost of honest news content. If it bleeds it leads!

Broadcast networks are still required to provide a certain amount of Public Service but it's all relegated to time slots between 2 and 4 AM.

[jalan48]

14. Will the Corporate Media do it again on election night before all the votes are counted?

[gulliver]

18. Trump's like COVID. The US free press "immune system" had never encountered something so bad.

I don't blame the press. I think, like any institution, the legitimate press changes at a relatively slow pace. To me, that's usually good, because we want it to be very, very difficult to sway the press from established, core journalistic values. We want it to be an immovable rock when it comes to the truth.

But then in comes Trump. The legitimate press was completely thrown into a state of shock, in my opinion. Could they use the term "lie?" Could they simply state that a news subject's statements were repeated and repeatedly shown to lack any evidence? How do they deal with someone who doesn't respond to a reported fact in any way other than to say that it's fake?

Trump's a unique organism in our time. I don't blame the legitimate press for having trouble getting their bearings. They seem to have them now. They are more likely to call out lying now, and less likely to echo and re-echo nasty trivia. Cancel culture is diminishing too. That spells good things for the future.

[MyOwnPeace]

21. I wish I could share your optimism.....

but I'm in more of a "wait & see" time myself. Yes, the "media" does seem to be more serious about presenting actual truth and is actively working on the "loser" story and not just letting it go.
However, they have lots to prove and have 2 months in which to do so.

[gulliver]

25. Yeah, I'm "cautiously optimistic" and agree with the wait and see

[JI7]

31. They had no problem with negative reporting on Hillary based on BS Lies

but they had trouble with facts about trump.

fuck them

[gulliver]

33. They've learned a lot. They're fine. Except Fox "News"...

...which should go down with the SS Trump.

Thanks to Trump, the legitimate news now has a new arsenal of tactics and publication guidance. They screwed up. No doubt about it. You can tell they know it by what they've been doing now with all the trivial, dummy-bait stories Trump used to thrive so much on.

Trump II pops up, and he or she's going to be tromped by the legitimate media and, if I had to guess, even in Republican bubble porn entertainment sources such as Fox News.

[Martin Eden]

20. If the "free" press" gave America Trump ...

... in that respect, the free press IS the enemy of the people.

[Pepsidog]

22. Ain't that the truth.But most Trumpers think the media is controlled by the left. To which I say,

years ago I had to get a subscription. To Sirius to even listen to lefty talk radio and that was slim pickings. Fox and right wing radio has settled these peoples' minds and ability to think. Many rural areas only have Fox and RW radio so is it surprising that they are brainwashed, what choice do they have? There just isn't any alternative views. MSNBC is a flea compared to Fox and many rural areas don't have any left leaning media outlets. And this is the problem that will continue to polarize the country. All Trumpers spout the same misinformed propaganda about the left. Liberals want to take from the rich and give to the poor. Dems want to give illegal immigrants free everything, education. housing, healthcare etc. Trump is a brilliant businessman who sacrificed to run for president. Trump tells it like it is and sticks it to China etc. He was first leader to meet with Kim Jung Un, like that is a good thing. Trump handled the pandemic brilliantly. Libs want to take your guns away. Just a litany of Fox and RW BS that they think is good for America because that is all they hear. Can we blame these misinformed dupes?

[Aristus]

23. Don't blame the left for Trump, you hamhock!

He’s your accomplishment!

Liberal media outlets spent a year and a half imploring the country not to vote for your dangerously unqualified and incompetent candidate.

[Azathoth]

24. CNN single-handedly made him the GOP nominee

Even *Fox* thought he was a complete joke and tried to keep him marginalized. Most news outlets treated him like the unserious stunt he was. But CNN gave him credulous wall-to-wall coverage everytime he burped. They legitimized him for ratings, and then everyone else was forced to follow.

[dalton99a]

26. Specifically, Jeff Zucker

[moondust]

27. Not to mention NBC

running all those years of "The Apprentice," a hoax in which Donny pretended to be an all-knowing wise man who knew what it takes to be a big success in business--after himself inheriting a hefty fortune and turning it into multiple bankruptcies.

[Blue Owl]

30. They lick his boots like he licks Putin's...

Hmmmm....

[JI7]

32. Never forget and there needs to be a movie made based on this