Watan Destination: Press Protects Its Freedoms
The stance taken by major American television and digital news networks in boycotting coverage of President Donald Trump’s activities, after he barred three media outlets—CNN, MSNBC, and Politico—from entering the White House by accusing them of vague charges such as spreading fake news, harming national security, and fostering negativity, represents a victory for press freedom, media independence, and responsible news coverage.
Several of the largest American media and journalism organizations, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and even Fox News, which is generally aligned with Trump, sided with the three banned outlets. They argued that the president’s decision restricts “the public’s interest in receiving accurate and independent information, and no administration should restrict a news organization simply because it disagrees with its reporting.”
The result was comical in a rare sight: Trump held his press conference without journalists, microphones, or even audible sound.
Of course, this incident does not constitute a full endorsement of the integrity of American media, particularly its major channels, which are often criticized for their bias toward Zionism and for conflating the concepts of resistance and terrorism. Nevertheless, it undoubtedly reflects these institutions’ victory for freedoms and the right to professional news coverage.
In truth, anyone who examines Trump’s trajectory since his first presidency, and his clashes with all institutions—including the judiciary, Congress, the media, and even his own Republican Party—can see that he is a president who belongs to the mindset of third-world leaders who seek to transform independent institutions into subordinate agencies. Had he had the power, he would have renamed his country “Trump America,” akin to Saddam’s Iraq, Assad’s Syria, and Gaddafi’s Libya.
In third-world, and perhaps even tenth-world, countries, journalism is nothing more than an echo of the ruling power’s voice, with no real choice in the freedom to report news or comment on it.
It is important for any journalist and media professional worldwide, especially in the third world, to follow the confrontation between American media institutions and the U.S. president, in order to understand the importance of independent media, free coverage, and the right to evaluate, question, debate, and even criticize in order to assess any course of action and clarify any decision or policy.
