Network News Is Helping Trump Spread His Lies

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, and PBS don't care about spreading Donald Trump's fake news and have chosen to air his immigration address.

Yesha Callahan Jan, 08, 2019

Five years ago, then-President Barack Obama made a television address on immigration, but networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS made a decision not to air it. Networks felt that the address would be overtly political, which really didn’t make too much sense, because, in previous years, then-President George W. Bush was able to deliver his speech about immigration, which was carried on all networks.

Over the last couple of years, Donald Trump started his campaign against the media and coined his term “fake news”. He’s steadfastly held his vendetta against networks like CNN and MSNBC, but of course is a fan of Fox. So it would seem ironic that the networks that he detests are now giving him air-time to spout his immigration lies.

On Tuesday night, Trump will address the nation on immigration and the government shutdown, and CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, and Fox will air it live. And this is how the media, even though they know (well everyone but Fox) Trump is full of lies, will still aide in the spread of misinformation. The media is complicit in aiding and abetting Trump’s delusions. Even though Trump has pointed out how certain media outlets are his enemy, they’re now freely choosing to be a part of his madness.

In response to Trump’s address, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement saying they should be able to respond and receive airtime.

“Now that the television networks have decided to air the President’s address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime,” Pelosi and Schumer said.

Something tells me that the chances of that happening are slim. These networks have now proven that they don’t care about the truth. They only care about their ratings, which of course will increase their bottom line. They don’t care that Trump continues to lie and spread his racist rhetoric, as long as it lines their pockets.

Welcome to the world of fake news.