To the Editor:
I’m writing to comment about the apparent news blackout of anything involving Bernie Sanders especially and Hillary Clinton, who are running for the presidential nomination in the Democratic Party. According to an article I read, the TV media has devoted more than 500 minutes to Donald Trump, including live broadcasts of rallies, etc, while devoting only about 10 minutes to Bernie Sanders. I’m disturbed because of what this means to journalism and reporting.
If the networks and newspapers are deliberately ignoring the Sanders campaign because they don’t like him or disagree with him, then they aren’t practicing journalism or utilizing the full concept of a free press. Instead, it means they are practicing biased reporting and choosing to not give the public all of the information to which it is entitled.
Another reason might be that Trump gives a good show in the sense that tacky reality TV is a show. If this is true, then the media is sacrificing true information and debate for sensationalism and performance. Neither of these reasons is acceptable. All of the networks, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, etc., and certainly the Chicago-area newspapers, are all failing as adequate sources for news. Instead they seem to be pushing a specific political agenda, a practice, which, I believe, is totally wrong and inexcusable.
I know that these comments may be ignored or trivialized, but as a subscriber to two papers, including this one, and as a taxpayer to the country that allows a free press, I expect to be informed. Instead, I have to go to the BBC or other foreign new agency to learn about what is going on in my own country. All of the newspapers and all of the so-called network television news departments should be ashamed.
Charles Teeter
Plainfield