Lots of advice is flowing on how the media should cover an administration that poses unique challenges for reporting the news. The advice includes being “measured and right” rather than first; taking careful notes; asking questions in a way that they can’t be evaded; watching Trump’s TV programs to you can know where he gets ideas; following up on each others’ questions and remaining calm. Politico Magazine, February 6, 2017, by Jack Shafer)
A former Russian reporter who covered Putin suggests that it is essential to avoid being distracted by the “chaff.” And official access is not so important as concentrating on “defining public policy.” “…don’t get distracted by what they say, focus on what they don’t,” writes Alexey Kovalev, The Guardian, January 23, 2017.
AP’s John Dnaiszewshi, the Post’s Margaret Sullivan and the Times’ Elizabeth Spayd participated in a discussion of how the media should cover the Trump administration. They discussed how to deal with lies, taking care to set a high bar for calling a lie a lie but not shying away at the appropriate time or use euphemisms. Sullivan said that the media has to excel at fact-checking and Spayd that the media should not back away from critical issues such as the link between the Trump campaign and Russia. (NPR, January 28, 2017)