The mainstream media is having its own shining moment

Whenever I find myself baffled by a trend or even a specific decision in the traditional media world, I look to Jay Rosen for his perspective. Rosen is a former editor at the Chicago Tribune and a professor of journalism at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. He's risen in prominence recently as a result of his "it's not the odds, it's the stakes" advice he has given the media on how to cover the 2024 elections. What he means by this is the coverage should be grounded in what the November choices mean, not the daily drama of polls, gotcha moments and the scoreboard. Consumers of media content should follow his advice too. Too often, consumers forget that we are partners in the market. Never has that been more important. Late last week, NBC News hired recently ousted Republican National Committee Chairperson, Ronna McDaniel, as a political contributor. The move has caused an avalanche of reaction. McDaniel has been an election denier since the "Big Lie" was spawned in 2020. She participated and led efforts, particularly in her home state of Michigan, to overturn the results. She still refuses to admit Joe Biden won an election that ultimately wasn't all that close. Democrats always cringe when a former, high-ranking Republican lands a gig at a prominent news desk. This one is different though. In honor of Professor Rosen and the spirit of telling it like it is, the most obvious problem with NBC's decision is this simple: McDaniel is a liar. The "newsroom" at the network isn't pleased about this at all. NBC's own Chuck Todd blasted the hire on "Meet the Press" Sunday morning. He was joined by the Boston Globe's Kimberly Atkins Stohr, who said McDaniel's "credibility was shot" over the years, and that "she habitually lied." OK. Democrats and journalists are mad. Surely Republicans are happy, right? Not immediately, they weren't.   Connect with Michael Leppert Visit michaelleppert.com to read the full post and links to any resources or articles mentioned. Twitter @michaelleppert  Facebook at Michael Leppert