What about the news?
By Elizabeth Cook-LynnNative Sun News Today Columnist
nativesunnews.today Americans often seem to be afraid of the future. Catastrophe is just around the corner. Worry. Fear. Listening to too much news, on the internet. Watching the “talking heads.” Podcasting. Thus, it was so-o-o-o nice for 200 people to attend the Democracy In Action meeting on “Truth in the News” put on by the DIA Group (July 10 at the library) known for serious talk, and to hear the local newspaper writers tell us of “truth” and their views of the Journalism Scene here in Rapid City. They tell us that things are going to be Okay. Reassuring. We don’t have to worry that America has turned its back on the Voting Rights Act, the Affordable Care Act is being dismantled, that Corporations are now persons, that most Wind Energy initiatives have been rejected (rolling back the Clean Water Act), and that the Supreme Court will continue to be made up of White Christian Male Conservatives mostly opposed to women’s choice (as it has been for ages), even though America as a society is changing fast and becoming a society of Browns and Blacks and Asians, Non-Christians, and Feminists.
The moderator, Karen Hall, introduced Eric Abrahamson, historian, who gave an overview of the journalistic field as it moved from rural and small town journalism to a concentration of power by huge investors from the 1930’s to the present, like Knight-Rider, when profit became an overriding motivation. Abraham talked of the many changes going from family owned business to massive market controls, to worldwide technology which prompted one of the panelists to interject such a change was one of the reasons that writers today are often “afraid to tell the truth.” That line of discussion was dropped in favor of the more compelling view that economics and trade in this global world has become a more persuasive motivator. Vickie Wicks, a former court reporter who now writes for South Dakota Public Radio and other public outlets countered some ideas about the profession because, she says that as a mostly freelance writer, she is able to choose what she writes about and is not given demanding notices and assignments by editors and publishers and, therefore, there is no economic or political agenda that she must adhere to. “I don’t write what people want to hear,” she says, as she makes her own agenda, and ‘as a good juror’, she sticks to the facts offering interesting features of the community. She says opinion is not operative in her work but feels the responsibility that is brought on when news reporters are knowing conduits to a receptive public. Chynna Lockett, also an NPR writer, says that in her work, it is not a question of bias. “It’s about experience” and she told stories of how she goes about bringing good interviews for a public outlet. Kevin Woster, a long time news writer probably best known as one who once worked at the Rapid City Journal, started the early part of the discussion by asking the essential question: “What is truth?” He answered it vaguely by suggesting the dilemma every news writer must face: “Is Obama bad?” some say “yes.” “Is Obama good? Some say “yes.” That is the dilemma. Kevin was equivocal and did not offer any answers, but neither did he refer to Stephen Colbert’s condemnation about “truth-i-ness” in news, leaving that to the social media types who probably do not read newspapers anyway. Woster then talked about the loss of newspaper readership which seemed to be a reference again to the more worrisome economic factors of the business rather than a lack of interest in newspapers per se. Richie Richards, an Oglala Tribal member educated in his professional studies in California, now a writer for the Native Sun News in Rapid City, and the congenial host of a newly organized and highly successful Saturday evening show on KEVN called “Oyate Today,” called attention to the recognition of the specific communal and societal function of Journalism. He referenced Tim Giago, the long-time Oglala editor and owner of one of the most significant news organizations in Indian country as an important mentor to him and all of the Native peoples in this western region. When Woster suggested that the importance of such organizations to Indian lives was to “right the wrongs” of history, Richards reluctantly agreed but also indicated that he is first and foremost a news reporter of the workings of a community, not an advocate. Both writers mentioned the influence of Giago who once chastised Woster asking why so many non-native reporters come “to the rez” with so little information and experience. Richards shared the information that he turned down offers to write for the Journal, or the television audience because “they wanted me to report on the city council” both comments drew laughter from the audience.When you hear the Fake News talking negatively about my meeting with President Putin, and all that I gave up, remember, I gave up NOTHING, we merely talked about future benefits for both countries. Also, we got along very well, which is a good thing, except for the Corrupt Media!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018
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