Written By : Ronn Torossian
September 25, 2012

Former Obama Administration Advisor Anita Dunn once said: “The press corps wouldn’t be doing its job if it weren’t demanding more access than we’re willing to give. We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t occasionally irritate the press.”The media’s job, like it or not is not to make friends, or report that which is nice.  Their job is to report “the news.”

Why do some expect fairness from the media? CNN published parts of Mark Stevens’ diary – and some are criticizing them for doing so – and I don’t get it. The media’s job isn’t to help anyone – it’s to report the news as an impartial bystander.  And they want headlines and people talking.

While the State Department called CNN “disgusting” for using the journal against the family’s wishes, one wonders how much news daily CNN publishes that people don’t want published.  In an email which led to the top spokesman for Hillary Clinton telling a reporter to “f–k off”, a CNN Reporter asked “Why didn’t the State Department search the consulate and find AMB Steven’s diary first? What other potential valuable intelligence was left behind that could have been picked up by apparently anyone searching the grounds? Was any classified or top secret material also left? Do you still feel that there was adequate security at the compound, considering it was not only overrun but sensitive personal effects and possibly other intelligence remained out for anyone passing through to pick up? Your statement on CNN sounded pretty defensive–do you think it’s the media’s responsibility to help secure State Department assets overseas after they’ve been attacked?” Link and emails at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedpolitics/hillary-clinton-aide-tells-reporter-to-fuck-off

 And that’s the bottom line – don’t expect anything at all from the media.  Its basic journalism and even if CNN was there when the Ambassador was being killed, media often stands by and documents it without intervening – so why care for someone after the fact?

Media’ s job is to report news – and while Clinton’s people tried to cover up for Obama and the State Department, owning a crisis PR agency,  I understand that medias job is to report the news.

Trust in God, not the media.

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR a leading Public Relations firm and Author of “For Immediate Release.”

1

Comments are closed.