The Press And The Politicians Getting A Little Too Cozy

Former NBC news anchor, Tom Brokaw, was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Now, Mr. Brokaw seems like a very nice man and I am not opposed to him receiving accolades for his work. I, also, realize he is not the first person in the news media to receive this type of recognition. However, I’m not sure it’s a good idea for people in the press to be given highly prestigious honors by politicians.

You say, “Stop being a negative, whining, killjoy.”

I do not mean to be a negative, whining, killjoy. But the specific role of the press in our culture is to be a watch dog. The press is a critically important part of the process of keeping the citizens informed and making sure those in power know that their actions are being monitored and reported. The press is, almost by definition, supposed to have a somewhat adversarial relationship with those who wield political power.

If high-visibility people in the news business realize they might just be awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom someday if they behave themselves and don’t stir up trouble, that realization can have an influence—even if it’s a subtle influence—which may not be very healthy to the process. The possibility of receiving these kinds of awards has the potential of creating relationships between the watch dog and the ones who are supposed to be watched that is a little bit too cozy.