THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS? IT'S NOT WHO YOU THINK
IVN Editor Shawn Griffiths has a piece on IVN looking at a new media poll. He writes. "The American public is more skeptical of traditional and mainstream media outlets now than at any point in modern US history. So that leaves the question, in the era of “fake news,” which outlets do Americans trust most? Here’s a hint: Cable news is not doing so hot. In fact, while CNN still runs with the moniker, “the most trusted name in news,” the results of a new survey from the Trusting News Project reveals this to be far from the truth."
According to the Trusting News Project, over two-thirds of Americans have a paid subscription or “provide financial support” to at least one news source. Liberal respondents, according to the survey, are more likely to trust and pay for news than conservative respondents.
AMERICA NEEDS ITS OWN EMANUEL MACRON
Dan Smith has an op-ed on IVN where he argues the two-party system has failed the American people, and it's time for a candidate in America to do what Macron did in France. Upend the political syste.
Smith writes, "The answer isn’t to elect another Democrat who is beholden to pharmaceutical companies, George Soros, wealthy donors, lobbying firms, big oil and above all else, a very corrupt party. The answer is for every disgruntled American to get over their egos and coalesce behind one centrist third-party candidate and propel them into the White House. Then and only then will our government change."
Macron disrupted French politics and gave the voters a fresh, moderate, common sense thinking individuals could vote for. And they did in droves. Now France certainly isn’t America and Macron is far from perfect. However, the general principle still stands. The two-party system in America is outdated, as are the media’s monopolistic control on information unlikely to remain.
CRACKING DOWN ON LEAKERS
In a news conference high on drama and tough talk, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he has already brought charges against 4 leakers of government information, and warned media outlets that subpoenas could come should they choose to violate federal law and publish sensitive information.
The nation’s top law enforcement official says the number of criminal leak probes has more than tripled in the early months of the Trump administration.
Justice Department officials say they are reviewing guidelines put in place to make it difficult for the government to subpoena journalists about their sources, and would not rule out the possibility that a reporter could be prosecuted.
Sessions said, “I strongly agree with the president and condemn in the strongest terms the staggering number of leaks undermining the ability of our government to protect our country. We are taking a stand. This culture of leaking must stop. … Cases will be made and leakers will be held accountable.”
The Washington Post and other outlets published the entire transcripts of conversations President Trump had with world leaders this past week.