Media Outlets, Political Communication, and Threats to Democracy

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The chapter discusses how media outlets like Fox News and MSNBC serve to address different political anxieties, the ambiguous communication of Donald Trump, the role of media in shaping public perception, and the threats posed by right-wing populism. It explores tensions between defending democratic institutions and combating dangerous political forces, cautioning against overstated claims of civil war. The discussion also covers topics such as cultural overreach on the left, the involvement of experts in political advocacy, and the role of academics and journalists in maintaining objectivity amidst activism.

Yascha Mounk and Mike Pesca discuss what real balance ought to look like in reporting hotly contested issues.

Mike Pesca is a journalist and the host of "The Gist", the longest running daily news podcast in history. He spent a decade as a correspondent for NPR, guest hosting “All Things Considered” and “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.”

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Mike Pesca discuss why many news organizations have discarded objectivity in favor of “moral clarity” in recent years; the recent internal upheaval at NPR and the limits to giving every side equal coverage; and whether journalists, academics and other experts ought to consider themselves “defenders of democracy.”

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarit y .

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