Throughout Donald Trump’s presidency there have been numerous incidents of salacious stories from inside the white house being reported by the press via anonymous sources. Despite the press having a longstanding history of utilizing anonymous sources, the practice has received more criticism during the Trump administration due to his disdain for what he deems to be the mainstream media. Trump refers to the media as corrupt and “fake news.” When

The twenty-first century has seen the rise in power and prominence of social media and the role that it plays in society. In 2019 over 70% of the United States population was active on some form of social media (Pew Research Center). Social media plays a crucial role in the public discourse, especially when it comes to matters of politics. A point of conflict has come about due to the

A crucial role the news media plays in a democractic society is the dissemination of reliable information during events of tragedy.  Prior to 1980, during times of crisis and breaking news people in the United States would turn to one of the three major broadcast news networks–ABC, CBS, and NBC (Britannica). 1980 saw the creation of CNN which started the practice of the 24-hour news cycle model followed by MSNBC,

In a democratic society, providing the people with all the information they need to act as informed citizens is of the utmost importance. By extension then, a free press is fundamental to  democracy and, in the United States, is protected by the First Amendment. Thus, the press can also act as a fourth “check” on the government, by keeping a watchful eye on those in power and reporting wrongdoing directly