Page 31 - atoday

A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 24 January 2017
Trump’s ‘war with the media’ raises questions of trust

DAVID BAUDER The conservative web site
AP Television Writer breitbart.com led its site
NEW YORK (AP) — Don- with an article headlined:
ald Trump’s “running war” “White House Press Sec-
on the media is continu- retary Sean Spicer blasts
ing into his presidency, media’s ‘deliberately false
with statements over the reporting.’” The article said
weekend calling into ques- that Spicer’s “criticism of
tion the extent to which the media’s fake news re-
information from the White porting resulted in a media
House can be trusted. meltdown on social me-
White House Press Secre- dia.”
tary Sean Spicer on Mon- Yet it’s a crucial time for
day will hold his first daily Spicer’s reputation. A press
press briefing at which secretary whose word
he could face questions can’t be trusted has no
about a statement Satur- value to anyone, said Ter-
day night that included ence Hunt, a longtime
demonstrably false asser- White House correspon-
tions about the crowd size dent and editor for The As-
at Friday’s inauguration sociated Press who recent-
and a promise by the new ly retired.
administration that “we’re “You can’t tell lies in the
going to hold the press ac- White House,” Hunt said.
countable.” “Somebody will smoke you
Some Trump supporters will An image of the inauguration of President Donald Trump is displayed behind White House press out, on issues large and
no doubt cheer the con- secretary Sean Spicer as he speaks at the White House, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, in Washington. small. The president’s in-

Associated Press

tinued antagonism toward tegrity and credibility are
the media that was central with the media.” tions from reporters, was he symbolizes how Trump at stake in everything you
to the Republican’s cam- Spicer made two unprov- televised live on Fox News has been treated by the say, so be super careful.”
paign for president. Now able statements in his brief- Channel and MSNBC. CNN media. One person who If the White House can’t be
the stakes are higher. ing: that photographs of did not air the session but has been in Spicer’s posi- trusted to tell the truth on a
Press secretaries have the audience at Trump’s in- showed highlights later. tion, former White House relatively trivial matter like
been lied to by their bosses, augural were intentionally Trump’s first press confer- Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, crowd size, the public will
or misled reporters through framed to minimize the ap- ence after he was elect- said it seemed clear to him wonder about the reliabil-
the omission of informa- pearance of support, and ed, on Jan. 11, also took that Spicer was acting on ity of information on impor-
tion, but veteran journalist that Trump drew the largest aim at the media. Coming orders from his boss. Press tant topics like terrorism or
Dan Rather said Sunday it audience ever to witness hours after news reports secretaries have to walk a the nuclear capabilities of
was the first time he could an inauguration. revealed intelligence offi- fine line between reflecting North Korea, said Ben Mul-
recall false material being But he also made state- cials had presented Trump the thinking and wishes of lin, a managing editor at
delivered in this way. ments that were quickly with unsubstantiated and the president while trying the Poynter Institute who
“I hope that people will disproven: that the Wash- salacious allegations re- to help the people cover- does a podcast on the re-
stop, pull back for what ington Metro system re- garding his relationship to ing him do their jobs, said lationship between Trump
we in television call a wide corded more riders on the Russia, Trump and his team Fleischer, who, like Spicer, and the press.
shot and see what is hap- day of Trump’s inaugural condemned news organi- worked for Bush. Former CBS anchor Rath-
pening,” Rather said. “This than when Obama was zations that disclosed de- Fleischer said he never er, who famously tangled
is a deliberate propagan- sworn in for his second tails, calling out CNN and knowingly delivered false with the Nixon White House
da campaign.” term, that Friday marked BuzzFeed as “disgraceful” information to the press during the Watergate era,
Longtime Republican op- the first time that white floor and refusing to take ques- while at the White House. said the situation sad-
erative Spicer, who most covering was used on the tions from a CNN reporter. “You can’t do that,” he dened him.
recently was the spokes- Washington Mall that am- Confronted by “Meet the said. “It will shorten your “I don’t think the Ameri-
man for the Republican plified empty spaces, and Press” host Chuck Todd on career.” When Spicer fac- can people as a whole,
National Committee and it was the first time specta- Sunday with “falsehoods” es the press on Monday, he whether they supported
also worked for President tors were required to pass stated by Spicer, Trump needs to elaborate on his Donald Trump or not, want
George W. Bush, is known through magnetometers to adviser Kellyanne Conway argument, “take the hard a situation where the press
for fighting tenaciously for enter the Mall. called them “alternative questions and demonstrate secretary to the president
his employers. His briefing Spicer’s briefing, during facts.” She accused Todd reasonableness,” Fleischer comes out and knowingly
on Saturday followed a which he did not take ques- of laughing at her and said said. tells a lie,” he said.q
Trump appearance at the
CIA where the president ‘Batman v Superman,’ ‘Zoolander 2’ lead Razzie nominations
criticized the media for its
reporting his criticisms of
the intelligence commu- NEW YORK (AP) — The perman” landed eight in America: Kristen Wiig (“Zoolan-
nity and took exception to much-derided superhero nominations announced The Secret History of the der”), Johnny Depp (“Al-
stories saying the crowd for clash “Batman v Super- Monday for the worst films Democratic Party.” ice Through the Looking
his inauguration was small- man: Dawn of Justice” and and performances of 2016. Many nominees are typi- Glass”),
er than those for predeces- the far-too-late comedy se- Both are up for worst pic- cally acclaimed perform- Will Ferrell (“Zoolander 2”),
sor Barack Obama. Trump quel “Zoolander 2” are the ture, along with “Gods of ers, Ben Affleck (“Batman v Su-
declared that journalists leading nominees for the Egypt,” ‘’Independence including Robert De Niro perman”) and Julia Roberts
are “the most dishonest hu- 37th annual Razzie Awards. Day: Resurgence,” ‘’Dirty (“Dirty Grandpa”), Naomi (“Mother’s Day”).
man beings on Earth,” say- “Zoolander 2” drew nine Grandpa” and the politi- Watts (“Divergent Series: “Winners” will be an-
ing “I have a running war nods and “Batman v Su- cal documentary “Hillary’s Allegiant” and “Shut-In”), nounced Feb. 25.q