A journalistic giant speaks

Photo credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images

The greatest danger America faces is that the truth and lie stand equal and indistinguishable for millions of Americans who have been preyed upon by a billion- dollar misinformation and propaganda economy. Democracy cannot survive under such conditions. It will collapse. The lie is foundational to totalitarianism. It is always the foundation on which tyranny is built and maintained. Fascism did not rise in the 1930s because it was strong, but rather, because democracy was weak, impotent and corrupt.

The moment in which we live is defined by an epic collapse of trust between the American people and nearly every single important institution in the country. The contempt that the American people feel for its corrupted political class is not exclusive. Americans feel the same way about billionaires, CEOs, and media, tech and pharmaceutical companies.

This collapse of trust is breaking American society and creates the conditions necessary for the rise of a demagogue who hates America’s ideas and ideals. Donald Trump is a product of this collapse. His appearance at a CNN-staged propaganda event is evidence of the disintegration of the Watergate journalistic ethic and the core belief of CNN founder Ted Turner that the news is the star. Today, under the new management, the chaos, the spectacle, the depravity are the star.

CNN CEO Chris Licht said the debacle in New Hampshire was “in the public interest.” It was a profoundly delusional statement. I wrote about it here.

I mentioned Edward R. Murrow and the speech that he delivered to the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Dinner in 1958, during television’s early adolescence. It has stood in a singular space as the most important speech about journalism given by a journalist in the modern age. Murrow’s warning has at long last been equaled by a broadcasting giant and journalist of comparable stature. Her name is Christiane Amanpour.

Christiane Amanpour is a true journalist. Her credentials are impeccable. Her stature is immense. Most importantly, she has earned trust. Christiane Amanpour can be counted on to directly and fearlessly tell us the truth. She has risked her life for a lifetime doing it.

She delivered the commencement address at the Columbia University School of Journalism. It was a masterpiece. It is the most important address about the role of journalism in our modern era that has ever been given. It will be recalled as a historic speech one day.

It was a powerful rebuke to Chris Licht and the American media’s conflict profiteers. Her mentioning that she had just seen Ted Turner, while defining his legacy around doing the right thing was powerful and poignant.

I’d like to ask you to watch this important speech in full from a journalistic icon we can all trust. There are not many.

This is something I hope you will share far and wide. These are important words.

Christiane Amanpour begins speaking at the 32:27 mark.