A snapshot of media failure

Reader, After another night of primary victories, in March Donald Trump took to the stage in the ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago resort. Instead of holding a victory rally, he took questions from the media. All but one of the queries was about the horse race: Could he win the general? Could he bring the party together? Trump tried to cut off the only policy-related question from CNN's Jeremy Diamond, saying, "Nobody is listening to you, Jeremy." This one campaign moment was a snapshot of media failure in a primary season that is unlike anything we've ever seen. Entertaining? You bet. But vetting candidates for one of the most powerful positions in the world is serious business, and for that we need serious journalism. [That's why I'm asking you to make a tax-deductible donation to Mother Jones during our spring fundraising drive]. I don't usually ask for donations—I'm a reporter, not a pitchman—but I think what we do is pretty damn important. And since we're a nonprofit, we need to raise $175,000 from readers like you by April 30 to maintain the level of reporting you expect from us (and won't find with most other media). If you contribute $50 or more, you will qualify for a free one-year subscription to our magazine. [MAKE YOU'RE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE GIFT TODAY] I could probably leave it there: I could point to the most bizarre election we've ever seen and make the case that our democracy needs the type of reporting you get from Mother Jones. But for this fundraising appeal, we're relying on the values that drive our reporting—substance, facts, and transparency—to make the case for your support. And I hope my observations regarding the coverage of the 2016 race will make a compelling pitch. Early on, the cable networks discovered that airing Trump's ranting and raving was a boon for ratings. Each time he said something outrageous, he received more coverage, and he and the networks won a bigger audience—ad infinitum. Meanwhile, many in the media ignored Bernie Sanders early in the campaign; they didn't think there was a big audience for his "political revolution." CBS president and CEO Les Moonves explained it like this: "[It] may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS...It's a terrible thing to say, but bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going." He's right. What's good for advertisers, networks and publishers isn't always what's good for America. That's why we do things differently at Mother Jones. We don't depend primarily on advertising dollars—instead, 70 percent of our annual budget comes from you, our readers. [BE PART OF THE 70 PERCENT] I don't want to come down too hard on the journalists who are tasked with chronicling the nanosecond by nanosecond of today's news cycle. But when so many of the questions directed at Trump are about politics as sports—so, slugger, how did you do out there today, and are you worried about the playoffs?—the public loses. Of all of the massive media attention Trump has drawn, only a small percentage has focused on substance. And even when the media fixates on a serious matter—say, his call for banning Muslims from entering the United States—the subject can be blown away by the next headline-capturing insult du jour. By the way, our reporters—including me—have been banned from Trump's campaign events. In more than 30 years of covering elections, national and local, I have never been barred from a campaign event open to the press—until now. This isn't just about Trump. Not many reporters have combed through Ted Cruz's pre-Senate record. Where's the digging into John Kasich's days at Lehman Brothers? Sanders' intriguing history was largely ignored for months. And though Clinton's ties to Goldman Sachs and other Big Finance firms have been part of the political discourse, for a long stretch, not many media outlets were exploring the details of those connections. If you've read this far, I'd venture to say you want smart, probing reporting that avoids the sound bites and explodes the spin with facts. [That's the type of journalism Mother Jones can produce, thanks to contributions from readers like you]. [YEP, IT'S THE TYPE OF REPORTING I WANT] Because we answer only to you, our readers, we can focus on stories that need to be told, that challenge the status quo, and that others in the media are ignoring. Each day, we try to sort out what we cover—and where to concentrate our reporting—in order to make a difference. Yes, we need to follow the daily twists and turns. But we recognize it's important for journalists to get off the spinning hamster wheel and investigate where others do not. By helping journalists who ask the tough questions and dig for the truth, you can hold the politicians and powerful accountable. The deal here is straightforward; you've seen what we do and you know what's on the line. If you want more fearless, independent journalism, [please make a tax-deductible contribution today via credit card] or [PayPal]. We're not going to coax you with a coffee mug or tote bag—we're putting every dollar back into our top priority, reporting. But if you can give $50 or more, we'll send you a free one-year subscription to our magazine. Thanks for reading, [David Corn Headshot][David Corn] David Corn, Washington, DC, Bureau Chief Mother Jones --------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To stop receiving Mother Jones' fundraising and subscription emails, or manage your preferences for our emails, click [here]. [MOTHERJONES.COM] Mother Jones 222 Sutter Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94108 [Powered By Blackbaud]