Democracy Needs a Free Press

Last Sunday, my wife and I attended our church's Democracy Circle, where journalist William Roberts shared the presentation below. It traces Donald Trump's relationship with the media—from the New York tabloids of the 1980s to today's battles over journalism, technology companies, and political power.

The presentation—shared below—explores how our information environment has changed, why independent journalism matters, and what happens when business interests, politics, and media become increasingly intertwined. It's a great review of how Donald Trump has manipulated and now weakened the media. 

When the media is manipulated and disinformation spreads, becomes harder for citizens to know what is true, trust one another, and work together for the common good—a topic I write about in Poverty Abolitionists. Reducing poverty and strengthening democracy both depend on citizens having access to trustworthy information, institutions willing to hold power accountable, and people who are committed to seeking the truth—even when it's uncomfortable.

One of the things I appreciate about our Democracy Circle is the opportunity to learn from thoughtful presentations like Bill's. They give us a chance to examine important issues together, ask hard questions, and think about what responsible citizenship requires. They are organized by the Workers Circle, a 125-year-old Jewish social justice organization, and I encourage you to learn more about them at circle.org. You might even consider starting a Democracy Circle in your own community.

I hope you'll take a little time to look through William Roberts' presentation. I also would like to encourage you to check out Bill's Substack: Truth to Power with William Roberts.