Mike Gousha, Distinguished Fellow in Law and Policy at Marquette University's Law school and host of "On the Issues" and "Upfront" visited our Seminar in Journalism class on Thursday.
Gousha talked about the great distrust of the media today, but how that it is part of the landscape when you try to cover politics. Both sides, Democrats and Republicans, like to bully the media, so political reporters need thick skin.
It is also hard to cover politics because, as Gousha said, "Peoply today do not want to be informed. They want to be affirmed." This is why cable channels like Fox News and MSNBC are successful. They see themselves as news operations at night, but "when the sun goes down, they see themselves as something else," said Gousha, referring to the distinguishment between the news programs and opinion shows that these channels offer.
"I think that gets a little dicey," Gousha said.
Gousha also discussed the value of talk shows like his "Upfront" or national shows like "Face the Nation" and "Meet the Press" to candidates. Gousha believes that candidates have moved to other platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to get their messages across, but these talk shows still hold some value to them. They tend to try and go on the programs that will be sympathetic to them.
Gousha looks to have his programs be a place for serious civil discourse and "a force for public good." He likes to use "old school journalism," in which he asks the tough questions, but in a civil way. Gousha said it is not his job to be prosecutor.
"There's a lot of fire, and sometimes not so much light," said Gousha. In other words, sometimes programs become all about the ratings-friendly shouting matches and disagreements, rather than facts-full and productive debates that helps viewers find the answers.
Gousha talked about the great distrust of the media today, but how that it is part of the landscape when you try to cover politics. Both sides, Democrats and Republicans, like to bully the media, so political reporters need thick skin.
It is also hard to cover politics because, as Gousha said, "Peoply today do not want to be informed. They want to be affirmed." This is why cable channels like Fox News and MSNBC are successful. They see themselves as news operations at night, but "when the sun goes down, they see themselves as something else," said Gousha, referring to the distinguishment between the news programs and opinion shows that these channels offer.
"I think that gets a little dicey," Gousha said.
Gousha also discussed the value of talk shows like his "Upfront" or national shows like "Face the Nation" and "Meet the Press" to candidates. Gousha believes that candidates have moved to other platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to get their messages across, but these talk shows still hold some value to them. They tend to try and go on the programs that will be sympathetic to them.
Gousha looks to have his programs be a place for serious civil discourse and "a force for public good." He likes to use "old school journalism," in which he asks the tough questions, but in a civil way. Gousha said it is not his job to be prosecutor.
"There's a lot of fire, and sometimes not so much light," said Gousha. In other words, sometimes programs become all about the ratings-friendly shouting matches and disagreements, rather than facts-full and productive debates that helps viewers find the answers.
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